Alliance for
Retired Americans Launches
Council
BILL KOCH
THE REPORTER February 2, 2006
THE VILLAGES - The Alliance for Retired Americans
wants to put the recently enacted Medicare Part D prescription drug
plan on the chopping block. Last week the group enlisted several
hundred Villagers to help.
"(The plan) has everyone confused and at a disadvantage," said Tony
Fransetta, Florida representative of the 3 million-member alliance,
who spoke in The Villages last week. "What we've ended up with is a
disaster. It is the top push-button issue as we're standing here now."
With a heavy union membership, the alliance's current aim is
dismantling the new federal drug plan.
While the intent of the drafters of the drug plan was to make it
reflect private insurance, Fransetta said the federal program leans
too heavily in favoring the pharmaceutical industry at the expense of
seniors.
Governors concerned about funding the federal program have declared
states of medical emergencies in 22 states, Fransetta said.
"Gov. Bush needs to deal with the reality of this situation," he
added.
National alliance leaders are looking with interest at U.S. House Bill
676, which would offer fee-based Medicare services to younger
Americans and, Fransetta said, would rectify the alliance's concerns
with what it sees as an overly bureaucratic and complicated plan.
"We deal with education of members in the network," he said. "We try
to hold (politicians) accountable to their promises. What we do is
educate the people on how Candidate A and Candidate B stand on the
issues."
Florida is the alliance's largest state chapter, with 100 local
councils and 200,000 members. More than 20 percent of Florida voters
are seniors, and senior turnout in some elections reaches 40 percent,
Fransetta said.
Twenty cents of members' annual dues go to the Wellington-based state
headquarters, which provides training of local board members,
directors and volunteers and helps councils get organized.
Fransetta said ARA, established in Florida in 1973 by union leader
George J. Kourpias, resembles the much larger and more influential
American Association of Retired People but parted philosophical ways
with the organization after it supported Medicare Part D, Fransetta
said. The alliance changed its name in 2001 from the National Council
of Senior Citizens. The organization's official purpose is to
strengthen Social Security and Medicare and lobby for more affordable
prescription drugs for seniors.
"We're smaller than AARP, but we're smarter than AARP," Fransetta told
about 300 people, mostly Villagers, last week at the Savannah Center.
"What we do is define the issues that are important to seniors."
Grace Morton, who joined the alliance last year, is one of nearly 400
alliance members in The Villages.
"I'm hoping they'll be able to change the drug plan because it's a
disaster," she said.
Fransetta said another goal of the alliance is to curb lobbyists'
influence in Washington.
"What we've seen in Washington is government to the highest bidder,
and the lobbyists are the highest bidders," he said.
The alliance's area coordinator, Carol Rosenblatt, said retirees are
heading for trouble if they don't voice their opinions and work
together.
"Retirees have to stand together to propagate their concerns," she
said.
Local Democratic leader and Villager Sue Michalson agreed and urged
her fellow seniors to join the organization.
"My point is, stand up for what you believe in. It's the only way to
go," she said.
The newly forming alliance council is expected to meet monthly,
possibly on the fourth Wednesday. Organizers are hoping to reserve a
room at a recreation center in The Villages or the Oxford Community
Center. New board directors for the local council in The Villages are
George Field, Gerry Stowell, Jim Reynolds, Charles Britnell, Tom
Waldron, Edith Newfield and Cynthia Schumacher.
"The bulk of our membership is union," Fransetta said, adding that the
alliance is open to anyone who shares its views.
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