FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 22, 2011, 10:30 PST/1:30 EST
Contact:
AARP Media Relations
202.434.2560
media@aarp.org
AARP CEO: “OUR GOALS MUST INCLUDE
RESTORING PROSPERITY TO THE MIDDLE CLASS”
Rand comments on the fight in Washington to protect the middle class, calls Congress’ Supercommittee efforts to reduce the federal deficit “worthwhile”
Los Angeles—Today at AARP’s Life@50+ National Event & Expo, AARP CEO A. Barry Rand stressed the importance of rebuilding the economic security of the once thriving middle class, many who are struggling just to make ends meet.
In a speech at the Nokia Theater L.A. LIVE, Rand addressed an audience of AARP members and people 50 and older about the financial challenges faced by America’s middle class, and the need to sustain the programs and benefits that older Americans have earned over a lifetime of hard work. “If we focus on restoring prosperity to the middle class, we will get our economy going again, put people back to work, increase the revenue needed to fund the government and reduce the deficit,” he said.
Rand continued his remarks saying, “Over the past generation, more and more of the middle class have fallen off the cliff into poverty—pulled down by a lack of job opportunities, rising health care costs, inadequate savings, declining home values, a lack of consumer protections and stagnant wages that have not kept pace with the costs of meeting basic needs,” said Rand.
Rand touched also on the fact that benefits like Social Security and Medicare have been and continue to be vital to maintaining independence and a middle-class standard of living in retirement. For many in the middle class that way of life is now threatened, both by the recession and the political attacks on these programs in Washington. Rand called for vigilance to protect these critical programs for health and economic security and also offered a message of optimism during this challenging time saying, “…it’s during times like this when we can bring opportunity to life…”
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 35.1 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's millions of members and Americans 50+; AARP VIVA, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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