Who You Vote for Matters," Warns Kourpias


George J. Kourpias, President of the Alliance for Retired Americans, reminds older Americans, "The person you vote for on November 2 for President will have tremendous influence on your lives and those of your children and grandchildren for years to come so who you vote for matters. The race is between two men -- President George W. Bush and Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) -- who have diametrically opposite positions on the two most important issues affecting retirees -- Social Security and Medicare. While no one, especially seniors, questions the importance of national security," says Kourpias, "the candidates' positions on these two issues must be of primary concern when we enter the voting booth. Bush supports 'privatizing' Social Security, while Kerry opposes any form of privatization. On the issue of Medicare, Bush is opposed to allowing the government to negotiate for lower-priced prescription drugs and allowing the importation of safe, FDA-approved drugs from Canada. Kerry supports
both." Kourpias urges all voters -- not just seniors -- to "look carefully at the records of both candidates before casting your ballots because who wins will determine the kind of America we will have in the future."

Coyle Calls Election "A Referendum on Bush"
"George W. Bush is the incumbent so it is fair to make the presidential election a referendum on his stewardship," says Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans. Here's an brief analysis of how Bush has handled the job:

Depleted funds intended to shore up the Social Security Trust Funds by enacting still more tax cuts
Rammed a costly Medicare overhaul bill through Congress that does little to provide most seniors with affordable and accessible drugs
Took no steps to avert or diminish a shortage of flu vaccine despite warnings by the Government Accountability Office in 2001, and again in 2004, of a possible flu vaccine supply shortage
Championed tax cuts for the wealthy with millions of Americans out of work
Justified a costly war without an "exit" plan based on inaccurate information
Appointed cabinet members and judges with proven records of insensitivity to civil liberties, affirmative action, a woman's right to choose and environmental regulatory safeguards
Failed to provide sufficient funds to make it possible to meet the "No Child Left Behind" standards

What Alliance Activists Can Do
With the election less than two weeks away, it is essential that activist members of the Alliance for Retired Americans increase their efforts to get out the vote. Here are three things activists can still do:

Make Phone Calls. Call family members, friends and neighbors and remind them to vote.
Take a Senior to Vote. Call the senior housing complexes in your area and offer to drive residents to the polls on November 2.
Canvass the Streets. On Election Day, go door-to-door and encourage people to vote.

For information on how you can make a difference in key states, visit http://www.retiredamericans.org/keystates.