A message from PEF Retirees President Steve Muscarella
Public service, pensions, health care under attack
The new majority party in the House of Representatives says it will
mount a full attack to reverse the recently passed national health care
legislation, ignoring the many arguments for it.Every industrial nation in the world, but ours, guarantees affordable health care for all its citizens. Until this legislation passed, 47 million Americans were uninsured. Now, that number is beginning to drop, moving us toward a healthier and more humane society.
Health care costs under the old system are unsustainable, with far too much money wasted on administrative costs, duplication, advertising and executive compensation – excesses that threaten Medicare and Medicaid.
Our country has been going through a severe recession that could have been a depression if we had not bailed out the banks and automakers. Poor lending practices by the banks and largely unregulated mortgage trading created a crisis in the housing market and, even after the bailout, banks have been slow to lend, causing tight credit, business failures and more layoffs.
The president inherited two wars that continue to drain our blood and treasure.
Yet many people blame the current administration for these woes that began and grew under the previous administration.
In New York, we have a new governor who has vowed to cut waste in state spending. One can only hope his saber will be properly directed at the shadow government, expensive contracting out and government pork and patronage.
He should leave the civil servants to do their jobs, and protect their hard-earned pensions and health care benefits.
During this transition, we must be vigilant and ready to mobilize. This is not the time for procrastination.
Clearly some in our society want us to believe our government is the problem, not the solution. They conveniently ignore the devastation from unregulated markets, lax standards, waste and unfair practices, but are eager to attack our pensions, Social Security, Medicare and benefits.
They are determined to make public employees and retirees the scapegoats for the effects of years of unrestrained private greed.
Whether we like joining the political fray or not, we must defend public services, our jobs, pay, benefits and pensions. If we don’t, we surely will lose them.
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