Georgia Democrats, seniors slam Trump’s broken promises to older Americans

As Joe Biden rolled out the third plank of his economic recovery plan, the Democratic Party of Georgia released the following statements:

“Seniors in Georgia have been betrayed time and again by Donald Trump,” said Gloria Jenkins, Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia Seniors Caucus. “He has continuously downplayed the threat of coronavirus and proposed cuts to Medicare and Social Security even after vowing to protect them. We deserve better, and Trump’s broken promises to older Georgians are going to hurt him at the ballot box. We deserve a president who respects and fights for those who have spent their lives building our country and raising our families. That’s why we’re going to bring this disastrous presidency to an end, and it’s why we’re going to send Joe Biden to the White House.”

“Donald Trump has always put his own interests ahead of Georgia’s seniors,” said senior advocate Michele Twomley Pluta of Cobb County. “Even as we’re disproportionately impacted by his disastrous pandemic response, seniors are living in fear of his brutal proposed cuts to essential programs like Medicare and Social Security. We need a president who will stand up for older Georgians and ensure we have the resources we need to continue living full lives. Trump has proven he’s not up to the job.”

BACKGROUND ON TRUMP’S BROKEN PROMISES TO AMERICA’S SENIORS

PROMISE: In 2018, Trump promised Georgians he would protect Medicare and Social Security, saying “Republicans will protect Medicare for our great seniors who have earned it.” [Trump rally in Macon, GA, 11/4/18]

REALITY: Trump’s 2020 budget slashes hundreds of billions from Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Cuts to Medicaid could damage infection control efforts in nursing homes, “reduce access to nursing care and increase risk to patients by eliminating consumer protections.”

PROMISE: In 2018, Trump promised Georgians he would strengthen health care and protect pre-existing conditions, saying “And very importantly, Republicans will always protect patients with pre-existing conditions.” [Trump rally in Macon, GA, 11/4/18]

REALITY: In June, the Trump administration filed a legal brief to the Supreme Court saying that the entire Affordable Care Act — including its coverage guarantee for people with preexisting conditions — “must fall,” a move that would hurt the nearly one million Georgia adults between the ages of 55 and 64 who live with at least one pre-existing condition. Additionally, if Trump gets his way and the ACA is overturned, 12 million seniors across the country would be forced to pay more for prescription drugs.

PROMISE: During a recent White House speech on protecting America’s Seniors, Secretary Azar said, “As the President described during this pandemic, we have taken every possible effort to keep older Americans healthy and safe.  In addition to our public health and healthcare efforts, President Trump has secured historic investments in programs that support older Americans and help them live independently.” [Remarks by President Trump on Protecting America’s Seniors, 5/1/20]

REALITY: Nursing homes, which account for 40% of all coronavirus deaths in the country, have been devastated by the Trump administration’s disastrous response to the virus. The Trump administration refused to mandate universal testing at nursing homes and failed to coordinate regular testing of nursing home staff. The Trump administration was also slow to track cases and ultimately gave nursing homes a pass on reporting prior to early May, obscuring the full toll.

REALITY: Even before the pandemic, the Trump administration weakened enforcement of health and safety violations at nursing homes. According to reports, The Trump Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services “moved to curb fining nursing homes that were found violating regulations — in particular, regulations meant to prevent the spread of infectious disease. Infection control deficiencies are by far the most cited regulatory failing in nursing homes, and the Trump administration has acted to reduce the amount of money fined, and to move away from a system of daily fines that experts say is more effective at changing facility behaviors.”

###