Originally published January 9 2006
Bush policies not a big hit at a recent meeting of experts on aging
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The White House Conference on Aging has challenged a proposal made by President Bush to initiate private Social Security investment accounts.
In nonbinding position statements developed at conference workshops, delegates called for scrapping the 2-year-old Medicare drug law --- which takes effect next month and relies on private insurance companies to provide benefits --- and replacing it with a government-run program similar to how Medicare covers doctor and hospital care.
Instead of attending the conference, Bush spoke to a retirement community in nearby Springfield, Va., where he acknowledged what many critics have already said: Signing up for the Medicare drug program is complex.
White House spokesman Trent Duffy said the president did not intend to criticize the drug benefit, but was relaying concerns from a retiree he'd just finished talking with at Greenspring Village Retirement Community, home to many middle-class seniors, including a sizable contingent of federal retirees.
While many of the workshops produced positive proposals to encourage healthier lifestyles, volunteerism, improvements to long-term care and enhanced conditions for older workers, tensions broke out at sessions devoted to Medicare and Social Security.
Many of the delegates, who were appointed by members of Congress, governors and the White House, expressed feelings of anger and distrust for conference leaders.
Several suggested that policies had been dictated by the administration, rather than the delegates.
Regenstreif demanded a vote on whether delegates at the workshop preferred a statement opposing private Social Security investment accounts or one supporting them.
"I want to make sure that the policy committee doesn't subvert what we were talking about today," said Belle Likover, of Shaker Heights, Ohio, at the conclusion of a Social Security workshop.
Asked about the apparent anger expressed by many delegates, Hardy said some of them were frustrated because this year's conference is focused on developing recommendations and action plans on problems that will face the generation of aging Baby Boomers, rather than adopting policy statements.
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