60 Plus Announces New Campaign Targeting 18 House Members on Health Care

New Ads Target 18 Reps - Urge Them to

“Start Over” on Health Care

$500,000 Campaign Begins Today

 “Some states and unions got special deals… American people call it corruption...”

ALEXANDRIA, VA – With President Obama hosting a bipartisan meeting on health care reform next  week, the 60 Plus Association announced today a new advertising campaign featuring seniors who urge Congress to “Start over and get health care right.”    The advertising campaign will target 18 Democrat Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, all whom voted YES to cut Medicare by half a trillion dollars last year.

This latest 60 Plus Association advertising campaign will target these 18 Members with a mix of television, cable and radio ads, as well as phone calls (a full list of targets can be found below).  In total, 60 Plus is spending $500,000 on this latest round of advertising to make sure these Members get the message – “Start over and get health care right”. 

 “With President Obama hosting a health care summit next week, we thought it appropriate to remind these Members seniors won’t forget their betrayal.   Cutting Medicare by half a trillion dollars and forcing seniors to bear the brunt of health care reform is not acceptable.   These Members have an opportunity to right a wrong, and you don’t get many do-overs in this business.  It’s about time Democrats came out from behind closed doors and had a public debate about this all too important issue,” said Jim Martin, Chairman of 60 Plus.

 “Deals” the :30 second TV ads and “Special” the 60 second radio ads begin running today.   Seniors say “Washington isn’t listening….   Some states and unions got special deals that don’t apply to the rest of us… The American people call it corruption… Congress needs to start over and get health care right.”  See the North Dakota version of the TV ad at http://www.youtube.com/60PlusAssociation#p/a/u/0/3Pw_YI3XWSE.    The Ellsworth version of the radio ad is attached.

Companion phone calls will urge recipients to call their Member and urge them to “start over on health care reform and get it right.”

 “I’ve been warning these Members that seniors have long memories when it comes to betrayal.  This is the last chance they have to avert the senior citizen tsunami that is headed for Capitol Hill,” continued Martin.

Radio Targets:         Arcuri (D, NY-24), Carney (D, PA-10), Donnelly (D, IN-02), Driehaus (D, OH-01), Ellsworth (D, IN-08), Etheridge (D, NC-02), Mitchell (D, AZ-05), Perriello (D, VA-05), Shea-Porter (D, NH-01), Titus (D, NV-03), Wilson (D, OH-06)

TV Targets:    Dahlkemper (D, PA-03), Hill (IN-08), Kilroy (D, OH-15), Pomeroy (D, ND-AL)

TV and Radio Targets:         Giffords (D, AZ-08), Kagen (D, WI-08), Kirkpatrick (D, AZ-01)

The 60 Plus Association is a 17-year-old nonpartisan organization working for death tax repeal, saving Social Security, affordable prescription drugs, lowering energy costs and other issues featuring a less government, less taxes approach.  60 Plus calls on support from nearly 5.5 million citizen activists.  60 Plus publishes a magazine, SENIOR VOICE, and a Scorecard, bestowing awards on lawmakers of both parties who vote “pro-senior.”   60 Plus has been called, “an increasingly influential senior citizen’s group” and since 1992 “the conservative alternative to the AARP.”

60 Plus Responds to Dem Plans to Expand Medicare

60 Plus Association President Jim Martin made the following statement in response to Democrat plans to expand Medicare and Medicaid:

“It’s being reported that Democrats are proposing a drastic expansion of Medicare and Medicaid in lieu of a government run option.  An expansion of Medicare is as bad if not worse than cutting $500 billion from the program. Putting that many more people into the program would hurt the level of care seniors receive.  This does not solve the underlying problem of not enough doctors in the system.   It won’t improve care for seniors, it just make the lines longer. The only thing it insures is their doctors have less time for them.

There are 77 million Baby Boomers on the cusp of Medicare, and the Democrats are proposing to add them now, a cockamamie idea that makes no sense to seniors already facing massive cuts to Medicare."



60 Plus Responds to AARP Opposition to McCain Amendment

60 Plus Association President Jim Martin made the following statement in response to AARP's opposition to the McCain Amendment:

"It’s disappointing, but no surprise, AARP is opposed to the McCain Amendment, after all, they get hundreds of millions of dollars a year in royalties from the insurance companies.   It makes cents for them to support Obamacare, but no sense for the senior citizens they supposedly represent."

60 Plus Announces New 9 State TV Campaign Targeted at Senators

New $2.0 Million Ad Buy Targeting AK, AR, FL, IN, LA, ME, NE, ND and SD

ALEXANDRIA, VA – In the wake of the Senate’s vote on Saturday to take up the health care reform legislation, the 60 Plus Association today announced a new advertising campaign targeting Senators in nine states – Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.  

The target Senators are:  Mark Begich (D-AK), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Bill Nelson (D-FL),  Evan Bayh (D-IN), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), and Tim Johnson (D-SD).

The $2.0 million ad buy highlights the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) report which confirms cuts to Medicare of half a trillion dollars and reports seniors could have benefits cut and could “jeopardize access” to health care.

The :30 second TV ad begins running in each state tomorrow .  See the national version at www.60plus.org.  See the Florida version at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeVl7KLXEP0.

 “This should be a week of Thanks, but these Senators will be receiving ‘No Thanks’ from seniors.  The chief actuary says the House bill cuts Medicare.  The Senate bill is no better.   Seniors have already lost their Social Security COLA and now President Obama, Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi want to cut Medicare, too.  Senators should take notice, seniors are upset and taking a stand to say ‘Don’t cut our Medicare,’” said Jim Martin, President of 60 Plus.

Titled “Devastating”, the ad features the new report from CMS citing the potential effects to Medicare and the coverage seniors would receive, and members of our Greatest Generation begging Congress not to cut Medicare to pay for health care reform.  The state specific ad asks seniors to call their Senator, and ends with a senior reminding Congress “Seniors will NOT forget.”

 “Members of Congress are trying to hide behind the AARP endorsement of this bill as a defense, but AARP makes hundreds of millions of dollars a year on royalty payments from selling insurance plans.  Senators would be smart to read the bill and listen to the experts that run Medicare, instead of hiding behind the rhetoric and accounting gimmicks in Sen. Reid’s bill,” continued Martin.

With this buy, 60 Plus has now allocated over $8 million to the health care debate.

A full transcript of the Florida version of the ad can be found below.

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The 60 Plus Association is a 17-year-old nonpartisan organization working for death tax repeal, saving Social Security, affordable prescription drugs, lowering energy costs and other issues featuring a less government, less taxes approach.  60 Plus calls on support from nearly 5.5 million citizen activists.  60 Plus publishes a magazine, SENIOR VOICE, and a Scorecard, bestowing awards on lawmakers of both parties who vote “pro-senior.”   60 Plus has been called, “an increasingly influential senior citizen’s group” and since 1992 “the conservative alternative to the AARP.”

FINAL 60 PLUS ASSOCIATION TV :30 – “DEVASTATING-FLORIDA”

SPA-09-TV-42

VIDEO	AUDIO
U.S. Capitol and Senior B-Roll SUPER: What does health care reform mean for seniors?	(Music Up and Under) ANNOUNCER: What does health care reform mean for seniors?
U.S. Capitol CMS Report/Logo	A new report from the agency which runs Medicare says it could be devastating.
Hospital B-Roll Washington Post Masthead “…hospitals and nursing homes… could stop taking Medicare altogether.” CITE: Washington Post, 11/15/09	“Medicare cuts ... so costly to hospitals and nursing homes that they could stop taking Medicare altogether.”
Doctor and Senior B-Roll Washington Post masthead $500 Billion In Medicare Cuts: “…would sharply reduce benefits for some senior citizens…” “…could jeopardize access to care for millions of others…” CITE: Washington Post, 11/15/09	500 billion in cuts that... "would sharply reduce benefits for some … and “could jeopardize access to care for millions of others.”
Seniors on camera SUPER: Call Senator Bill Nelson Stop the Medicare Cuts (813) 225-7040 www.60Plus.org DISCLAIMER: PAID FOR BY 60 PLUS ASSOCIATION	SENIOR: Don’t make us pay for health care reform by cutting Medicare.   SENIOR: Seniors will not forget.

60 Plus - New $1.5 Million Campaign Targeting 15 “YES” Votes on House Health Care Reform Bill

Television Ads and Phone Calls Begin Today – Senators Beware!!!

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Today, the 60 Plus Association announced a new $1.5 million campaign against 15 targeted House Members who did not stand up for seniors and voted with Speaker Nancy Pelosi to cut $400 billion from Medicare on Saturday.

The campaign targets 15 Members who chose to ignore the best health care policy interests of seniors and their district by voting “Yes” with Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Full list of targets is outlined below.

The targeted television ads feature seniors from each district telling their Member why voting for this bill is bad for them and how they feel betrayed.  You can see the North Dakota version of the ad at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN5NT5_O9Is.

 “This bill adds hundreds of entitlements and only cuts one – Medicare.   By voting “yes” these Members betrayed seniors and the best interests of their district,” said Jim Martin, President of 60 Plus.  “I hope the Senators in these states take note of the senior anger while they are deciding how to vote on this important legislation.”

Phone calls featuring also began in each district this week.   The phone calls urge seniors to call their Congressman and tell them they feel betrayed. 

The script for the television ad entitled “How Could You?” North Dakota version is below.

 “I have a warning for Congress. There is a senior citizen tsunami flooding towards the halls of Congress, unless it subsides, they can expect their offices to be flooded with angry voices” continued Jim Martin. 

TV Ad Targets:                  Phone Targets:

AR-02   Snyder                  AR-01  Berry            NH-02 Hodes

IN-02  Donnelly                 AR-02  Snyder          ND-AL Pomeroy

IN-08  Ellsworth                 FL-22  Klein             NV-03  Titus

IN-09  Hill                         IN-02  Donnelly        PA-03  Dahlkemper

ND-AL Pomeroy                 IN-08  Ellsworth       PA-10  Carney

NV-03 Titus                       IN-09 Hill               VA-05  Perriello

VA-05  Perriello                  ME-02 Michaud        VA-11  Connelly

VA-11 Connolly                  NC-02 Etheridge

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The 60 Plus Association is a 17-year-old nonpartisan organization working for death tax repeal, saving Social Security, affordable prescription drugs, lowering energy costs and other issues featuring a less government, less taxes approach.  60 Plus calls on support from nearly 5.5 million citizen activists.  60 Plus publishes a magazine, SENIOR VOICE, and a Scorecard, bestowing awards on lawmakers of both parties who vote “pro-senior.”   60 Plus has been called, “an increasingly influential senior citizen’s group” and since 1992 “the conservative alternative to the AARP.”