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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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North Dakotans Urged to Weigh In on Social Security and Medicare

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Monday, October 3, 2011   

BISMARCK, N.D. - With Social Security and Medicare possible targets for budget cuts, AARP of North Dakota is hosting four regional meetings across the state this month to update residents on the most current developments and gather input.

Executive director Janis Cheney says she understands there needs to be reform, but she says those decisions shouldn't only rest with the 12-member Congressional Super-Committee on deficit reduction.

"At the end of the day, we have to have a conversation about how to make those programs sustainable for the long term, but we don't believe that this current deficit reduction deal-making is the appropriate place to do that."

Cheney says there are nearly 120,000 people in North Dakota who receive Social Security and more than half of them rely on that benefit for 50 percent or more of their income.

"And with those kinds of figures, if there are cuts to those benefits, then people have to start making choices between the cost of housing and the cost of food and the cost of medicine. So, for the moment, our concern is protecting current beneficiaries, because some of the proposals that have been considered and may come back to the table could affect current beneficiaries as well as future ones."

Cheney says the wide-ranging impact is why people need to speak up, because the citizens are the only ones who can really influence lawmakers and policy.

"We really have to have a thoughtful conversation about those changes, and everyone involved needs to be at the table. So, this is an effort to give an opportunity for North Dakotans to voice their opinions and concerns about what Social Security and Medicare have meant to them and what they think we ought to do."

The first meeting will be held Tuesday in Fargo. Others are scheduled for Grand Forks, Bismarck-Mandan and Minot.

People can preregister for the meetings by calling 877-926-8300. More details on dates and locations at
www.aarp.org




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