Common Ground October Edition

OCTOBER 2012

Student loans could cut into Social Security checks

By Common Ground staff It’s the last thing a retiree living on Social Security should have to worry about, but an increasing number of them are facing financial hardships stemming from, of all things, student loans.

More and more retirees are learning the hard way that federal student loan agencies have the power to attach, or garnish, Social Security checks for those who are late on student loan payments. That includes seniors whose loans never went away as well as others who cosigned on a loan for their children.

In the first six months of this year, an estimated 115,000 retirees saw their Social Security checks garnished to cover past due payments on student loans, double the comparable rate in 2011, according to a recent report in SmartMoney. com. Just five years ago, there were only 60,000 such cases.

In 2000, there were six, according to the report.

“The system is broken for many borrowers under the federal loan programs. Too often borrowers cannot locate all of their loans, have multiple loan servicers for each loan and are

dependent upon the goodwill of the customer service representative they speak with,” said Shelley Honeycutt, a founding member of the College PREP Collaborative, which helps many borrowers steer their way through the labyrinthine federal collection process.

‘The government could come after you forever’ A number of factors are driving the trend, according to Honeycutt and other experts.

The average age of college parents is on the rise and college LOANS cont. on page 9

Boston fire’s Ostiguy leaves legacy of recovery high schools

By Common Ground staff Fi re f i g h t ers are supposed to save lives—whether its rushing into a burning building or responding to the scene of a deadly accident—but Willy Ostiguy ended up saving lives in ways he never could have imagined when he joined the force in Boston four decades ago.

Ostiguy got his start as a firefighter when he was assigned to Engine Company 18 in 1971, but it was not until a decade later that he started out on a path that would lead to

his lasting legacy. In 1983, Ostiguy founded the Employee Assistance Program for Local 718 of the International Association of Fire Fighters in Boston.

At the time, it was supposed to be a temporary gig.

“Here I am 28 years later … retiring,” Ostiguy, now a lieutenant, said.

The Employee Assistant Program is a slight misnomer, actually. Besides providing a range of services to 2,100 active employees, the program also serves their children and families as well as former employees who have retired.

OSTIGUY cont. on page 4

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Common Ground

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OCTOBER 2012

Tassoni leaves state Senate, but not public service

By Common Ground staff Senator John Tassoni this year is marking an end to a legislative career in the General Assembly that saw the passage of 120 bills he authored, including laws that provided for the more humane treatment of animals, curbed bullying in schools, helped teenagers dealing with drug and alcohol addiction, and created the first-ever homeless bill of rights.

“I was always of the mindset— if I could get in and make change which would be for the betterment of the citizens of Rhode Island I would consider myself a success as a politician. I think I’ve done that,” said Tassoni, D-Smithfield.

“All in all I think I did a good job.”

Tassoni decided to run for office after raising money for a Smithfield woman who had been fighting breast cancer. Just days before she passed away, she urged Tassoni to steer his passion for helping others into a run for public office, Tassoni recalled.

The story ended up setting the tone for his state Senate career.

While some in the mainstream media tried to paint Tassoni into a box, labeling him as the labor guy in the General Assembly, it was his work on behalf of average people that will be his lasting achievement, said John Houle, the head of the communications firm, JH Communications.

“They paint him as this union stalwart—which he is,” Houle said. “But he’s also a stalwart for all Rhode Islanders and helping them out. I’ve never seen anyone in public office that’s taken as much of a proactive role in trying to improve people’s lives as John Tassoni.”

An end to gas chambers One of his earliest legislative achievements was a bill that

banned the use of gas chambers to euthanize dogs. Tassoni said he was inspired to put in the bill after an episode in his hometown, Smithfield, in which a leak in the gas chamber almost killed the police officer on duty. In the same incident, two dogs that were disposed of with others that had been in the chamber were still alive.

“It’s like having a massacre,” Tassoni said. “I thought it was inhumane.”

Tassoni thought lethal injections were the more humane way to go.

And he successfully pushed his legislation mandating that to passage —over the objections of cities and towns for financial reasons.

Combating bullying in schools One of his other signature bills was sparked not by local events, but television news reports about bullying in schools. “I just got tired of seeing it on TV, where these young people were killing themselves because of it,” Tassoni said.

Tassoni spoke to his wife, who runs a daycare center, about the issue. She told him that sometimes the children of divorced parents came back to schools with behavioral problems at the start of the school week—after spending the weekend with the other parent, who may not have offered the discipline required. “They come back into school and they’re little hellions,” Tassoni said.

His concerns led to the Safe Schools Act in 2005, which required that schools adopt rules and regulations regarding bullying.

Tassoni returned to the issue in recent years after a new trend emerged: cyber-bullying through the use of new media and technologies—text messages, Facebook, Twitter, and other outlets. “It started to progressively get worse,” Tassoni said. “It was at a boiling point where I had to do something

personally.”

That led to the state commission on cyber-bullying last year, which Tassoni chaired. The commission issued a final 37-page report on the issue in March 2011, making five sweeping recommendations on how the Rhode Island Department of Education, schools, parents, and local law enforcement authorities could tackle the problem. The effort culminated in the state’s first law on cyber-bullying.

‘Johnny on the spot’ Another landmark achievement was sparked by a phone call.

It was in the early years of Common Ground, and the newspaper had just run an article about the recovery high schools established in Massachusetts, thanks, in large measure to the efforts of a Boston firefighter, Willy Ostiguy.

A recovery high school is specially designed to help teenagers struggling with drug and alcohol additions to get through school. Only recovering addicts and substance abusers are let in and the school has special programs tailor-made to the needs of those students.

A recovery high school, Tassoni said, offers new hope to students who previously would just drop out of high school when they hit 16.

“Obviously they continue drinking and smoking and drugging,” Tassoni said. “They become a citizen of the system. This way here if we can nip it at the bud, and spend some money in the beginning to get them sober and clean, they can be productive citizens of Rhode Island by having a job and paying taxes, rather than being on the system, where we have to pay them.”

Tassoni recalls getting a phone call from a distressed Rhode Island mother after the article ran. She wanted to know when the high school was opening. “I said, ‘What TASSONI cont. on page 11

Common Ground

OCTOBER 2012

Page 3

Campaign launched to promote affordable housing ballot question

By Common Ground staff

A vibrant and diverse coalition in support of this November’s ballot Question 7, which will approve bonds to develop long-term affordable homes in Rhode Island, kicked off its campaign mid-September at the Blackstone Valley Gateways, on the corner of Barton and Dexter streets in Pawtucket.

This kickoff event marked the beginning of a campaign dedicated to making more high-quality, long-term affordable homes available for Rhode Islanders struggling to make ends meet.

“The Blackstone Valley Gateways development is just one great example of the kind of long term affordable homes that the previous bond helped make happen,” said Nancy Whit, executive director of the Pawtucket Citizens Development Corporation (PCDC), a nonprofit organization. “Approving Question 7 will help PCDC and others continue this critical work that helps restore our neighborhoods and strengthen our communities.”

The construction of affordable homes can help ease economic burdens on working families, create much-

needed jobs for Rhode Islanders, and stabilize communities. Beginning with this kickoff event, this campaign will work hard to make sure Rhode Island voters understand the many economic benefits that the construction of affordable homes can bring to Rhode Island.

“Supporting the affordable housing bond is an investment that will move our state economy forward by providing jobs and homes to hard working Rhode Islanders,” General Treasurer Gina Raimondo said. “The housing bond is a great example of the state raising capital to invest in its future.”

Additionally, two tenants of the properties developed

by PCDC were highlighted to showcase the positive impact that a long-term affordable home has had on their lives. Helena Godley, a single working mother faced a day-to-day financial struggle to pay the rent at the end of every month before finding an affordable home she can call her own at Callaghan Gardens. Marcio Tolentino had to deal with a leaky and dark apartment for years until he was able to move into the Gateways where everything

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was updated and functioning. He is now enjoying the comforts of his safe home with his growing family.

The significant turnout exemplified the support and enthusiasm for a statewide campaign to highlight the benefits that this bond measure can bring to Rhode Island. All left with campaign materials and were able to take a walking tour of several Blackstone Valley Gateways apartment buildings that showcased the variety of homes the bond will be financing.

The event featured special guest speakers, including General Treasurer Gina Raimondo. Also in attendance was Richard Godfrey, Executive Director of Rhode Island Housing; Anthony Maione, President & CEO of United Way of Rhode Island; and Neil Steinberg, President & CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation.

Page 4

Common Ground

OCTOBER 2012

OSTIGUY cont. from page 1 Over time, Ostiguy noticed a disturbing trend among one group he was tasked with helping—the high-school age children of his coworkers who had been through treatment for drug and alcohol abuse and addition. Within one week of leaving treatment, 90 percent of the teenagers he was trying to help were relapsing.

‘A shot at life’ Ostiguy went on the hunt for a better way of helping them and came across something called a recovery high school, which was being pioneered in Minnesota. The theory behind a recovery high school is a fairly simple one: most teenagers who use drugs and drink will obtain those substances from their peers at school. So, sending them back to a regular high school, the thinking goes, drastically decreases their chances of staying sober. “It’s like taking an alcoholic … sitting him on a barstool and seeing how long he

lasts,” Ostiguy said.

But a recovery high school only accepts students who have struggled with substance abuse of one kind or another. The idea is that everyone is supposed to be sober when they enter, and committed to staying that way. “It’s a safe setting. The kids can let their guard down,” Ostiguy said. “They’ll get what they didn’t get before. They’ll get an education, a shot at life.”

The academic curriculum of a recovery high school is generally the same as any other. But in addition to all the trappings of a regular secondary institution, the recovery high school has drug testing, counseling, and other services and programs aimed at keeping all of its students sober.

Ostiguy went on a mission to learn as much as he could about recovery high schools. He called up a principal at one of the schools in Minnesota and spoke with one of her students about her experience. He met up with

the chairman of the board when he visited Boston with his child on a college tour. And Ostiguy pitched the idea to anyone who would listen—the city council, the school committee, legislators like former state Sen. Steve Tolman, and Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey.

Everybody, he says, thought it was a good idea.

‘A firefighter is supposed to make a difference’ Convincing local and state officials to buy into the idea was the easy party. But getting funding proved more of an uphill battle. It would take about a year and a half, Ostiguy recalls, to establish the first recovery high schools in Massachusetts.

About six years ago, three recovery high schools opened in the Bay State: one in Boston, one in Beverly, and one in Springfield.

Soon, another statistic caught Ostiguy’s eye, and this time, it was a good one. Instead of a 90

percent relapse rate, the high schools were yielding a 90 percent graduation rate. 50 percent of those graduates were going on to higher education.

“I think a firefighter is supposed to make a difference,” Ostiguy said. “I think human beings are supposed to make a difference.”

Lasting legacy A fourth high school would later open up in Massachusetts and the idea spread from there, with one recently opening doors to students in Rhode Island.

In honor of the pivotal role Ostiguy played, the recovery school in Boston was named Ostiguy High. Ostiguy recalls being caught off guard by the news. He said the decision was made in a meeting to review bids from private contractors interested in operating the school. At one point, Ostiguy was asked to leave the meeting, which including Tolman, Healey, and other state officials.

He was a bit taken aback, but eventually made his exit.

“I came back and they said, ‘By the way, we just named the school after you,’” Ostiguy recalled. “It was humbling.”

Ostiguy marked his last day as a Boston firefighter on Friday, September 21.

“Today marks the end of one very fulfilling chapter in my life. It is my last day on the Boston Fire Department,” Ostiguy wrote in an e-mail message. “I have had a wonderful 41-year career on the BFD and would like to THANK everyone I have served with and was fortunate enough to meet in my career. God has allowed me to have a great career in the fire service and hopefully I have served well. I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life with family and friends.”

And, thanks to his efforts, there are young people across Massachusetts who also can look forward to bright new chapters in their lives.

Common Ground

OCTOBER 2012

Page 5

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Building a workforce for the 21st century

By Congressman Jim Langevin

As I visit businesses throughout my district, there is one recurring theme that defies conventional wisdom. Even with high unemployment, I’m constantly told by owners, “We can hire and expand, but we struggle to find workers with the abilities to help us.”

Hayward Industries, in Quonset, manufactures cutting-edge electronic equipment. Its machin-

ery requires a highly technical skill set that doesn’t fit with the training of its applicants. Meanwhile, in Warwick, a cybersecurity firm owner has told me that even when he finds workers with the requisite computer knowledge, they often lack the interpersonal skills to effectively communicate with co-workers and clients.

Evidence of this skills gap exists nationwide.

Of 2,000 firms surveyed by the McKinsey Global Institute, 40 percent had positions open at least six months because they couldn’t find suitable candidates.

Acknowledging this predicament,

President Obama recently proposed a Community College to Career Fund to train two million people with skills that lead directly to jobs.

But the problem seems especially prevalent in the Ocean State.

One of the most troubling stories I have encountered involved the addition of 20 new employees at a health-care information-technology company, which should be a cause for celebration in this economy. However, despite significant outreach efforts in our state, only two hires hailed from Rhode Island.

We must increase training opportunities

designed specifically to fit industry needs here in Rhode Island. It’s far from our only obstacle to rebuilding the economy, but it would help immensely if we could give thousands of our unemployed and underemployed workers qualifications for jobs that let them support families without relying on a government safety net.

We have excellent institutions in our state designed for this task, exemplified by the Community College of Rhode Island’s ability to create a certificate program with National Grid to prepare a much-needed new generation of util-

ity workers. However, unless we cultivate more of these relationships and ensure resources for them to create effective programs, the mismatch between workers and employers will persist.

In June, I was pleased to help CCRI unveil a Pathways to Advance Career Education Program (PACE) that is being funded by a grant I supported from the Department of Labor.

This effort will allow unemployed and underemployed workers to acquire career-specific skills in a relatively short timeframe, and receive an industryrecognized credential

in either health care or information technology. You can’t ask for a more efficient program, either for the students who can complete the targeted training that is most beneficial to them without going through a two- to four-year retraining program, or for the companies in these industries that need talented employees.

We must do more to identify industries with the most potential to grow and to build programs to support them.

Our state’s efforts in cyber-security can serve as a model. As more agencies, corporations and WORKFORCE cont. on page 6

Page 6

Common Ground

Democrats devour their own in divisive primaries

By Common Ground Staff A primary season that was highly contentious but ultimately inconclusive in terms of any statewide change in one direction or another seems to have accomplished only one thing: it has left several key Democratic incumbents bloodied and has weakened party unity.

Across the state, several high-stakes, hotly contested primary battles played out. Most prominent was the sometimes bizarre battle between incumbent Congressman David Cicilline and Anthony Gemma.

It was a campaign that was not short on attacks—but it wasn’t the only slugfest. In Lincoln, Greg Costantino toppled incumbent Peter Petrarca. In East Providence, Rep. Roberto DaSilva nearly did the same to Senate Finance Chairman Daniel DaPonte. And, in Warwick, Michael McCaffrey, the Senate Judiciary Chairman, faced an all-out fusillade of opposition from the mayor to the governor in a race that drew national attention as a bellwether battle for the gay marriage issue.

As a whole, the primaries did not seem to deliver any overriding message.

Union-backed candidates won and lost. Incumbents were thrown out and others held on, despite the odds. Moderate and progressive Democrats both won

and lost. “The results weren’t awfully clear in terms of illustrating one thing or another,” said political scientist and pollster Victor Profughi.

But if there’s one thing that the primaries did make clear, it’s that Democrats have no compunction about waging all-out war against each other.

The infighting was not all that unusual, Profughi said, but the muscle put behind some of the races was. He said it was the “most muscle” in a primary that he had seen since the last major change in the state law on voter registration and primaries, which was back in the late 1960s.

Cicilline vs. Gemma: Round 2 The primary race between David Cicilline and Anthony Gemma stood out in more ways than one. In the first place, it’s exceedingly rare to have a serious challenger against an incumbent Congressman who is a Democrat in Rhode Island, Profughi said. Then again, it’s rare to have an incumbent— anywhere, not just in Rhode Island—who seemed as vulnerable as Cicilline.

The combination of the Providence budget crisis, a rock-bottom approval rating earlier in the year, and the close race in 2010 all made Cicilline a weak incumbent, according to

Profughi.

“If ever there was any Congressman who would have to be acknowledged as a weak candidate going into the primary, it would have to be Cicilline,” Profughi said. “He was ripe to be picked off by some Democrat.”

But that Democrat wasn’t Gemma. Not only did Cicilline survive, he won by a landslide. “It’s ironic that he’s in a stronger position,” said one political insider. “He’s got momentum now.”

Social issues ignite Warwick race At the state level, experts agree that two issues were behind all the bloodletting: gay marriage and pension reform.

The gay marriage issue was most prominent in the primary race between Senator Michael McCaffrey, who opposes gay marriage, and challenger Laura Pisaturo. “I think that became the sole issue in the campaign, the gay marriage issue,” McCaffrey said after the primary.

“In my race, in particular, I would say it was more vicious,” McCaffrey said.

He noted that a flood of out-of-state money flowed into the coffers of his opponent, who was supported by everyone from Marriage Equality PRIMARY cont. on page 7

OCTOBER 2012

WORKFORCE cont. from page 5 individuals experience financial loss, harmed reputations, and intellectualproperty theft as a result of hackers, the market for computer security services grows. Technology-industry groups and the New England Institute of Technology have joined me to launch the Cyber Foundations Competition to expose high-school youth to this career path and develop their talents, while a group of post-secondary schools, businesses, and state agencies have come together to start a cyber center of excellence to train college students.

Finally, we must prevent damaging federal budget cuts in this area at a time when states like Rhode Island have virtually no flexibility to expand workforce development programs. I have led a bipartisan effort with my fellow cochairman of the Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus, Glenn

Thompson (R-PA), to restore Perkins Act funding that gives students access to the latest technology, equipment, and training to prepare them for high-wage, high-skill, high-demand fields like engineering, information technology, and health care. Furthermore, we must work in a bipartisan manner to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act, which provides primary federal support for workforce and training initiatives.

The skills-gap challenge is eminently solvable if we work together. We know the right approach. Now we need to make it a top priority in our state, recognizing that our future depends on taking full advantage of our most valuable asset: our people.

Congressman Jim Langevin is running for re-election in Rhode Island’s Second Congressional District.

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Common Ground

OCTOBER 2012

Page 7

PRIMARY cont. from page 6 Rhode Island to Planned Parenthood.

Even Gov. Lincoln Chafee, he said, backed his opponent—and said so in a national gay publication.

McCaffrey, who ended up winning, is sticking by his guns on the gay marriage issue. Marriage, he said, is between a man and a woman, and his position has remained unchanged. Upsetting as his stance may be to the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party, McCaffrey’s also been one of the foremost prounion Democrats in the General Assembly. Two years ago, he sponsored binding arbitration legislation for teachers and he also sponsored a comprehensive bill aimed at reducing the misclassification and underpayment of construction and trade workers.

He says he wishes the race had been more about his efforts to help working Rhode Islanders and Warwick in particular, such as his role in getting Johnson and Wales University to agree to pay the city $400,000 in lieu of taxes.

Asked to describe what kind of a Democrat he is, McCaffrey said, “I’m a Democrat who cares for the working men and women of Rhode Island, who

cares for the little people and wants to protect them as best as he can.”

Fiscal issues at stake in East Providence It was fiscal issues, however, that came to the fore in the primary race between Daniel DaPonte and Roberto DaSilva in East Providence. In particular, much of the showdown was fueled by lingering passions over the pension reform battle: DaPonte was seen as a pension reformer; DaSilva, who is a police officer in Pawtucket, voted against the bill.

But in an interview, DaSilva said the race aired legitimate issues of difference between the two Democrats. “I wouldn’t say infighting,” DaSilva said. “It’s just two people who had two different philosophies.”

He hit DaPonte for supporting tax breaks for wealthy individuals and corporations and passing on state budget shortfalls to the cities and towns, which, in turn, pass the cost on to the middle class in the form of rising property taxes.

“I can’t look myself in the mirror after I voted on the bill that’s going to impact the middle class and the poor [while] giving tax breaks to millionaires,” DaSilva said.

DaSilva said he may run again. In the meantime, he hopes the close race prompts DaPonte to rethink the fiscal policies he has backed. “I’m hoping that he learned from this election and won’t be the same Dan DaPonte,” DaSilva said.

DaPonte did not respond to a request for comment.

stantino’s sheer determination to get into the General Assembly, coupled with the fact that Petrarca had not faced a serious challenger in the past. (Profughi noted that he has worked for both Petrarca and Costantino.)

Unity by 2014?

“I don’t feel a lot of change coming,” one political insider said, when asked to Insiders battle in Lincoln summarize the outcome of the prima But neither issue—marriage or pen- ries. “Each group had a little win. Each sions—can explain why the primary race group has losses. I don’t know what to for House District 44 in Lincoln turned make of that.” so bloody. Unlike the others, that race The big question, the insider added, is featured two men who were remarkably if, when, and how Democrats will unite similar: both were moderate Democrats in the race for governor in 2014. with insider connections. Costantino’s How all the various disparate groups brother is a former House Finance chair- within the party—progressives, unionman and the current Secretary of Health supporters, conservatives, and others— and Human Services. Petrarca was part come together to support a nominee will be the ultimate test of whether the of the House leadership.

“That race I think you have to look Democratic Party in Rhode Island can at as outside the box,” Profughi said. “I achieve unity, or whether it has yet to live down William Rogers’ famous dicthink it was unique to Serving its ownthecircumCity of Providence since 1854 tum – I am not a member of an organized stances.”

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Page 8

Common Ground

OCTOBER 2012

Five things to know about scholarships

By Shelley Honeycutt

Scholarship searching should be an important part of everyone’s college funding plans. Start your scholarship searching by ninth grade. This will give you time to learn how to effectively search and win scholarships! Here are the basic five things you should know about scholarships.

1. Scholarship deadlines are NOT just in January or June. Scholarship

deadlines are sprinkled throughout the year. This means you should be searching and applying for scholarships all year long!

2. Always search for scholarships at your chosen college. Once you know where you will be attending, use MeritAid.com to search for collegespecific scholarships.

3. When you apply for financial aid it

is a gateway to state, as well as institutional aid, and scholarships!

Most states use your FAFSA data to determine state aid and scholarship eligibility. Always file financial aid by your college’s priority deadline. These deadlines vary greatly from college to college, so be sure to research each college’s deadline well ahead of time.

4. Scholarship applications do NOT all require long essays or applications. Many scholarship committees use short online applications to help them determine winners more quickly.

5. Most colleges do NOT penalize students that win scholarships by lowering their financial aid. This is a common misconception. Every college will have their own scholarship policy, but most colleges are proscholarships.

It is important to start searching early when it comes to scholarships and continue to do this throughout your college education. Most students give up after the first year in college. This is why there is always less competition for upperclassmen scholarships. Remember to send a thank-you card to the committee that awarded you a scholarship. Many times they will remember you when you re-apply the following year. Learn more about scholarships, admissions strategies, college essays, as well as many other critical college planning topics through the Mini Camp Series offered by the College PREP Collaborative this fall.

Visit www.CollegePREPcollaborative. com today.

Shelley Honeycutt is the Managing Partner for the College PREP Collaborative.

Common Ground LOANS cont. from page 1 students now on average are taking five or more years to graduate, according to Honeycutt.

With the ability to consolidate federal PLUS loans into a 30-year term, it becomes conceivable how the payment period could stretch into someone’s retirement, Honeycutt said.

Moreover, there is no limit on the collection period for loans, said Deanne Loonin, an attorney at the National Consumer Law Center in Boston. “That means that literally the … government could come after you forever if you are on a federal student loan” Loonin said.

Honeycutt said the problem is further compounded by the fact that students have the ability to fully defer payments while in school—even as interest accrues, borrow up to the full cost of attendance regardless of income or fu-

ture ability to pay, and interest rates that are as high as 7.9 percent, with origination fees at 4 percent of the principal balance.

Yet another factor: the economy. “Obviously the economy is affecting everybody, so a lot of parents are struggling financially and maybe weren’t when they sent their kids to college, but are now,” Loonin said.

The power to garnish Social Security checks stems from a federal law passed in 1996. Up until that time it had been a bipartisan article of faith that Social Security income is supposed to be safe from creditors, Loonin said. “So it really was unprecedented when they passed the law,” she said.

It took several years to put the law into practice, with full implementation not really happening until the 2000 to 2001 time-

frame, according to Loonin. And of course, large numbers of retirees weren’t affected until default rates started going up in recent years, she noted.

Retiree who barely gets buy at risk Honeycutt says she often does conference calls to help borrowers who are facing financial crisis.

None would come forward to speak on the record with Common Ground. But one did speak on condition of anonymity.

“I just barely pay my rent and my car payment as it is,” said the retiree, a 69-year-old Massachusetts man.

He said he’s on the hook for $17,000 in federal PLUS loans that he took out to help his son, now 35, get through college. At the time, he said he thought he was just co-

signing a loan for his son.

Only later did he realize that he was listed as the primary borrower—meaning that collection agencies came after him first.

As he struggles to keep up with the loan payments, the retiree said an official at one of the collection agencies threatened to garnish his Social Security checks.

The retiree says he earns $1,315 a month from Social Security—well above the $750 threshold at which federal authorities will stop cutting.

In his case, he says he is facing a cut of $282. “That would probably prevent me from eating,” he said.

Since he has been unemployed since 2008 and has no other major source of retirement income or savings, there’s little he can do to deal with the debt.

And his son’s income as a warehouse worker doesn’t

OCTOBER 2012 leave anything extra to help out—plus, his son has tens of thousands of dollars in debt from other student loans that he is faced with paying.

How to avoid it It is easier to prevent the Department of Education from attaching a Social Security check than it is to stop them after the fact, Honeycutt says. Her company offers options to distressed borrowers to help them get out of debt.

Those options include the Income Contingent Repayment option, which helps borrowers to arrange for payments that are more in keeping with their monthly earnings, according to Honeycutt.

But the ICR option is not available to PLUS loan borrowers before July 1, 2006.

In general, there are

Page 9

three ways out, according to Loonin. First, a borrower who is disabled can apply for a disability discharge. For those who don’t qualify, a second option is an income-based payment plan. A third option is to request a hardship-based reduction.

“Although there may not be a perfect solution to your college debt crisis, there are typically better payment options available for most borrowers,” Honeycutt said. “Being an educated consumer is the primary path to a better outcome. Seek out professionals when needed or you have reached a deadend with your loan servicer.”

For more information visit www.studentloanborrowerassistance.org or www.collegePREPcollaborative.com

Page10

Common Ground

OCTOBER 2012

How Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid have helped Rhode Island

By John A. Pernorio

July 30, 2012 marked the 47th birthday of Medicaid and Medicare, two pillars of the American health care system that together to provide services to over 110 million seniors, children and adults. And, last month, August 14, 2012, marked the 77th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Social Security Act into law. The Act was an attempt to limit what were seen as dangers in the modern American life, including old age, poverty, unemployment and the burdens of widows and fatherless children.

Below is a summary of how Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid have helped Rhode Island residents of all ages and backgrounds. The information is published in a report entitled, “Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid Work for Rhode Island.”

Social Security works for the following Rhode Islanders Residents and economy • Social Security provided benefits to 203,660 Rhode Island residents in 2010, equivalent to 1 out of 5 residents. In particular, benefits went

out to: 135,197 retired workers, 34,381 disabled workers, 13,186 widow(er)s, 5,447 spouses, and 15,449 children.

• Social Security provided benefits totaling over $2.7 billion in 2010, an amount equivalent to 5.5 percent of the state’s annual GDP (the total value of all goods and services produced). The average Social Security benefit in 2010 was $13,130.

• Social Security lifted 61,000 Rhode Island residents out of poverty in 2008.

Women • Social Security provided benefits to 107,483 women residents in 2010, equivalent to 1 out of 5 women.

• Without Social Security, the poverty rate of elderly women would increase from 10.8 percent to nearly 50 percent.

People of color • Social Security provided benefits to 7,498 African Americans in Rhode Island in 2009, equivalent to 1 out of every 10 African American residents.

• It provided benefits to 1 out of 7 Latino households in Rhode Island in 2010, totaling 4,919 households.

Medicare works for the following: Residents and economy • 178,870 Rhode Island residents received Medicare benefits in 2009, equivalent to 1 out of every 6 state residents.

• Medicare provided $1.8 billion in benefits in 2009—constituting 20.8 percent of all healthcare spending in the state. The average expenditure per Medicare beneficiary was $10,198.

Seniors and people with disabilities • 146,235 of Rhode Island’s 178,870 Medicare beneficiaries were aged 65 or older in 2009, equivalent to 8 out of every 10 beneficiaries.

• 32,317 of Rhode Island’s 178,870 Medicare beneficiaries were people with disabilities in 2009, equivalent to 1 out of every 6 beneficiaries.

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TASSONI cont. from page 2 school?’” Tassoni recalled. She said she was talking about the recovery high school. At that point, Rhode Island didn’t have one, so she would have to move to Massachusetts to get her child into one there, Tassoni told her. Never one to refuse a request from a distraught mother, Tassoni was able to help her child receive treatment.

After the call, the “wheels started to turn,” Tassoni said. Why not open a recovery high school in Rhode Island?

Tassoni soon introduced the legislation necessary to make it happen, and, this fall, the state’s first recovery high school, the Anchor Learning Academy, opened its doors in Providence.

It’s an anecdote that’s emblematic of how Tassoni has worked tirelessly to help his constituents.

“We’ve worked side by side for the last three years. So many times the phone has rung when I’ve been with him and it’s a constituent. And he’s johnny on the spot.

He takes care of stuff right away for people.

He follows through; he gets them to the right person,” Houle said.

His dedication to his

constituents and his district, which encompasses Smithfield and North Smithfield, has manifested itself not just in new legislation at the Statehouse. When asked what his proudest moment was in the last dozen years, Tassoni pointed not to a particular bill or legislative effort, but to Friday Night Lights football games in Smithfield.

Tassoni first proposed the idea four years ago, raising the funds and securing the necessary sponsorship and donated labor from groups such as Local 57 of the Operating Engineers and IBEW No. 99 to make it a reality.

“The camaraderie in the town is better. The local businesses flourish more because you can get a lot more people at a Friday Night Lights game than you can a Saturday afternoon game,” Tassoni said. “The numbers are through the roof for Fright Night Lights games compared to a Saturday afternoon game.”

Homeless bill of rights In the last several years in the Senate, Tassoni has taken on another cause: housing and homeless-

ness. And, as chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing and Municipal Government, Tassoni had an excellent vantage point for delving into the issue.

When Tassoni started receiving reports about the poor conditions at Harrington Hall, a yearround shelter for homeless men in Cranston, his committee not only held hearings on it, they visited the facility. “He really went above and beyond to tour Harrington Hall,” said Jim Ryczek, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless.

“It was the shock of a life,” Tassoni said. “A hundred people in a facility that I wouldn’t even let my dog sleep in.

They had better accommodations at Guantanamo Bay than they had there.”

Tassoni put a call into Governor Lincoln Chafee’s office, which dispatched a maintenance crew to clean up and repair Harrington Hall—and promised to keep better tabs on the conditions of the shelter in the future. Tassoni’s concerns also led Chafee to revive the Interagency Council on Homelessness. “He really proved

to homeless people he was their ally,” Ryczek said.

While some legislators may be willing to listen, in Senator Tassoni, the homeless community found someone who not only listened to them, but also followed up with action. “Senator Tassoni really broke that mold. He went to the mat for homeless people,” Ryczek added.

But Tassoni didn’t stop there. Next, after talking with advocates for the homeless, he introduced the Homeless Bill of Rights, intended to end discrimination against homeless individuals.

The legislation specifically insured that the homeless have the right to use public areas, voting rights, and the right to equal treatment by employers, law enforcement, and medical professionals, according to a summary of the legislation provided by the Coalition for the Homeless.

The bill passed and was signed into law

by Chafee earlier this year, thanks to Tassoni’s dogged advocacy for the landmark legislation.

“He’s like a dog with a bone—he won’t let go when it’s the right thing to do,” Ryczek said.

“We’re sad to lose him as an advocate in the Senate.”

The law was the first of its kind in the nation and now is being hailed as a model for other states to follow, according to a recent report in the Huffington Post. Already, California is taking up a similar bill, Tassoni said.

For his efforts, he has also been awarded the Bruce F. Vento Award by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. The award will be formally presented to Tassoni at a ceremony in Washington, DC next month.

“My parents instilled in me always to be kind to people that are less fortunate than you are,” Tassoni said. “And I always took that to heart.”

‘I’m not going to go away’ “I think we’re losing a legislator who put the people first, who put his constituents first, always,” Houle said. “It’s sad to see someone like that leaving.”

Tassoni said he decided to make his exit from the General Assembly this year because he wanted to leave on his own terms—not somebody else’s. He plans to

spend more time with his family and to devote more of his energy expanding his business interests, which include The Sentinel Group and Common Ground.

Asked for any advice for others seeking public office, Tassoni said: “I think you have to make sure you have a clean record, nothing in your closet, careful who … you trust. Be careful who you go in the foxhole with and always watch your back, because politics is a ruthless game.”

Would he ever consider running for public office again? “Absolutely, unequivocally no … way.”

But even though he won’t be in the Statehouse anymore, Tassoni said that doesn’t mean he will disappear from public life.

“I’m not going to go away. I may take a step back a little bit, but I’m not going to go away. I think that there still is a need for a guy like me to go out and try to raise money and try help people in the predicaments that they’re in,” he said.

“I’ll never shy away from helping anyone. If there’s help to be had they can count on me.”

Page 12

Common Ground

OCTOBER 2012

Blue Food: The miracle of blue corn chips

By Joy Feldman, NC, JD Have you ever walked down the aisles of the market and wondered why bags of blue corn chips were being sold?

Are they different from their fellow yellow corn chips you see stocked on the shelves?

Well, yes, the benefits of eating blue corn are different from consuming yellow corn.

I bet you are wondering why?

Studies have shown that blue corn is higher in the amino acid lysine, the antioxidant anthocyanin, zinc, and iron than most yellow or white corn. Blue corn also contains Vitamins A and Thiamine, B2, and niacin. Research has also found that blue-corn tortillas contain more protein than their yellow or white

corn counterparts, as well as lower starch content and lower glycemic index (GI).

This is good news because food with lower starch and lower GI breaks down more slowly into sugars absorbed by the blood stream and can help people avoid spikes in blood sugar levels, which can be helpful for people on low GI diets, such as diabetics.

And there is more. Blue corn contains a wide variety of antioxidants. It is these antioxidants, such as xanthenes and zeozanthaene that give this corn its blue color. These are the same nutrients found in other bluish foods such as blueberries, blackberries, grapes, and raisins.

However, the most amazing nutrient blue corn contains is a special form of Selenium.

This mineral is important for antioxidant activity, heavy metal detoxification, infection-fighting ability, cancer prevention, and mental health. Additionally, blue corn is very easily assimilated and well utilized by the body and is the main benefit of blue corn in terms of its mineral content.

So go ahead, give this blue food a try and fill your body with nutrients and antioxidants without unbalancing your blood sugar. Enjoy the recipe!

It’s a Rainbow Tostado Sandwich Ingredients: 4 blue corn tortillas or blue taco shells 1 cup of black beans 1 cup of lettuce, shredded 2 cups of eggs, chopped or 2 cups of natural chick, chopped 1 cup of grated cheese (raw milk cheese is preferred) Directions: Using a fry pan, lightly sauté the tortillas in butter. (If using blue tacos, warm shells in oven at 350 degrees for about 3-5 minutes.)

They should get toasty and a bit brown. For best results, turn tortillas often, so they do not burn. When the tortillas are ready, place all your ingredients out on the table and arrange your own meal. This is a fun meal to get those kiddos involved in creating.

They will have fun making their own rainbow sandwich.

Joy Feldman is a nutritional consultant, author, writer, and lecturer. She is the author of Joyful Cooking in the Pursuit of Good Health, and Is Your Hair Made of Donuts? Learn more by visiting www.joyfeldman.com or isyourhairmadeofdonuts.com

Common Ground

OCTOBER 2012

Page 13

Vote to bring table games to Rhode Island

By Laurie White

As I write this, we are quickly approaching the culmination of another election cycle. As we know, all politics is local, especially in Rhode Island. While a number of hotly contested races are coming down to the wire, we have the opportunity on November 6 to cast a vote that is a win-win scenario for all of the state – and that is voting yes on Ques-

tion 1 and Question 2 to bring table games to Twin River and Newport Grand.

On this issue, business and labor see eye-toeye, as both the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and the Rhode Island AFL-CIO have endorsed the referenda as well as a number of other organizations. Why? This is about the preservation of 900 good-paying jobs at Twin River—and the creation of 650 new jobs here in the state, 350 of which will be at the casino, and an additional 300 in the community to support the increase in operations.

This is about maximiz-

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ing the third largest source of revenue for Rhode Island—in FY 2012, the state’s share of Twin River video lottery terminal revenue was $290 million. With unemployment hovering around 10 percent, and the fact that three mega-destination casinos will be going up in Massachusetts in the near future, we can ill afford not to capitalize on the opportunity we have this November to add jobs and preserve revenue by bringing table games to Twin River.

Newport Grand, meanwhile, generates more than $30 million each year in gaming taxes. Since 1994, Newport Grand has

paid more than $550 million in gaming taxes to the State of Rhode Island and more than $9 million to the City of Newport.

In business, having a proven track record of success is crucial for consumer confidence. Twin River has increased its year-overyear revenue in 33 of the last 36 months. Twin River’s “convenience casino” model and management have a formula that’s working. Not only is the casino easily accessible, but, more importantly, it’s accommodating. Twin River has recently invested heavily on customer service training for its employees, and they have been

reaping the results. The personalized attention and intimate appeal are part of Twin River’s formula for success, and will continue to be once table games are brought in the mix.

So this November 6, let’s leverage one of Rhode Island’s most important assets, and cast

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Common Ground

RHODE ISLAND cont. from page 10 Medicaid works for the following: Residents and economy • 204,829 Rhode Island residents received Medicaid benefits in 2009, coming out to 1 out of every 5 state residents.

• A total of $1.9 billion in Medicaid benefits were paid in 2009, constituting 21.5 percent of all health-care spending in the state. The average expenditure per Medicaid beneficiary was $9,243.

Seniors, people with disabilities and long-term care residents • 28,103 of Rhode Island’s 204,829 Medicaid beneficiaries were aged 65 or older in 2009, making up 1 out of every 7 beneficiaries.

• 40,917 of Rhode Island’s 204,829 Medicaid beneficiaries were people with disabilities in 2009—accounting for about 1 out of every 5 beneficiaries.

• Medicaid provided $577 million in long-term care benefits for Rhode Island residents in 2009, including nursing home care for 5,170 nursing home residents, accounting for 2 out of every 3 state residents who are enrolled in nursing homes.

To read the full report by Social Security Works, go to www.ri-ara.org click on the RI ARA News tab, at the top of the page, click on To Read How Social Security & Medicare Helped Rhode Island. John A. Pernorio is president of the Rhode Island Alliance for Retired Americans.

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Lawrence General Hospital announces changes that nurses believe threaten patient safety The nurses of Lawrence General Hospital in Massachusetts are outraged by a recent decision from hospital management to lay off staff, close services, and restructure how nurses deliver patient care at the facility, particularly at a time when nurses have been struggling with inadequate RN staffing levels that compromise their ability to deliver the care their patients deserve.

On Sept. 14 hospital management informed the nurses union of their intention to lay off as many as 15 nurses, including eliminating all

nurse educators, closing their short-stay unit, and outsourcing the hospital’s lactation (breast feeding) consulting services to the local community health center.

The short-stay unit, which cares for patients undergoing minor invasive procedures, such as cardiac catheterizations, ultrasound procedures and interventional radiology procedures that do not require an overnight stay, as well as patients undergoing transfusions and outpatient infusions for chronic conditions such as Crohn’s disease or multiple sclerosis by staff who special-

ize in the care of those patients, will be disbanded. Those patients will now be moved to already overburdened and understaffed medical and surgical floors where nurses are unprepared to deliver the same level of patient care and where these patients, many

of whom are immunecompromised, will be exposed to infectious diseases and other health hazards. It is important to note that many of these changes violate some of the hospital’s own policies.

In addition, the hospital has recently closed

beds in its intensive care unit, decreasing critical care beds to nine and additionally using noncritical beds to care for critically ill patients where nurses are unable to provide the same standard of care these patients require. That change, combined with the recently announced changes, has raised the ire of a number of nurses and has resulted in the filing of more than 19 official reports of unsafe staffing conditions at the hospital on specific shifts where the nurses reported that the safety of patients was placed in jeopardy.

Management has also informed the union that this is only the beginning of their plans to redesign patient care delivery at the hospital, and in the coming months they plan to convert a 40-bed medical surgical unit into a telemetry unit for providing care to patients requiring more complex cardiac monitoring, with no commitment to add or train staff to work on that unit.

“Nurses are up in arms over these changes and are deeply concerned about their ability to deliver safe patient NURSES cont. on page 19

Page 16

Common Ground

OCTOBER 2012

Whitehouse for Senate campaign releases second advertisement

The Whitehouse for Senate campaign released its second television advertisement titled “Holes” in mid-September.

In the ad, Senator Whitehouse talks about the need to bring American manufacturing jobs back home.

“Job number one for Senator Whitehouse remains helping to put Rhode Islanders back to work during these tough economic times, and that starts with helping to bring jobs back to America,” said Tony Simon, Campaign Manager. “In the Senate, Sheldon has been a strong voice for eliminating tax breaks for companies that offshore American jobs.”

Senator Whitehouse has been one of the leading voices in the Senate for bringing American jobs back home, his campaign says. In particular, he has: • Cosponsored and voted for the Bring Jobs Home Act, a bill that would prohibit companies that ship jobs overseas from deducting the moving costs and would offer

companies that bring jobs home a tax credit of 20 percent of the “reshoring” costs; • Cosponsored and voted for the Creating American Jobs and Ending Offshoring Act, a bill that would have offered a tax incentive to companies for bringing jobs home, and would have discouraged offshoring by eliminating the deduction for moving costs and implementing a version of the Offshoring Prevention Act; • Sponsored the Offshoring Prevention Act, which would prohibit manufacturers that make goods abroad for sale in the United States from deferring tax payments on the related profits.

The 30-second advertisement began airing September 12. To view the advertisement, people can visit the Whitehouse for Senate Web site at www.whitehouseforsenate.com/holes.

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Common Ground

OCTOBER 2012

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OCTOBER 2012

Page 19

NURSES cont. from page 15 care,” said Patty Rogers Sullivan, RN, chair of the nurses’ local bargaining unit of the Massachusetts Nurses Association/National Nurses United. “They are making dramatic changes to how care is delivered at this hospital without discussing or reviewing these changes with the nurses who deliver that care.”

The union has filed a class action grievance on behalf of the nurses impacted by these changes, citing the hospital’s failure to provide the minimum two-weeks notice required

under the union contract. The MNA has also requested a copy of the longterm plan announced by management for the redesign of the nurses’ work so that they can offer their opinion on the safety of this plan for patients.

The nurses also want to make sure that any nurse affected by the layoff has the right to bump into a new position with appropriate orientation and training to care for patients on that unit as defined in their contract.

“We are alarmed and outraged

that these decisions have been made without our input, and that there has been no guarantee that staffing will be improved on units where all these patients are being moved, and/or that those nurses will have the resources and education they need to maintain the quality and safety of patient care,” Rogers-Sullivan said.

The nurses are also concerned that the layoffs have been targeted at the most experienced nurses and at nurses who are active in, and leaders of, the

union. The MNA is exploring whether or not the hospitals’ action warrants a charge of unfair labor practice with the National Labor Relations Board.

In response to the changes, the union has called for an emergency membership meeting to brief the nurses, and to plan next steps in their efforts to educate the public about these potentially dangerous changes at the hospital.

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Common Ground

OCTOBER 2012

Time to fund Social Security for another 75 years lifting income cap makes the difference!

By John A. Furia This year marks the celebration of the 77th anniversary of the enactment of Social Security. Signed into law by President Roosevelt, this social insurance program embodied principles articulated

by FDR and New Deal appointees on the Presidential Committee on Economic Security.

Historians of the New Deal note that the Presidential Committee made a number of sweeping

recommendations on economic security that included a key finding: Social Security would be a contributory program so that it avoided the stigma of being labeled as ‘relief ’ or a ‘government hand-

out.’ Further, the employee contribution was seen as means to insure financial permanence to the program. The New Dealers believed that dedicated funding would be critical in deterring opposition to

the very existence of Old Age Insurance.

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FUND cont. from page 20 or very important.”

Also, a clear majority favored increased payroll taxes to fund Social Security, instead of reducing benefits.

Policy options—overlooked or largely ignored In spite of strong public support, debate on the future of Social Security seems focused on cuts in benefits or substantial tax increases to maintain its solvency. Other policy options appear to have been overlooked or largely ignored.

One such option, that has not received wide publicity, would lift the income–limit on earnings for payment of payroll taxes, estimated at $110,100 for 2012. Currently, earnings above that income ceiling or cap are not subject to payroll taxes that finance Social Security benefits. Lifting the income-cap has been estimated to affect only about 6 percent of high-income earners and would negate the need for across-the-board payroll taxes for Social Security participants.

In addition, high-income earners would also receive enhanced Social Security benefits for their added contribution.

Indeed, this might be characterized as a “win-win-win” option.

New revenue extends the life of Social Security Lifting the income-cap has been projected to prolong the life of Social Security for an additional 75 years! Studies of this option extend back to 2005, when the Economic Policy Institute, a Washington, DC think tank, made this recommendation.

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, in a recent report, also has proposed lifting the income cap. Chaired by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the Committee Report supported this as a sustainable fiscal alternative to protect Social Security benefits.

A variation has been advocated

by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (DRhode Island). Sen. Whitehouse

has proposed lifting the cap on earnings over $250,000. He serves with Harkin as a member of the Senate Committee that recommended preserving Social Security and proposing additional legislation to enhance economic security for retirees.

Quibbles over funding projections When lifting the income-cap has been proposed, some have quibbled about the accuracy of funding projections. Is it for a full 75 years or could it be less? The office of Sen. Whitehouse reported that Social Security actuaries have calculated that proposed legislation provides additional funding for 75 years, from the date of enactment. Therefore, if legislative passage occurs next year, Social Security funding would continue through the year 2088.

Be it 2088 or whatever year projected, it provides additional funding for many years to come!

Good news for some 13 million

seniors who rely on Social Security to help keep them out of poverty.

Time to protect Social Security Now is the time to act on a policy option that has the virtue of simplicity, while preserving Social Security into the distant future. Sometimes, creative ideas and worthwhile policy alternatives don’t need complexity. Lifting the income-cap is one such example.

Simply stated, lifting the income-cap lifts the elderly out of poverty and provides economic

security for current and future retirees.

It also commemorates the vision of FDR and preserves Social Security as the economic centerpiece of the New Deal—77 years after passage.

John A. Furia serves on the Augsburg College faculty. The College is located in the Twin-Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul) and has been ranked as a top higher educational institution in the Midwest. He previously served, for over 20 years, as Executive Director of AFSCME District Council 94, New England Region.

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Common Ground

OCTOBER 2012

Page 22

Activists, workers protest Koch brothers’ ‘Greed Agenda’

By Common Ground staff Providence—Providence voters called out the billionaire Koch Brothers and other special interests who have threatened to spend more than $400 million on a “greed agenda” that will weaken America at a protest event held September 24.

The Koch Brothers and other mega-billionaires have advocated for more tax breaks for the super-rich, while dismantling the American Dream for millions of Americans and cutting programs that make America stronger.

At Kennedy Plaza, Kate Brock of Ocean State Action and Pat

Crowley of the National Education AssociationRhode Island noted that the Kochs’ Greed Agenda has hurt Rhode Island’s middle class through their support of radical policies including the elimination of the minimum wage, the privatization of Medicare and Social Security, and the ending of pay equity for women.

“If the Koch Brothers and their special interest friends are successful, pay equity for women would end, workers would go without a minimum wage or even basic protections, and Medicare and Social Security would be a thing

of the past,” said Brock.

“The Koch brothers pose a unique threat to Rhode Island and to America,” Crowley added. “Not only have they promised to contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to influence this election, but those dollars are in service of an agenda characterized by greed and a stunning disregard for the well-being of our nation.”

The Koch-operated Cato Institute and Heritage Foundation advocate partially privatizing Social Security by diverting Social Security taxes into privately managed retirement accounts.

Such a plan would enrich Wall Street banks, which would gain enormous fees from the billions of dollars shifted to their management, while risking Americans’ financial security. Meanwhile, the Kochs’ Americans for Prosperity backed the proposed FY 2013 budget that would transform Medicare into a voucher system, raise the eligibility age, and reduce prescription drug coverage.

A study done by the nonpartisan Center for Budget and Policy Priorities concluded that the budget plan would leave many seniors without access to satisfactory health

care and gradually shift costs to seniors.

The Koch Brothers have spent decades building a vast special-interest machine that targets every level of government. The brothers are well-known for funding innocuous-sounding front groups that seek to dismantle safety regulations, eliminate government funding for roads and bridges, and strip Americans of health care and a social safety net— all in an effort to increase their own enormous bottom line. This year alone, the Koch brothers have pledged to spend $400 million under the auspic-

es of their various groups towards the election, and millions more in support of their agenda.

“If you spend $400 million, you expect something in return,” said Patriot Majority President Craig Varoga.

“Billionaire oil tycoons Charles and David Koch and their special interest friends are spending $400 million to buy this year’s elections—and advance their agenda.

What’s their payback?”

The 12 Points of the Greed Agenda are: 1. Give More Tax Breaks to the Super Rich KOCH cont. on page 23

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KOCH cont. from page 22 2. Privatize Social Security and Medicare 3. Suppress Voting Rights for Working and Middle Class Families 4. Cut Funding for Public Schools in Favor of ForProfit Education 5. Roll Back Consumer Protections and Important Regulations on Wall Street and Big Banks 6. Lower Wages for Middle Class Families 7. Eliminate Workers’ Rights 8. Block Pay Equity and

Health Care Equity for Women 9. Continue Special Giveaways to Super-Rich Oil Companies 10. Privatize Firefighting and Important Public Services 11. Cut Funding for Veterans’ Services 12. Protect Special Interest Polluters from Common Sense Regulations, Even if it Increases the Risk of Cancer and Other Fatal Illnesses The “Stop the Greed Agenda” bus will visit Americans

from all walks of life who are harmed by the Greed Agenda, including teachers, construction workers, firefighters, police officers, students, and the middle class more broadly.

The tour is part of a broader initiative Patriot Majority launched in August. The group launched television and Internet ads along with a Web site to educate voters about the reported $1 billion right-wing groups, led by the Kochs’ plan to spend this election cycle. In September, the group launched

OCTOBER 2012

state-specific ads. The ads and tour are both designed to cut through the noise of the campaign to let voters know not just who is behind the constant barrage of political ads they are seeing, but what those billionaires plan to do with the country. More information about the campaign can be found at www.stopthegreedagenda.com.

Patriot Majority USA has a very well defined, multi-year, bipartisan primary purpose, which is to work on economic solutions and encourage job

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(401) 273-9800 FAX (401) 331-8815 www.rifthp.org

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A progressive labor union representing more than 80,000 men and women in professional, technical, administrative and associated occupations.

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creation throughout the United States. Earlier this year, it ran two issue ads applauding a GOP Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia for voting against ending Medicare (http://tinyurl.com/d7jk7ob). Patriot Majority USA’s future legislative advocacy, in 2013 and beyond, at both at the national and state levels, is based on the goals of the Patriot Majority Action Plan. See more at http:// www.patriotmajority.org.

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