It's Time to Build a Progressive Senior Movement

By Jodi Reid
California Alliance for Retired Americans
November 4, 2008

Our country’s failing economy will impact every person in some way or another.  But for seniors, and people living on fixed incomes, the impact could be life threatening – and monumental in size.  For years, our state and country have been ignoring the realities of an aging population – one that is soon to explode.  In California, we will see the percentage of those over 60 increase from 13% of the population today, to over 26% by 2020. 

These seniors will span the age spectrum – with many in the over 80 age bracket.  Some of the soon to retire thought they were setting aside plenty of money for their retirement years – only to see it disappear with the recent crashes on Wall Street and in their pensions and retirement savings accounts.  Less and less workers have any real retirement benefits provided by their employer, so are dependent on any savings and investments they made.  Social security is the only retirement security for many seniors – and we hear constant threats about privatizing it and undermining its’ stability.

As an aging population, there are many additional concerns – will Medicare continue to provide basic health benefits?  How much will supplemental insurance cost?  Will we be able to afford the premiums and co-pays now required?  Can we pay for our prescription drugs?  What about long term care?  Will there be services so that I can age in my home and community?  Will I be able to afford my rent, utilities and housing costs in this very expensive market?

Seniors are worried, and rightly so.  Legislators and policy makers have done a lot of talking about the aging Baby Boom, but very little resources or plans have been made to address these real concerns. Fortunately, there are groups like the California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) that are organizing seniors around the state to force policy makers and elected officials to start taking these issues seriously.

CARA was formed in November 2003 with a mission to build a grassroots, progressive senior advocacy organization to work on quality of life issues facing seniors and their families.  In this short time, CARA has grown to represent over 800,000 members through more than 160 affiliated organizations – including labor union retirees, senior advocacy organizations, senior housing resident associations, senior centers, and others.  CARA is the State affiliate of the national, 3.5 million member Alliance for Retired Americans, and works with states across our nation on the national issues impacting seniors.

CARA does its work both locally, statewide and nationally. Every year at the Annual Convention (held on Oct. 12th and 13th in 2008), delegates identify their priority issues for the year, and begin to educate and organize themselves to address these issues.  This year, the priorities identified by CARA members include:
•    Advocating for a universal, single payer – Medicare for All health care system at the state and national level.
•    Fighting efforts to privatize or in any way undermine Social Security; protect pensions and retirement security.
•    Restore and expand programs and services cut by this year’s state budget in CA, and work toward a fair and just budget for the future that seeks new revenues rather than further cuts in essential services.
•    Strengthen the Medicare program and fix the problems created by the Part D prescription program that is undermining Medicare.
•    Protect and expand affordable housing opportunities for senior renters and homeowners.
•    Support efforts to end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home.

These are huge goals, but ones that must be addressed.  CARA has organized local Action Teams called CATs to educate and engage our members locally and statewide.  There are currently 13 of these CATs around California, and more are planned for 2009.

The election season offers seniors, and other social justice advocates, the opportunity to change the direction of our country.  Seniors must be ready to bring our issues forward, and have real solutions to present to policy makers to address the issues of our time.  CARA is ready to take on this challenge.  We invite you to join us so that we can insure a better future for ourselves and our children and grandchildren.  You can reach CARA by calling our office at 510-663-4086 or visit our website at www.californiaalliance.org