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Health & Fitness

Social Security, Medicare and Empty Chairs

On Saturday, community groups held the Social Security and Medicare Candidate Forum at the United Church of Christ in Levittown.

Controversy continues over how, when and where the congressional candidates will debate in the 8th district. Meanwhile, candidate forums on issues like Social Security and Medicare are happening across Bucks County. 

On Saturday, community groups held the Social Security and Medicare Candidate Forum at the United Church of Christ in Levittown, Democratic challenger Kathy Boockvar took questions from the audience while an empty chair represented Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick. While Boockvar accepted the forum invitation, Rep. Fitzpatrick did not respond with a solid confirmation, necessitating an empty chair on stage in the event that he decided to show.

The forum was sponsored by PA Working Families, Penn Action and the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Practitioners.

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Community members continue the call for Congressman Fitzpatrick to break his streak of holding zero pre-publicized, public town hall meetings this year. A petition launched this week following the Bucks County Courier Times article, “A Change in Town Hall Strategy,” calls for the Congressman to hold a public town hall meeting before the election.

In spite of only having one candidate, community members asked a total of twelve questions to Boockvar, most concerning Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, taxes and jobs.

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Monica Tomlinson of Levittown asked about how the Medicare voucher system proposed under the Ryan budget, supported by Rep. Fitzpatrick, would work and why private insurers would chose to insure the sick and the elderly for just $6,000 per year.

“I cannot defend the Ryan Budget. It seems crazy to me that they would want to thrust seniors and disabled Americans into the hands of private insurance companies. The estimates show that the Ryan budget would force seniors to pay, on average, $6,400 more out of pocket every year,” said Boockvar. “The Ryan budget would devastate so many people who were already struggling.”

Walter Heinz of Levittown asked if Boockvar would’ve supported the Bring Our Jobs Home Act and what, if anything, she would do to limit outsourcing of jobs.

“Bringing our jobs home is a number one priority. The first thing I would do as a congressperson, should I be so fortunate to represent you in Washington, is to hit the outsourcing issue head on,” said Boockvar.

Although the race is heating up, the crowd at the forum was respectful and civil. Many attendees, including Ms. Boockvar, expressed their disappointment that only one candidate showed up.

“I wish Congressman Fitzpatrick were here to have an open discussion,” saidBoockvar. “The voters deserve to see the side-by-side difference between the candidates and our visions for America.”

 

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