Economic Security for Senior Citizens
On the other hand, the Republican party has made it clear that they are more interested in corporations and employers than they are in the people. The Republicans have been pushing for cuts to the corporate income tax rate and other legislation that would decrease the role played by these entities in paying their fair share of taxes. The Republicans are not just cutting corporate taxes, but also decreasing workers’ wages, benefits, and rights. They have been doing this so corporations can make more money.
Senior citizens in Massachusetts, including the 2nd Suffolk District’s senior residents have had a hard time keeping up with their taxes because they have to pay taxes on their social security income and pension income. The 2nd Suffolk District is a part of the state in which senior citizens are disproportionately represented. In addition to their low incomes, many seniors also struggle with health issues that make it difficult for them to work full time or even find employment at all. The majority of seniors in this area are not working and have no income.
The 2nd Suffolk District has a wide range of needs, including healthcare, transportation, and housing. However, their greatest need is for more opportunities to work. For senior citizens who have retired due to health conditions or because they are no longer able to work full-time jobs as they once did, this can be difficult. The pharmaceutical companies have been accused of exploiting the current economic conditions to increase their profits. As a result, Medicare has been forced to pay higher prices for prescription drugs. To stop this from happening, it is important that Medicare is able to negotiate lower prices with the pharmaceutical companies in order for seniors to afford their prescriptions.
The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most profitable industries in the United States, but it is also one that has a long list of grievances against it. One such grievance is its pricing policy, which many argue is too expensive for seniors who are on Medicare. It is a multi-billion-dollar industry that is difficult to regulate and often has a monopoly on the market. In the past few decades, it has been revealed that drug prices have increased at an alarming rate. The cost of prescription drugs have increased by more than 1,000% over the past 40 years. The pharmaceutical companies have been able to charge high prices because they have the upper hand in negotiations with Medicare. The government covers the cost of prescription drugs, but they are not allowed to negotiate with the drug companies and can only accept whatever price is set by them.
Also, according to the US Census Bureau, there will be more than 20 million seniors by 2030. This is a huge number that demands attention from our government and businesses. If we don’t provide affordable housing, low taxes, affordable health care and affordable prescription drugs for senior citizens, then we are failing them as a society. The elderly deserve a dignified life and not one of hardship.
There are many seniors who either can no longer afford their mortgage payment who have no choice other than to move. There are also now more people who need housing than there are homes, and especially affordable homes.
There are many reasons why senior citizens would want to continue to work. work. For some, it is about increasing their retirement income to continue to afford their mortgage payments or rent payments and for others it is about being able to stay active and not feel old. Whatever the motivation, they should more access to job training options for those senior citizens who want to develop new skills and/or be offered jobs and salaries that match their skills and not undercut their salaries because of their age. For those senior citizens looking to develop new skills, they should have access to apprenticeships which allow seniors to work with experienced professionals in their field and learn from them. On-the-job training allows seniors to learn about their potential field of employment by working in it. The high unemployment rate among the senior population is a major concern. It is not because they cannot work, but because they are not offered jobs and salaries that match their skills.
Those senior citizens who can no longer work due to health conditions need to be taken care of, as well, including increased housing options for seniors in the 2nd Suffolk District of Massachusetts. In order to improve the economic conditions of senior citizens, there are several policies that need to be implemented. Some of these policies include increasing their income, decreasing their costs, improving their social security benefits, implement more legislation to increase housing options for seniors in the 2nd Suffolk District. The implementation of these policies will require much work from the legislature and government bodies as well as organizations such as nonprofits, social service agencies and advocacy groups. Additionally, the government should take on pharmaceutical companies and allow Medicare to use its bargaining power in order to negotiate a lower price on prescription drugs.
The senior citizens in the 2nd Suffolk District of Massachusetts are looking for more accountability from their senator. They want to know that their voice matters and that the state senate whom them vote into office will take care of them.
If I am elected for the state senate seat, I will provide a voice for the seniors in the 2nd Suffolk District by advocating on their behalf to make sure they have access to benefits and opportunities of which they are entitled.
James Grant
State Senate Candidate 2022 – Massachusetts 2nd Suffolk District