Letter 104... Dear Mr. President... Lungren is lying to seniors... again.

Letter 104

Dear Mr. President:

In my letter last Friday I mentioned that I could feel the tide turning and the Republicans getting nervous after receiving a call from a GOP pollster asking my opinion about your performance so far.

While I’ll admit to not being crazy about the escalation of the wars and the billions of dollars wasted on those wars… the one thing I cannot fault you on is your support of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid for seniors.

I know you have proposed a deficit-reduction plan that includes cuts to physicians and hospitals in rural areas (that traditionally receive more in benefits) and requiring prior authorization for expensive imaging services that are often unnecessary. However, you have always made it perfectly clear that those cuts would have to be coupled with a slight tax increase on the wealthiest Americans.

So you an imagine my utter surprise to open my morning paper to see a half page ad from Congressman Dan Lungren saying that “California seniors can count on Congressmen Dan Lungren to stand up against the Obama Medicare plan.” What! In addition, it said that, “President Obama’s Medicare Plan would balance the budget on the backs of seniors!” They asked people to call Lungren and thank him for standing up for seniors and fighting to protect and preserve Medicare.

I have the misfortune to live in the 3^rd Congressional District that Congressman Lungren pretends to represents, and he is no friend of seniors and no friend of mine. I’ve been to his town hall meetings and listened to his utter distain for the plight of seniors, the poor, the uninsured, and all things remotely associated with anything that benefits ordinary citizens.

The American Action Network paid for Lungren’s half page ad, and I’m quite sure that with the Supreme Court ruling on Citizens United, it’s just the first of many more to come.

You need to keep the heat on and continue to play hardball on the tax issue, so that Republicans like Lungren, know you mean business when you said you would veto any deficit-reduction package that reduces Medicare benefits for seniors but fails to raise serious revenues from the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations.

I will send the original newspaper ad via snail mail so you can see the first of many false claims the Republicans will be hurling your way in the months to come.

Thank you for continuing to support ordinary Americans, and particularly us seniors, we need an advocate in the White House sticking up for seniors… YOU!

Most Respectfully,

Marcia Reimers

Your Gadfly Granny