Statement by 60 Plus Association Chairman Jim Martin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Matthew Kandrach
703-807-2070
mbkandrach@60plus.org60plus.orgfb5.b39.myftpupload.comfb5.b39.myftpupload.com
August 20, 2010
Seniors in my home state of Florida can count on Marco Rubio always being in their corner. The Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate is unveiling what he calls ‘seven simple ideas to protect our seniors.’
The 60 Plus Association, with some one million retirees in the Sunshine State, enthusiastically endorses each and every one of them. Having studied Mr. Rubio’s ‘seven simple ways to protect seniors,’ I can’t help but comment that they are near and dear to the hearts of all seniors. It’s as if Mr. Rubio read my mind, but while I have met Marco, 60 Plus has not been asked for its recommendations on what I now call his ‘senior-friendly initiatives.’ Mr. Rubio has hit a home run for the elderly. First and foremost, he pledges to always protect our Social Security and Medicare.
In addition, he calls for abolishing the death tax, a confiscatory levy that 60 Plus has worked hard to eliminate. It is harmful to small businesses and farmers throughout Florida. It stunts economic growth. And to those who falsely claim it’s a ‘tax cut for the rich’, I point out that the rich set up foundations to avoid compliance, such as those set up by Mr. Gates, Mr. Buffett, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Turner, and so on. Again, it’s small businesses and farmers who have their capital tied up in land and equipment and do not have the liquidity to pay lawyers and accountants to set up foundations.
Further, Mr. Rubio admonishes the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to be ever diligent in cracking down on the availability of unapproved drugs. 60 Plus recently launched its Keep Seniors Safe unapproved drug campaign and as Mr. Rubio emphasizes, there are several thousand drugs available today that have not been approved for sale or even tested. We agree with Mr. Rubio that the FDA must ‘ramp up its Unapproved Drug Initiative and protect patients from the potential harms of unproved products, especially when approved versions are readily available.’
His other points protect seniors from fraud and financial crimes, from identity theft, repeals the more than half trillion dollars in cuts from Medicare, and stops double taxation on capital gains and dividends. As Mr. Rubio states, ‘these taxes lower seniors’ standard of living and punishes them for being thrifty with their income.’
Seniors endorse Mr. Rubio’s proposals.
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The 60 Plus Association is an 18-year-old nonpartisan organization working for death tax repeal, saving Social Security, affordable prescription drugs, lowering energy costs and other issues featuring a less government, less taxes approach as well as a strict adherence to the Constitution. 60 Plus calls on support from nearly 5.5 million citizen activists. 60 Plus publishes a newsletter, SENIOR VOICE, and a Scorecard, bestowing awards on lawmakers of both parties who vote “pro-senior.” 60 Plus has been called, “an increasingly influential senior citizen’s group” and since 1992 “the conservative alternative to the AARP.”
