Kentucky Republicans get F-minus on AFRA voting report; Yarmuth is an A-plus

By BERRY CRAIG

AFT Local 1360

The Alliance for Retired Americans' 2018 Congressional Voting Record is more proof--as if more proof were needed--that Democrats are a whole lot more likely to support legislation important to us senior citizens than Republicans are.

In no state is the difference clearer (on union issues, too) than in Kentucky. In the AFRA report, lawmakers get a "Pro-Retirement Score" on a 0-100 percent scale.)

When I taught in a community college, 90 to 100 was an A and below 60 was failing.

So everybody in the Bluegrass State's GOP delegation in Washington got an F-minus in the AFTA report.  

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) 20 (2018) 7 lifetime

Sen. Rand Paul (R) 30, 15

Rep. James Comer (R) 10, 5

Rep. Brett Guthrie (R) 10, 7

Rep. Thomas Massie (R) 20, 22

Rep. Hal Rogers (R) 11, 8

Rep. Andy Barr (R) 10, 5

Kentucky's sole Democrat got an A-plus

Rep. John Yarmuth (D) 100, 100

Let those numbers sink in. Feel free to share them with the next person you hear say, "It doesn't matter who you vote for because Republicans and Democrats are the same." It makes a whale of a difference especially if you pack a union card or a Medicare card. I pack both.   

Meanwhile, we thank Jeff Wiggins, our state AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer, for emailing us a copy of the AFRA report. The Alliance has a new chapter in Kentucky. (For more information, contact state President Phinis Hundley at (502) 330-6167. His email address is phundleyky@aol.com 

The annual "voting record scores every U.S. Representative and Senator on issues affecting current and future retirees," AFRA explains. For 2018, AFRA zeroed in on 10 key roll call votes in the House and Senate on issues including:  

• "attacks on core earned benefits programs: Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid;
• health care policy, including repealing the Affordable Care Act and creating association health care plans;
• tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations at the expense of average Americans"

Click Senate and House to see a description of the votes. Click here to see how all of Kentucky's lawmakers voted. You can also download the full report. 

AFRA "is a nationwide grass roots organization, launched in May 2001, with more than 4.3 million members working together to make their voices heard in the laws, policies, politics, and institutions that shape American life," says the group's website, which adds, "we have mobilized retired union members, seniors and community activists into a...movement advocating a progressive political and social agenda that respects work and strengthens families."

According to its mission statement, AFRA strives "to ensure social and economic justice and full civil rights for all citizens so that they may enjoy lives of dignity, personal and family fulfillment and security."