Democratic Convention Highlights Social Security 

Former Vice President Joe Biden accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination to be President at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on Thursday, promising to protect Social Security from attacks, empower labor unions and rebuild the nation by dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. 

“This week we heard from a wide cross section of bipartisan supporters why Joe Biden is the right leader to bring us out of this pandemic,” said Robert Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance. “I know Joe and I know retirees can count on him to look out for seniors’ best interests. We can trust him.”

Vice President Biden mentioned seniors issues repeatedly in his speech while vowing to fight for the issues working families care about most. He pledged to end the assault on the Affordable Care Act and protect the health 

care of the 20 million people who would be uninsured without it.

Sen. Kamala Harris (CA) accepted the party's vice presidential nomination Wednesday, pledging to be a champion for all Americans and noting that she shares Vice President Biden’s promise to protect Americans with preexisting conditions.

“Retirees can count on Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to strengthen and expand our earned Social Security and Medicare benefits,” President Roach continued. “They will defend workers’ and retirees’ defined benefit pension plans and the right to retire with dignity after a lifetime of hard work. And they will ensure that Medicare negotiates lower drug prices and that medicines and vaccines developed with taxpayer dollars will be affordable for all.”

During his remarks, Vice President Biden reiterated his plan to implement a caregiving plan that will help hundreds of thousands of older Americans maintain their independence and get the care they need at home, rather than a long-term care facility.

Alliance Executive Director Richard Fiesta spoke about the senior vote at the DNC Senior Council’s virtual meeting on Tuesday.

Trump Postmaster General Refuses to Reverse His Policies Causing Mail Delivery Delays

President Trump’s new postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, has gone from using “cost-cutting” measures to slow down the mail to a full-on dismantling of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). This week he said he would NOT return the mailboxes he took away back to their locations; NOT re-install the dozens of high-speed sorting machines that have been removed; and NOT allow overtime to ensure mail is delivered on time.

The moves are of deep concern to members of Congress and millions of Americans, particularly seniors and veterans who get important goods and services like prescription drugs through the mail. In addition, the demand for vote by mail will increase substantially in the coming weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Add your name to make sure these dangerous policies are reversed when the Postmaster General testifies next week.

DeJoy was forced to respond to the crisis due to public outcry from the Alliance and others, but then it was revealed he would not roll back his changes.

The Postal Service has told state and local governments that it will charge them nearly three times more to send a ballot through the mail than in previous elections, which hurts seniors and local governments. Election mail has always been sent at the bulk rate, which is not delivered as fast but is handled like first-class mail. Under DeJoy’s management, all election mail must be sent first-class.

House leaders have posted text of legislation, H.R. 8015, that the chamber plans to take up on Saturday to provide the Postal Service with $25 billion to cover revenue losses, reverse service and operational changes implemented earlier this year and require that all election-related mail, including ballots, be treated as first class to ensure priority delivery.

“It is not enough for the postmaster to say he intends to stop sabotaging the delivery of prescription drugs and election ballots in the future,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “He must undo the damage that he has already done.” 

Arizona Alliance member Vic Peterson, a veteran, shared his story to draw attention to the issue at a roundtable hosted by Reps. Tom O’Halleran and Greg Stanton on Tuesday. In Houston, Texas Alliance members Richard and Ellen Shaw joined Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee at her rally to protect the Postal Service. Connecticut Alliance state president Bette Marafino is participating in a similar event with Rep. Joe Courtney today. 

Make Your Voting Plan Today: When and How to Vote in All 50 States

All voters in at least 44 states and the District of Columbia will be able to vote by mail in the elections in November since absentee voting was expanded for safety reasons during the pandemic. Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas are the only states where absentee voting will not be available to all voters. In those states it will be limited to those who meet qualifications such as being 65 or older, disabled, a military member or out of town on Election Day.

“Please take a minute now to check that you are registered to vote by going to www.vote.org and entering your name and address. You can also find information about how to vote in your local community,” advised President

Roach. “Every senior needs to make a plan for how they will vote now.”

For information on when and how to vote in all 50 states, click here. If you request an early ballot and do not receive it or have any complications with voting, go to www.vote.org.

New York became the 44th state to expand absentee voting on Thursday, when Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law a package that includes new measures allowing absentee ballot applications to be submitted to the Board of Elections immediately.

Trump Campaign, GOP Will Not Appeal Minnesota Alliance Voting Rights Victory

On Tuesday the Republican National Committee and the Trump for President campaign agreed not to appeal a settlement reached by the Alliance and the State of Minnesota to waive burdensome requirements for voting by mail in the November general election.

“This is an enormous victory for all Minnesota voters. Hats off to our Minnesota members who stepped up to make voting as safe and secure as possible,” said Executive Director Fiesta.

“I am relieved and elated that this issue is finally resolved and I will be able to exercise my constitutional right to vote without putting my health at risk,” added Teresa Maples of Red Wing, a plaintiff and member of the Minnesota Alliance. “There is no way my serious health conditions would allow me to vote in person during this pandemic, and I live alone.”

On August 13 the Secretary of State agreed to two demands by the Minnesota Alliance and its members for the November 3 General Election:

• All mail ballots from registered voters will be accepted without requiring that another registered voter or a notary witness and sign the return envelope; and
• Ballots received within seven days after the November 3 Election Day will be accepted, as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.

In addition to Ms. Maples, the plaintiffs include Minnesota Alliance members Gary Severson of Chaska, Minnesota and Mary Samson of Newport, Minnesota. A copy of the stipulation is available here.

The Alliance, working with its state chapters, has filed lawsuits to protect vote by mail and absentee voters in Florida, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, in addition to Minnesota this year.

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