Monday, March 21, 2011

Wisconsin's struggle: Today's it's seniors (video)



Here's a great explainer about what's at stake in Wisconsin. It isn't just collective bargaining rights for government workers.

As Rally Girl reports,
Firefighters have protested. Police have protested. Teachers have protested. Farmers have protested. Working families have protested. Now, seniors are joining in the fight to stop the War on Workers.
Seniors and retirees are gathering today at the square in Madison to protest Koch whore Gov. Scott Walker’s state budget plan, which would make major cuts in the state’s SeniorCare program.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel explains that the budget would end SeniorCare’s current prescription drug program, forcing thousands to pay hundreds more per year for private drug coverage. The newspaper reported that most people in SeniorCare won't be better off in Medicare Part D.

On Feb. 10, Walker announced there would be no cuts to the SeniorCare program. Now his administration is telling people that although cuts are going to be made, seniors won’t see any changes in their benefits, a claim the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups calls deceptive. The group says seniors will see a lot of change and many will drop out of the program.

Like much of Walker's agenda, the proposed change to SeniorCare will benefit big corporations. It is estimated that private companies selling prescription drug plans could rake in $100 million in additional revenue from seniors cut from SeniorCare.