Join us at the Labor Day Picnic on Monday,
September 6 as Congressman Jim McDermott publicly signs a pledge to
defend the integrity of Social Security. At Seattle's Woodland
Park, Shelters 1, 2 and 3. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
McDermott is scheduled to sign the pledge at 12:30.
The September issue of The Retiree
Advocate is now available. For the .pdf version,
click here.
For the interactive version, go to the
PSARA blog,
where you can read individual articles and add your comments.
Happy 75th!
PSARA President Robby Stern raises a glass
(okay, a paper cup) to celebrate the 75th birthday
of Social Security. Senator Patty Murray and
Representative Jim McDermott look on.
The birthday party was a fun event with a serious purpose - the
preservation of Social Security. See the
video here.
A coalition of labor, senior,
health care, and women's organizations drafted a
letter to President
Obama and Congressional leadership asking for continued support
of Social Security. They also ask leaders to sign
a pledge to defend and strengthen
the program.
Both documents are in .pdf format, and include a list of coalition members.
The coalition's Web address is
www.ssworkswa.org
The event was standing-room-only and received significant press coverage.
Some new additions
to the Resources page:
Healthcare.gov is an excellent source of information about
the
health care reform law
and the many positive changes it has created.
The National Council on Aging (NCOA)
is a national voice for older Americans - especially those who
are vulnerable and disadvantaged. It is managed by the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and brings together
nonprofit organizations, businesses and government to develop
creative solutions. NCOA is registering
individuals with chronic conditions through its free
Better Choices, Better
Health workshops.
National Association of
Insurance Commissioners
Meeting
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners held their
annual meeting at the Washington State Convention Center the
weekend of Aug. 14th . Swarming the national
conference was a host of insurance company lobbyists doling out
their gifts and advice to the Insurance Commissioners and their
staffs from all over the country. The agenda of the insurance
lobbyists was to encourage the Insurance Commissioners to write
the broadest definition of "administrative costs" as possible
when they write the rules for the newly-passed health care
reform law. The new law limits the percentage of administrative
costs the insurance industry can take, and a broad definition
means they can take a greater cut of premiums for costs that are
not associated with the actual delivery of care.
The Insurance
Commissioners and lobbyists were surprised when approximately
200 people, led by Washington Community Action Network, and
including a number of PSARA members, showed up with disinfectant
kits designed to make the Insurance Commissioners immune from
the corporate lobbyists. The crowd spread out to remind the
Insurance Commissioners whose interests they should be
protecting. (i.e. the people and NOT the insurance companies.)
It was a spirited event and PSARA is pleased that we could
participate.
For more about this event, contact
USAction.
Will
Parry Honored by City Council
On July 19, Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin presented PSARA Editor and Past President Will Parry with a copy of the
Council's Certificate of Recognition honoring Will for his many years of service
to the community. Looking on as Will accepts the award is current PSARA President Robby Stern.
A large contingent of PSARA members and friends witnessed
the ceremony in Seattle City Council chambers.
Photo by PSARA Board Member Steve Dzielak
Imogene Williams Receives Award Imogene Williams, a PSARA member who gathered more
than 800 signatures on Initiative 1098 petitions, won recognition as
the top volunteer signature gatherer for the campaign.
She received the award from Bill Gates, Sr., at a
ceremony at the state capitol in Olympia. The award was a 16-inch
bronze quill, the work of sculptor Ross Mattison.
After the presentation - which took Imogene by surprise - she joined Gates
in a line of I-1098 supporters in hand-to-hand delivery of 33 boxes of
filled petitions to the Secretary of State's office.
.
Photo by Neil Parekh, SEIU Healthcare 775NW
Pride Parade 
PSARA members joined hundreds of Pride
marchers on Sunday, June 27, for the annual celebration of Seattle's
vibrant lesbian/gay/transgender/ bi-sexual community.
See related article in the Retiree Advocate.
Photo by Garet Munger
PSARA Member
For more of Garet Munger's great photos
of the Pride March and the Immigration Rally, click here.
Photo by Chuck Richards,
PSARA Board Member |
Immigration Rally
Approximately 200 people
gathered and 23 peaceful demonstrators were arrested in downtown on
Wednesday, June 23rd after holding a Street Fair in support of
comprehensive immigration reform. The action was planned by the Washington Immigration Reform Coalition (WIRC). PSARA is one of the members of WIRC.
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 Civic
Engagement:
It’s Our Middle Name
We’ve
been through wars and depressions, presidents decent and lousy,
political defeats and victories. We love our country, and we
believe the best way to show it is to raise hell about its shortcomings.
Our operating principle was expressed
by a wise rabbi nearly two millennia ago: "You are not
required to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty
to abstain from it."
We’re the Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans. Civic
engagement is our birthright and our middle name. If it's yours as well, come join us. We need you.
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