Elections are approaching. What do non-retired Baby Boomers worry about most? According to AARP’s recent voter poll, older voters 50+ want both candidates to spell out their plans for Social Security and Medicare in detail, and respond to other issues with candor.
Besides a failing Social Security or Medicare program, what else do older voters fear? The AARP Anxiety Index indicates that our worry about prices rising faster than incomes, health expenses, financial security in retirement, and taxes tops the list, but there’s a lot more on it.
“We know the issue of jobs is very important to older voters age 50-plus, but any meaningful discussion of the economy and this year’s election has to include the future of Social Security and Medicare,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President. “For these voters, ‘retirement security’ and ‘economic security’ are largely the same thing.”
According to the poll, 34% of older voters also worry about caring for elderly parents or loved ones, while 41% worry about not being able to afford retirement when they want. You can quickly read thro
ugh the entire survey What-the-Economy-Means-to-Voters-50+, which lays the groundwork for the concerns of older voters.
AARP Maine has published a series of papers on where the candidates stand on certain issues most important to older voters in Maine and America.
Older voters, read these position papers
As the grayest state in the nation, Mainers have a leadership role in bringing these issues to the forefront. Older voters should research the candidates carefully and discover where they stand on issues older voters think are most important. Find out more in these papers:
Where Chellie Pingree and Jonathan Courtney stand in the Maine House District 1 race
Where Mike Michaud and Kevin Raye stand in the Maine House District 2 race.
Where Cynthia Dill, Angus King and Charlie Summers stand in the Maine Senate race.
Where Barack Obama and Mitt Romney stand in the US Presidential race.