AARP Encourages Voters in Gem State's GOP Presidential Caucus to Keep Retirement Security Issues Front & Center

Assoc. wants Idaho delegates to carry issues of Social Security, Medicare, and getting state's 50+ back to work to Republican National Convention  

BOISE, Idaho, March 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- It's Super Tuesday and as GOP voters across Idaho prepare to head to the state's first Republican presidential caucus tonight, AARP Idaho is encouraging them to keep retirement security issues in the forefront and help ensure the delegates they choose do the same. 

Across the nation, and in Idaho, AARP is asking the presidential candidates where they stand on key retirement security issues, such as strengthening Social Security and Medicare and how they'll improve the economy for 50+ job seekers.  The Association is urging its members, the public and the media to bring these same issues to caucuses and primaries occurring around the nation this Super Tuesday.

Nationally, the average age of primary and caucus voters is 65.  In the 2008 presidential election, Idaho's 50+ accounted for the majority of all votes cast in the Gem State.

"Caucuses are democracy in action," said Angela Cortez, interim State Director for AARP in Idaho.  "It's a time for Idahoans to gather with their neighbors, discuss the issues, and select the delegates who'll represent their views at the national level."

With the 49th lowest per capita income and one of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios in the nation, Social Security and Medicare are crucial issues in Idaho.  The state also has a 50+ unemployment rate of roughly 6 percent. 

"We have been on the campaign trail asking presidential candidates where they stand on issues important to our members," Cortez said.  "We want to know what the candidates would do to protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare, how they would help people save for retirement and how they plan to improve the economy for job seekers age 50 and older."

AARP suggests voters and the media ask presidential candidates the following questions:

• How would you help Americans, especially those aged 50 and older, get back to work?
• What policies would you promote to help people save for retirement?
• How would you protect Social Security for today's seniors and strengthen it for future generations?
• What would you do to put Medicare on stronger financial ground to protect today's seniors and future retirees from the burden of rising health care costs?

"We hope Idaho voters will consider these questions as they head into caucuses, and make sure the delegates they elect to represent them understand the issues so they can adequately represent Idaho's 50 plus voters in the process," said Cortez.

All of Idaho's 32 delegates will be decided in the Republican caucuses taking place in all 44 counties tonight.  Idaho's Democratic Party caucus will be held on April, 14th.

Information on these issues and the election process is available at www.aarp.org/YouEarnedIt or by calling the AARP Idaho office at 1-866-295-7284.

For more than 25 years, AARP has been engaged in non-partisan voter education activities. AARP does not have a political action committee and does not endorse candidates or contribute to their campaigns. AARP's voter education activities are designed to encourage members and the general public to exercise their constitutional right to vote and to highlight the issues that affect Americans age 50+ and their families with the Presidential candidates and their campaigns.

AARP is Idaho's largest membership organization with over 180,000 members.
Follow us on Twitter @AARPIdaho and Facebook: AARP Idaho

SOURCE AARP Idaho

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