Today, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan’s campaign for Congress in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District released her second general election television ad. The spot, titled “Retire,” tells the story of Ken, an electrician who depends on Social Security and Medicare to retire after 40 years of hard work. It began airing on television across the district today.
“Every day, I talk to families and seniors in our district who worry that their retirement is in jeopardy. It is crystal clear that Social Security and Medicare are essential for us to protect,” said Betsy Dirksen Londrigan. “But instead of ensuring that people like Ken can retire after decades of hard work, Rodney Davis and Washington politicians voted for a tax plan that cuts Social Security and Medicare, in order to line the pockets of their special interest donors.”
After working hard for 40 years as an electrician, Ken is finally ready to retire. Ken and his wife are counting on Social Security and Medicare…but now Washington politicians are planning to cut Medicare and Social Security to pay back their special interest donors. That’s wrong. Washington needs to keep up its end of the bargain. I’m Betsy Dirksen Londrigan and I approve this message, because I’ll take on anyone who wants to cut Social Security and Medicare. For Ken’s family, and for yours.
A typical Democrat ad. Scare old people about Social Security. Durbin has made a career out of putting fear in the hearts of the elderly. I guess Londrigan is taking a page out of the Durbin playbook. C-
Standard, if uninspired, stuff, a good marker to lay down.
The script could be much stronger.
Why say “…Washington politicians are planning to cut Medicare and Social Security to pay back their special interest donors.”
How’s about whacking your opponent, by name? “Rodney Davis and his Washington swamp monsters are planning to cut your Medicare and Social Security that you’ve paid into all your life to pay off the rich fat cats who control them.”
You’re the challenger — you need to land a couple of haymakers.
Anonymous–you’re conflating two different things. Annual Social Security COLAs are not a function of political votes, but based on the rate of inflation (incidentally, the GOP did change the inflationary measure to one that generally results in lower COLAs). And depending on when you became entitled to benefits, those COLAs are also generally eaten entirely by Medicare Part B premium increases.
On the other hand, the GOP is very vocal about their interest in slashing Social Security benefit payments and Medicare benefits.
don the legend, a married couple with a million dollar income and taking the standard deduction (with one dependent) saved over $34,000 in income taxes. The current maximum annual social security benefit is just over $33,000. So not sure your math works out quite right.
On the ad, should have mentioned Davis. It gets a “C”.
I think she should access the tape of Jim Leach interviewing Rodney in which he challenged Leach as to whether Leach believed Devin Nunes and Trey Gowdy were honest. That question goes to Davis’s swamp mentality. He has no problem being led by the nose by those two.
She’s stiff, but getting better. As to to social security thing being just a ploy, well, there’s been plenty of news coverage of the Republican legislators in Washington pushing for “entitlement cuts” to try and put a dent in their massive deficit spending for increased spending on defense and the lost revenue from those tax cuts they thought would get them votes.
So, no, Londrigan’s not stretching the truth on this. Nor is Durbin. It’s hat those guys on the other side of the aisle have said they want to do. What they will keep trying to do… if they win re-election.
- slow down - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 9:27 am:
A good, easy to understand message. Would be better if it provided a contrast with Davis but I suppose that’s still to come.
- Retired Educator - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 9:28 am:
A typical Democrat ad. Scare old people about Social Security. Durbin has made a career out of putting fear in the hearts of the elderly. I guess Londrigan is taking a page out of the Durbin playbook. C-
- Montrose - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 9:34 am:
She needs to name Davis and say what he specifically has done to undercut what she supports. In the press release she says his name. Why not the ad?
- wordslinger - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 9:38 am:
Standard, if uninspired, stuff, a good marker to lay down.
The script could be much stronger.
Why say “…Washington politicians are planning to cut Medicare and Social Security to pay back their special interest donors.”
How’s about whacking your opponent, by name? “Rodney Davis and his Washington swamp monsters are planning to cut your Medicare and Social Security that you’ve paid into all your life to pay off the rich fat cats who control them.”
You’re the challenger — you need to land a couple of haymakers.
- Anonymous - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 9:42 am:
Hmmm, Social Security increased 2% in 2018 and is expected to increase again in 2019. How much did it increase in 2014? 2012? 2010?
And Medicare? People I talk to say no co-pays and they are surprised hoe much Medicare pays.
Head scratcher
- wordslinger - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 9:46 am:
–Head scratcher–
I bet you do that a lot. Probably prevents you from keeping up.
https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/20/medicare-social-security-cuts-budget/
- Anon324 - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 9:52 am:
Anonymous–you’re conflating two different things. Annual Social Security COLAs are not a function of political votes, but based on the rate of inflation (incidentally, the GOP did change the inflationary measure to one that generally results in lower COLAs). And depending on when you became entitled to benefits, those COLAs are also generally eaten entirely by Medicare Part B premium increases.
On the other hand, the GOP is very vocal about their interest in slashing Social Security benefit payments and Medicare benefits.
- don the legend - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 9:53 am:
–Head scratcher–
Word, don’t you know that the whopping 2% increase for grandma is the same as or better than a 2% tax cut on a million dollar income?
Head scratcher indeed.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 10:10 am:
If you’re going to call out that you want to protect something that your opponent will not… name you opponent.
Bland, boring, and safe.
“C-“
- Juice - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 10:34 am:
don the legend, a married couple with a million dollar income and taking the standard deduction (with one dependent) saved over $34,000 in income taxes. The current maximum annual social security benefit is just over $33,000. So not sure your math works out quite right.
On the ad, should have mentioned Davis. It gets a “C”.
- don the legend - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 10:42 am:
Juice, I guess I should have marked my comment as snark. I thought the word “whopping” might have been enough.
- Juice - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 10:54 am:
don the legend, my bad for missing that and not reading it that way. Apologies.
- Neophyte - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 12:10 pm:
I think she should access the tape of Jim Leach interviewing Rodney in which he challenged Leach as to whether Leach believed Devin Nunes and Trey Gowdy were honest. That question goes to Davis’s swamp mentality. He has no problem being led by the nose by those two.
- Harpy - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 1:28 pm:
I still can’t get over her statement in the 1st commercial that her son’s medical bill could have bankrupted her family.
- Anonymous - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 1:31 pm:
She’s stiff, but getting better. As to to social security thing being just a ploy, well, there’s been plenty of news coverage of the Republican legislators in Washington pushing for “entitlement cuts” to try and put a dent in their massive deficit spending for increased spending on defense and the lost revenue from those tax cuts they thought would get them votes.
So, no, Londrigan’s not stretching the truth on this. Nor is Durbin. It’s hat those guys on the other side of the aisle have said they want to do. What they will keep trying to do… if they win re-election.
- Anonymous - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 1:39 pm:
B…because she neglected to mention Davis The Swamp Thing.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Sep 7, 18 @ 3:02 pm:
She’s a female candidate telling us heartfelt stories of folks suffering. What does her campaign staffers listen to all day?
Lana Del Ray?
Sheesh, she’s a little ray of sunshine isn’t she?
What’s next? Car crashes? Opioid addictions? Bad cell phone connections?