Congressman Blunt Sticks It To Seniors

New Video Reminds Missourians of Blunt's Dismal Record of Sticking it to Missouri Seniors, Watch the Video HERE:

http://www.robincarnahan.com/medicare

Today, the Robin Carnahan campaign released a new video highlighting Congressman Blunt's record of sticking it to Missouri seniors. The video comes on the heels of the false attack ads against Robin being run by Karl Rove's group, Crossroads GPS, which have been a devastating reminder of some of Congressman Blunt's most offensive statements and votes when it comes to Missouri seniors. Rove's ad awkwardly mentions Medicare, a program which nearly 1 million Missouri seniors rely on, even though Blunt has been openly hostile to the program.

Congressman Blunt's voting record is just as devastating as his heartless statements when it comes to our seniors, including votes to turn Medicare into a voucher-only system and repeated votes to slash Medicare. He's also supported putting Social Security into risky Wall Street privatization schemes.

"It's a bad day for Congressman Blunt when his own friends are reminding 1 million seniors that he wants to take away their Medicare," said Linden Zakula "Congressman Blunt's 14-year record of trying to slash Medicare, privatize Social Security and stick it to our seniors is just another example of how he has become the very worst of Washington."

As Secretary of State, Robin has a proven record of standing up for seniors and Congressman Blunt was in Washington protecting Wall Street, Robin stood up to big banks getting back over $10 billion to wronged investors. In 2007, Robin formed the Senior Investor Protection Unit to investigate cases of fraud against seniors. And she recently worked across party lines to pass the Senior Investor Protection Act, one of the toughest laws in the nation against financial fraud committed against seniors. Her commitment to Missouri retirees has earned her the endorsement of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare.

Congressman Blunt - Leaving Missouri Seniors Behind

* "We've had Medicare since 1965 but, Medicare has never done anything to make people more healthy." (View YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3ah8oViQWA)

* "You could certainly argue that government should have never gotten into the health care business, and that might have been the best argument of all to figure out how people could have had more access to the competitive marketplace," Blunt said. "The government did get into the health care business in a big way in 1965 with Medicare and later with Medicaid. And government already distorts the marketplace" [The Hill 07/10/09]

His long record in Congress and as a member of the congressional leadership shows a pattern of trying to gut Medicare and Medicaid:

* In 2006, Congressman Blunt voted in favor of language in a bill that cut $6.4 billion from Medicare in part by raising premiums for some Part B beneficiaries. [HRS653, Vote 4 , 2/01/06]

* In 2005, Congressman Blunt voted in favor of cutting $11.4 billion from Medicaid over five years. The bulk of the cuts - nearly $8 billion - would fall directly on patients through higher co-pays, premiums and other provisions that cut benefits or delayed access to Medicaid coverage. [HR4241, Vote 601 , 11/18/05]

* Congressman Blunt voted to cut Medicare funding by $115 billion in 1997. (HRS 202, Vote 343, 7/30/1997)

And his long record in Congress as a member of the congressional leadership that tried to privatize Social Security, while he took nearly $2 million in campaign contributions from health industry and insurance special interests:

* Blunt: It Might Have Been Better If We Switched To Private Social Security Accounts Decades Ago. During a 2004 CNN interview, Blunt argued that the U.S. should have switched to private Social Security accounts decades before. "[The private Social Security accounts proposal] is a transition for younger workers. It might have been better if we had done it quicker, like a decade, decades ago, but we didn't. If we do this transition, we will never have a baby boomer problem again, because every group is doing more to take care of its own retirement, rather than just take care of the retirement of how ever many people happen to be retired at that time." [CNN, 11/10/04]

* Supported Bush Privatization Plan, "Massive Cuts in Defined Benefits." In 2001, Blunt voted against an amendment that would have stopped the White House from implementing the Social Security privatization plan being developed by President Bush's Social Security Commission. The Bush Commission was stacked to include only proponents of privatization - and ultimately recommended three possible plans, all of which included some privatization of Social Security. Max Richtman, executive vice president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, said of the Commission's proposals, "Each of the proposals put forward by the commission require specific, massive cuts in defined benefits - even for those who do not opt for the voluntary accounts." [USA Today, 5/15/01; Dallas Morning News, 5/7/01; National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare press release, 12/11/01; HR 2590, Vote 273, 7/25/01]

* Blunt's PAC Has Taken More Than $2 million From Health Industries. Blunt has received $2.19 million from health industries including pharmaceuticals/health products, health professionals, insurance, and health services industries. [Center for Responsive Politics]

* Blunt Has Received $732,882 From Insurance Industry. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Cong. Blunt has received $732,882 in campaign contributions from the insurance industry over the course of his career. [Center for Responsive Politics]

* Blunt Has Received $557,672 from Pharmaceutical Industry. According to records, Blunt has received $557,672 during his career from the pharmaceutical and health products industries for his congressional campaigns. [Center for Responsive Politics]