Guardian of Seniors'Rights award
Seniors' Group Bestows Guardian Award on Bush
A senior citizens group Tuesday bestowed the Guardian of Seniors' Rights award upon President Bush, calling him a ''proven fighter for the elderly.''
60 Plus Association President Jim Martin said his group recognizes politicians on both sides of the political aisle for their ''senior friendly'' votes and legislative initiatives.
''Clearly President Bush is in the corner of senior citizens,'' Martin said, pointing to the president's proposals to protect Social Security and Medicare, provide the first-ever prescription drug benefit to the 40-year-old Medicare program, and repeal the 1993 tax on Social Security benefits.
Martin also cited Bush's proposals to abolish the 60-year-old earnings limit imposed on working seniors between 62 and 64, to repeal the 102-year-old tax on telephones to finance the Spanish-American War and to abolish the 88-year-old death tax which hurts small businesses and farmers.
''And to those who call death tax repeal a 'tax cut for the rich, as President Clinton did in 1999 when he vetoed it, I say that is a con job and he knew it,'' Martin said.
''The rich set up trusts and foundations to avoid it - so when you hear John Kerry say it's a tax cut for the rich, I reply, have you ever heard of the Heinz Foundation, the Gates Foundation, the Turner Foundation?'' Martin added.
''It's seniors and small businesses in America that pay it. No wonder it passed the House by a 100 vote margin, 264-163, with nearly 70 Democrats voting to abolish the death tax. (It passed the Senate 57-43 but due to arcane Senate rules, it requires 60 votes instead of a simple majority.)'' Martin said.
''60 Plus relies on support nationally from nearly 5 million seniors, so I believe I can speak on behalf of the elderly when I say they can count on President Bush. Clearly, seniors have no finer friend in the White House than President George W. Bush,'' he said.
By Louise Blanchard
Seniors' Group Bestows Guardian Award on Bush
A senior citizens group Tuesday bestowed the Guardian of Seniors' Rights award upon President Bush, calling him a ''proven fighter for the elderly.''
60 Plus Association President Jim Martin said his group recognizes politicians on both sides of the political aisle for their ''senior friendly'' votes and legislative initiatives.
''Clearly President Bush is in the corner of senior citizens,'' Martin said, pointing to the president's proposals to protect Social Security and Medicare, provide the first-ever prescription drug benefit to the 40-year-old Medicare program, and repeal the 1993 tax on Social Security benefits.
Martin also cited Bush's proposals to abolish the 60-year-old earnings limit imposed on working seniors between 62 and 64, to repeal the 102-year-old tax on telephones to finance the Spanish-American War and to abolish the 88-year-old death tax which hurts small businesses and farmers.
''And to those who call death tax repeal a 'tax cut for the rich, as President Clinton did in 1999 when he vetoed it, I say that is a con job and he knew it,'' Martin said.
''The rich set up trusts and foundations to avoid it - so when you hear John Kerry say it's a tax cut for the rich, I reply, have you ever heard of the Heinz Foundation, the Gates Foundation, the Turner Foundation?'' Martin added.
''It's seniors and small businesses in America that pay it. No wonder it passed the House by a 100 vote margin, 264-163, with nearly 70 Democrats voting to abolish the death tax. (It passed the Senate 57-43 but due to arcane Senate rules, it requires 60 votes instead of a simple majority.)'' Martin said.
''60 Plus relies on support nationally from nearly 5 million seniors, so I believe I can speak on behalf of the elderly when I say they can count on President Bush. Clearly, seniors have no finer friend in the White House than President George W. Bush,'' he said.
By Louise Blanchard
