As the “Fiscal Cliff” deadline nears, there are rumors emerging that President Barack Obama might be ready to make a deal with Speaker John Boehner and the Republican Party, that in exchange for their support on raising taxes on those making over $250,000 a year by a few points, that the Democrats agree to raise the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67.
Some see this as similar to the “grand deal” between President Ronald Reagan and Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neill, adopted thirty years ago in 1983, that raised the Social Security age from 65 to 67 in graduated amounts over a long period of time.
However, that was a totally different situation, and only involved a delay in gaining full benefits on Social Security over a long period of years.
This involves a rapid move to 67, and with no benefits until that age for Medicare, while Social Security has always allowed a smaller benefit as young as 62.
Also, this is MEDICAL, not a check every month, and people in their mid 60s are more likely to have health issues, and many jobs are such that a person cannot be expected to work extra years (particularly physical kind of jobs), and will therefore have a gap of years without medical coverage, and any such coverage would be prohibitively expensive!
The answer is to tax a higher percentage amount for Medicare, as everyone should be entitled to Medicare at no later than 65!
It would be unconscionable to throw people nearing or in retirement off of guaranteed health care at a vulnerable age!
Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Tom Harkin of Iowa are leading the fight against any changes in the retirement age, and President Obama needs to have pressure brought to prevent such a radical change that would really hurt working class people, both white and minority!
Progressives and liberals need to let Obama know that they have his back, and that he must NOT bend to Republicans on this issue, and if he does, he will have lost much of his support which put him in the White House twice!
And this would anger this blogger as well! Let me make that perfectly clear!