AMAC Advantage Volume 6 Issue 4 by Mature Americans

VOL. 6 ISSUE 4 $2.95

The Reign of Obama, The Great Divider, Continues

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★ Publisher’s Letter

Don’t lose heart!

“

But don’t lose heart.

Think of the trials our Founding Fathers

experienced when they courageously began

”

this noble experiment.

Many of our members are discouraged that the last election didn’t result in a change in the administration. Some are fearful that the Constitution will continue to be weakened and that our individual freedoms are threatened. Those are reasonable and troubling thoughts but we must have faith. A very slight majority of the American people were not convinced there is an urgent need to get us back on track. That slight majority of voters still believe that the government knows better than the people, when it comes to controlling the way we live. Yes, it appears that our core values of “Faith, Family and Freedom” have been permanently replaced with “Free benefits, Faith in government, and elimination of Family” and the work ethic and the credo that you should earn what you receive seem to have been discarded. Even worse, common sense precepts - you should not spend more than you earn and, if you borrow and owe too much you will be in financial trouble - are being totally ignored. But don’t lose heart. Think of the trials our Founding Fathers experienced when they courageously began this noble experiment. Reflect upon how George Washington felt during the winter of Valley Forge when his troops were freezing and starving and deserting, not because they wanted to but because it was the only way they could survive. And, miraculously, they not only lived to fight another day, but they were victorious! Washington ascribed that victory to “...that all-wise and powerful Being on whom alone our success depends.” Your organization, AMAC, has had minor challenges to survive, when compared to the original Patriots. And we have not only survived but we have grown to a membership of 500,000 freedom-loving Americans! What a difference the size of our membership has made. Doors that were closed to us are now open. People who would not return phone calls apologize for not getting back to us sooner. And most importantly, decision makers and their advisors are now listening to us. Your support has enabled AMAC to gain more influence and I fervently believe that as long as we continue to trust in God, America will continue to be free and its citizens will prosper. Sincerely,

Dan Weber, Publisher

4 | www.amac.us

VOL. 6 ISSUE 4

CONTENTS p. 10

COVER: The Reign of Obama, The Great Divider, Continues

p. 14

Daniel C. Weber Publisher Rebecca Weber Keiffert Associate Publisher Editorial Inquiries

p. 18

Gary J. Christiansen Membership Web Developer Gia Ricottone Director of Advertising & Affiliate Sales gricottone@amac.us Pamela Smith Editor

p. 22

George Spangler Director, Ambassador Leadership Program

Cover Story

8 10

Sound Off Your Medicare Advisor

Money

Family

The Impact of the 2012 Election on our 113th Congress

The 2012 Election... When Losing is Winning

36 38 42

AMAC Inside the Beltway

Kathie’s Kitchen

48 52 54 56

Obamacare Watchdog

p. 42

Association of Mature American Citizens 5 Orville Drive Bohemia, New York 11716 1.888.262.2006 • www.amac.us Graphic Design by: Business by Design / Advertising Dynamics 631.751.5454 • www.adartinc.com The contents of Amac Advantage Magazine may not be reproduced without the publishers written consent. Amac Advantage Magazine provides information of a general nature with the understanding that neither AMAC nor its affiliates are engaged in rendering medical or legal advice or recommendations. Information provided should not be considered a substitute for a consultation with a licensed physician or attorney.

p. 46

★

Obama - The Great Divider

Medigap/Medicare Supplement Enrollment Practical Ways to Cut Your Expenses Caring for Your Aging Parents

Government Watch Travel Mount Rushmore: from Mountain to Monument Sweet Holiday Tradition

Did You Know? Just for Fun Member Benefits Directory Correction: In last issue’s Electoral College article, a 2010 electoral vote map was inadvertently used. Please visit our website, www.amac.us, to see a 2012 map. In the article on Swing States, the silhouette of the state of Indiana was incorrect. We apologize for these inadvertent errors.

www.amac.us | 5

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★Cover Story

The Reign of Obama, the Great Divider, Continues by Dan Weber

rom the moment you assumed power, you began to divide the people. Instead of uniting us, you chose to divide us. When you ran for ofﬁce you made many promises, which is not unusual for politicians, but soon it became evident that your promises were falsehoods. You said you would work with the opposition party, but you insulted them, several times, in person, in public. Your tactic was to cut them out of any decision making, as you did with Obamacare. You said you would have a transparent administration, where the people would know what was going on and that C-SPAN would ﬁlm what used to be secret negotiations; instead you kept C-SPAN out and your minions held meetings behind closed, locked doors. You accused the prior administration of being unpatriotic by increasing our National Debt, yet you knew your programs could not be paid for without borrowing, so you increased our debt, more than doubling that of the prior administration. You said you would support our free market economy and promote the creation of new jobs. During the campaign you said you actually did create new jobs while you knew in your heart that 23 million Americans were out of work and the unemployment rate was just as high as when you started. Instead of trying to unite all our economic forces and get the economy moving again, you choose to divide us by class, pitting the imaginary one percent against the rest of us, all for political gain. You said there were too many abortions, that you would do everything you could to reduce the number of abortions, yet the

first thing you did was to order the Federal government to pay for more abortions. Shame on you Mr. President! You spent the great power of the office you hold on dividing us. Instead of uniting us, you have tried to separate us: by class, by gender, by religion, and most sadly, even by race. You and your Vice President have picked certain corporations and made them enemies of the people, calling them “cheaters” and “greedy” and mocking them, just to convince the voters that you really cared for them. That may have helped in an election, but since you have won reelection there is no longer any need for that kind of rhetoric. Surely you know that the true power of our country comes when we are united and when we stand together, not when we are a splintered, quarreling mob. After this tough campaign Americans are now aware that we have got to take serious actions to fix what is broken. The people know we have taxed and spent our great nation into horrible, unsustainable debt. Social Security and our medical care must be made financially solvent. And so Mr. President, you can spend the next four years continuing to divide us, or you can begin to bring us together for the common good. AMAC has grown to 500,000 members and we’ll soon be in the millions. We are willing to work with you during your next term to achieve that common good. With God’s continued blessing, the United States of America will survive.

www.amac.us | 7

“Sound Off”

Americans are speaking out on AMAC’s website. Please visit www.amac.us to give us your views and to read what others are saying!

AMAC members speak out... 74 Percent of Americans Believe Voter I.D. Should be Required Nancy says: Q. Why would anybody be opposed to showing a photo I.D. to vote? A. Because they are not eligible to do so! There is no reasonable excuse for not having a photo I.D. If you are an American citizen of voting age and want to vote, you can obtain a photo I.D. at the nearest motor vehicle office. (you don’t need a driver’s license to get an I.D. card)

Barb says: Why is it an issue to show ID to vote? I had to show ID to get a voter registration card. If you can’t identify yourself as an American citizen, you should not be allowed to vote.

Pilot Bob says: I need to have a photo ID when I use my senior fare on public transit, rent a car, fly on an airline, and go to a hospital (the list goes on and on). So why not require a photo ID to vote?

Bea says: Voter ID should be required in all states. One has to show ID at doctor’s offices and when picking up a prescription. When young people apply for a driver’s license, they need an ID. When a child is enrolled in school, a birth certificate is required. So, all adults who are American citizens should already have an ID. So why are some people so upset about the requirement of Voter ID at the elections? Well, it seems that some politicians want illegal aliens to vote so certain people can be re-elected and therefore cancel American citizens’ votes. This is criminal - plain and simple.

The Love Song of AARP and Obama Bob Spengler says: It’s clear that AARP is in bed with Obama and his Obamacare program to feather their own nests with little or no regard for the seniors of our country who have worked all their lives and paid into a (along with their employers) mandatory plan that was designed to allow them to retire with security and health benefits for the rest of their lives.

8 | www.amac.us

Rosalia says: I am surprised that it took so long for most people to realize who the AARP is. I cancelled my membership years ago. I did not like their views. Does anyone remember they sided with Dems on taxing SS benefits? This is tax upon previously taxed money. I just joined AMAC after much thought, more in line with my views.

WN Gus says: I tell everyone who will listen that AARP is nothing more than a political arm of the Obama Administration. They lied to us about what was in the health care bill from the beginning and how it was going to directly benefit AARP.

Tom Barber says: This is why I withdrew my membership from AARP, and joined AMAC! I didn’t need any email evidence, either. It was clear to me, the way they were behaving, and the way they were resisting questions and protests from their own membership, that they were in the tank for Obama. No surprises here.

DNC Removes Any Mention of God from Party Platform Carleen Aguilar says: I will never belong to a party that rejects our Lord. They have a lot of explaining to do when they meet their maker. I’m not perfect, and God is all forgiving…but I’d hate to think about how I would explain this one someday.

Bob Andretta says: It’s so sad to hear supposedly intelligent people make excuses to justify removing God from their platform.

Mary-Louise Ruffatti says: One nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all! The Democratic Party follows their own rules and regulations - making them up as they go along - ending up with very little or no regard at all for the Constitution of the United States of America!

“sound off” at www.amac.us

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★Your Medicare Advisor

Medigap/ Medicare Supplement Enrollment: You Can Apply All Year Long Through AMAC

by Diana Wisniewski

any Medicare beneﬁciaries are unaware that Medigap Policies (aka: Medicare Supplements) are NOT subject to the same enrollment periods as the Medicare Advantage Plans and Prescription Drug Plans. A Medigap policy supplements your Original Medicare beneﬁts (Parts A and B). A Medigap Insurance Policy helps pay some of the health care costs (or ‘gaps’) that Original Medicare doesn’t cover – like co-payments, co-insurance and deductibles.

What Policies are Available? ›

Medigap insurance companies in all states can only sell you a “standardized” Medigap policy. There is a maximum of ten plans in each state, sometimes less.

›

Each standardized Medigap policy must offer the same basic beneﬁts, no matter which insurance company sells it.

›

Cost and company rating are usually the only differences between Medigap policies with the same letter sold by different insurance companies.

›

In a few states, such as Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, Medigap policies are standardized in a different way.

›

Plans E, H, I, and J are no longer available to buy, but if you already have one of those policies, you can keep it.

QUESTION: When can a Medicare Beneﬁciary apply for a Medigap/ Medicare Supplement? ANSWER: All year long. Whether or not you are subject to medical underwriting depends on if you fall into one of the following two enrollment periods:

Open Enrollment: This is the 6 month period after your part B effective date when you can enroll into a Supplement without being underwritten. Keep in mind you have a pre-enrollment period of 6 months before your part B effective date in which you can apply for a supplement without being underwritten as well.

Guarantee Issue: This enrollment period is due to special circumstances which enable you to enroll into a Supplement without being underwritten. Keep in mind that your premiums can be subject to your age at the time of enrollment. Certain states have an annual open enrollment, or birthday rules in which you can apply during that time period and not be subject to underwriting. A select few states do not have underwriting. For more information about Guarantee Issue rights, contact AMAC at 800-334-9330 to speak with one of AMAC’s trusted licensed insurance agents. If you do not qualify for one of the above enrollment periods, you can apply at any time during the year, but may be subject to medical underwriting.

To ﬁnd out more about changing your Medicare Supplement / Medigap plan: Please call: 1-800-334-9330 to speak with one of AMAC’s trusted Licensed Insurance Agents. 9am to 7pm M-F (EST)

10 | www.amac.us

Important Medicare Facts When Buying a Medigap Policy! ›

You must have Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance).

›

You pay the private insurance company a monthly premium for your Medigap Policy in addition to the monthly Part B premium that you pay to Medicare.

›

Medigap policies only cover one person; therefore if you and your spouse both want a Medigap policy, you each need to buy a separate policy.

›

Standardized Medigap policies are guaranteed renewable. This means that even if you have health problems, the insurance company can’t cancel your Medigap policy as long as you pay the premium.

›

Medigap policies vary in cost and may go up as you get older. Compare Medigap policies to see if you can save!

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Alaska Cruise 13 Days

Plus...West Coast Train Tour & San Francisco

from

$1998*

Join other Amac members departing May 31, July 12 or September 6, 2013 Your vacation begins in Seattle where you will board the NCL Jewel for a seven night Alaska cruise through the scenic Inside Passage. Visit Ketchikan, “The Salmon Capital of the World” and home to the world’s largest collection of Native American totem poles; Juneau, the capital of Alaska; and Sawyer Glacier, that calves constantly, shedding huge blocks of ice with incredible colors. Your next stop is Skagway, where the Gold Rush began. Onshore enjoy a stroll the weathered boardwalks; and Victoria, BC, Canada’s Garden City on Vancouver Island. Disembark in Seattle and enjoy a city tour with all the highlights, including Pikes Place Market and the space needle. The next day board the Amtrak Coast Starlight train to San Francisco. Travel by day through Washington and Oregon’s spectacular scenic vistas. Relax in your Amtrak sleeper-roomette at night (includes VIP lounge). Arrive in Napa and visit two of the area’s premier wineries. Then spend two nights in San Francisco (stay near Fisherman’s Wharf ) with a city tour including the Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39 and Union Square. *Add $150 for May 3 departure date; add $300 for July 12 departure date.

Rocky Mountains & Western Frontiers

Plus...Yellowstone National Park

14 Days

from

$1658*

Travel with other Amac members departing June 26 & August 7, 2013 Your tour begins and ends in the “Mile High City” of Denver, followed by Cheyenne, WY. The next two days you will visit Fort Laramie; Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota. Then return to Wyoming with a stop in Deadwood, continuing through the Black Hills to Little Big Horn Battlefield and the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. Then you will depart for Yellowstone National Park (two days) with extensive sightseeing, including Old Faithful and Hayden Valley. Your journey continues to Grand Tetons National Park with spectacular landscape; Jackson Hole, WY; Salt Lake City, UT with a city tour including the Great Salt Lake and opportunity to witness the Tabernacle choir rehersal. Then travel West visiting the Utah Field House Museum; Dinosaur National Monument and explore the vast variety of fossils and Rocky Mountain National Park including a drive through the park on Trail Ridge Road.

Ireland Tour 12 Days

from

$1648*

Join other Amac members departing July 25, 2013 Start in historic Dublin with its graceful Georgian townhouses and peaceful gardens with a city tour including The Bank of Ireland and St. Patrick’s Cathedral (the largest church in Ireland). Travel to Cork, stopping at the Rock of Cashel and Cobh along the way. Then visit Blarney Castle and perhaps kiss the Blarney Stone, Woollen Mill and Muckross House & Gardens en route to Killarney. Drive the “Ring of Kerry” offering spectacular scenery of lakes and rivers, tour Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, built in 1425. Visit the Cliffs of Moher, Galway, the Connemara region, Kylemore Abbey and the Bundoran area. Enjoy a guided tour of Belleek Pottery, visit Ulster American Folk Park, view Dunluce Castle & explore “The Giant’s Causeway” with remarkable rock formations. Finally take a sightseeing tour of Belfast that includes the impressive Parliament buildings plus you will visit the newly opened “Titanic Belfast”, with 2012 marking the 100th anniversary of the maiden and only voyage of the Titanic. Tour includes 16 meals.

*Price per person, based on double occupancy. Airfare is extra. TM

For reservations & details call 7 days a week:

1-800-736-7300

12 | www.amac.us

Attention All Medicare Beneficiaries… AMAC Offers More Choices! Get the answers you need from the people you trust. • Competitive rates for Medicare Supplement plans • Medicare Advantage plans • Prescription Drug plans • Dental • Vision

Call Amac Senior Resources Network

1-800-334-9330 You will be connected with one of AMAC’s trusted Licensed Insurance Agents. Available Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9 AM and 7 PM EST.

www.amac.us | 13

★Money

Practical Ways to Cut Your Expenses

early four years into our so-called economic recovery, it’s clear that frugality is still the prevailing ﬁnancial trend. Saving money continues to be a necessity and perhaps some of the following suggestions can help ease your monthly expenses. Check off the ones that apply to you and then take action.

❑

Never pay a late fee. Make a list of when all your payments are due. If you use online bill payments and are not worried about overdrafts on your bank account, set your recurring bills for automatic payment and save time along with those late fees.

❑

Unplug unused devices. Results can be surprising, as you will see in your next month’s power bill. Most electronic devices use a bit of power even when you’re not using them. Make it a habit to only plug things in when you’re using them.

❑

Try one shopping trip a week. This will limit impulse purchases, force you to do better meal planning, and also cut down on car expenses.

❑

Bargain for lower interest rates. Why should everyone beneﬁt from lower rates but you? If you have any debt outstanding, now is the time to seek a better deal.

❑

Turn off heat to unused rooms. If you use hot-water radiators, make sure you bleed off any air pockets that have built up in them since last winter.

❑

Refinance your mortgage. With home loan rates at 50-year lows, take a careful look at reﬁnancing. How much will it cost you? Divide this by the number of years you expect to stay in your home. Then look at how much your monthly payments would decline with a lower mortgage rate. How many years will it take you to come out ahead? If it’s only a few years, get yourself into a bank or other mortgage lender now.

❑

Use programmable thermostats. Why heat up (or cool down) your home when no one is there? Its one thing to turn down thermostats during the winter, but it’s even better to program your home’s temperatures to turn off the heat (without risking pipe damage) when you’re not there or at night when you’re sleeping.

❑

Pay annually if you can. Insurance and other annual services will let you pay the bill in smaller monthly installment payments. But while these monthly payments are not considered a loan, that is exactly what they are. You wind up paying the equivalent of interest in the form of higher payments.

Merge your home phone and cellular services. As the number of cell phones continues to soar past the total for landlines, the question of whether you really need both is getting louder.

❑

Generic is good. Look for generic store brands and give them a try. And when it comes to prescriptions, there is even less reason to stick with branded drugs if generic versions are available.

❑

Flaunt your age for discounts. If there is one virtue of old age that is worth exploiting, it is senior discounts. Look for them. Use them.

❑

No partial loads. Do not waste energy, water, and detergent by doing partial loads of dishes or laundry.

❑

Buddy up on groceries. Build a shopping list for that weekly supermarket trip with a neighbor or other friend. You’ll enjoy some social time and save money by buying larger sizes and splitting them. Don’t buy movies and books. The library remains a great way to save a buck on books and movies. If you’re comfortable with eBooks and streaming videos, check to see if your library has started offering digital lending. Many have.

14 | www.amac.us

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ever underestimate your competition. Just ask Demetrius, the unfortunate Greek general who set out to conquer Rhodes in 305 BC. He assumed that a massive force of 40,000 men, a fleet of Aegean pirates and an arsenal of wall-smashing war machines would be enough to crush the tiny Greek island. He was wrong. The Rhodians were tougher than he thought. And so is this watch. If you’ve always believed that the biggest, baddest watches had to cost big, bad money, the $49 Stauer Colossus Hybrid Chronograph is here to change your mind. A monument to toughness. The people of Rhodes were ready for Demetrius and repelled his attack. To celebrate, they built the Colossus of Rhodes, a 107-foot bronze and iron giant that towered over the harbor like a ten-story trophy. It warned future invaders that “Rhodes is tougher than you think.” You give the same message when you wear the Stauer Colossus. The timepiece that works twice as hard. The Colossus Hybrid Chronograph will keep you on schedule, but it’s about much more than time. The imposing case features a rotating gunmetal bezel that frames the silver, black and yellow face. You’ll find a battalion of digital displays on the dial arranged behind a pair of luminescent hands and a bold yellow second hand. Powered by a precise quartz movement, the watch is doubly accurate in analog and digital mode. The Colossus is packed with plenty of handy extras including a bright green EL back-light for enhanced nighttime visibility, a tachymeter along the outer dial and a full complement of alarms and split-second countdown timers. It secures with a folded steel bracelet that highlights a row of striking dark center links. It’s a rugged watch that’s more than ready for your daily grind.

More watch for less money. Big-name watchmakers raise their prices because they can get away with it. But Stauer wants to turn luxury on its head. We sent the Colossus Hybrid to an independent appraiser who works with auction houses, luxury estate sales and insurance companies. He valued the watch at $199. We thanked him for his professional opinion and then ignored it. Because we still want you to wear it for ONLY $49. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Wear the Stauer Colossus Hybrid Chronograph for 30 days and if you are not 100% thrilled with your purchase, return it for a full refund of your purchase price. But once you get a taste of more watch for less money, it’s likely you’ll be back for more... and we’ll be waiting. WATCH SPECS: -Easy-to-read analog/digital modes -Back-lighting & luminescent hands - Tachymeter, countdown timers & alarms - Folded stainless steel bracelet fits a 6 3/4"–9" wrist

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he loves natural diamonds. She loves you even more. But when even 1-carat stones can sell for as much as $9,000, it’s time to reconsider your relationship... with diamonds. Compared to the Stauer DiamondAura® 5-Stone Ring with nearly 2 ½ carats, a skimpy diamond is “romantically defective.” Have you overpaid only to be underwhelmed? Send it back. You can do better. You can do bigger. And you can absolutely take her breath away for under $100. When “cute” is a four-letter word. If you want to make a romantic impression, go big. Cute doesn’t cut it. Your love deserves to be wowed. If you’re a billionaire with money to burn, turn the page. Everyone else? What you read next just might change your life. There’s only one way to find out... Science not snobbery. Thanks to the advanced science behind our exclusive DiamondAura, you can experience superior clarity and larger carat weights without the outrageous cost of natural diamonds. DiamondAura is crafted using an incredibly complex process that involves heating rare minerals to temperatures of nearly 5000˚F. After expert cutting and polishing, every lab-created DiamondAura retains the

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★ Family

Caring for Your Aging Parents

s Americans become older and live longer, more and more of us suddenly ﬁnd ourselves caring for an aging parent. Inevitably, the demands take a physical and emotional toll, yet caregiving does have its rewards. It can actually improve relationships with parents, create positive memories and foster peace of mind. The challenge is to maintain balance and not lose track of your own needs. The following information is provided to help you navigate through some of the common caregiving challenges that you may ﬁnd yourself facing.

“Is everything OK?” Adult children often don’t realize aging parents need care until a family get-together. It’s often when the family’s together in one place that everyone realizes Dad isn’t remembering things or Mom’s house has become unkempt. Trouble signs: food spoiling in the refrigerator, always ﬁnding parents dressed in the same clothes, stacks of papers or mail, left-on appliances like a stove which can suggest problems handling everyday tasks.

Talk with your parents about medical and financial issues. A good ﬁrst step is to ask them for a list of all the medications they’re taking and their doctors’ contact info. Then you can segue into the tougher questions such as living wills and healthcare proxies. Other crucial questions include where they keep important papers and whether they have a safe deposit box. They should also sign release forms allowing doctors to share private medical information with you. And your family needs to work out who should have power of attorney if your parents are unable to make competent decisions for themselves.

Keeping your loved one safe at home. The vast majority of people want to age where they’ve always lived. Basic safety measures can go a long way toward making that possible: ✔ Install grab bars in bathrooms and showers, and put raised seats on toilets. ✔ Turn down the water heater temperature to avoid scalding. ✔ Get rid of tripping hazards such as throw rugs and power cords. ✔ Put brighter bulbs into lamps, especially in walkways. ✔ Place no-slip adhesive strips on steps and slippery surfaces such as bath tile and shower ﬂoors. ✔ Suggest a wearable alarm with a button to call for assistance.

Be realistic about your ability to help out. Before you make any arrangements, be realistic about your own limits and your ability to care for both your aging parent and your

18 | www.amac.us

own children. Attempting to “do-it-all” for everyone might only leave you feeling physically and emotionally exhausted. Communicate clearly and lovingly what you can do for your aging parent. Ask for their opinion--what do they think would best meet their needs? If you work together to ﬁnd a solution, everyone knows what to expect and feelings of resentment can be minimized. Don’t let guilt get the best of you. We often make decisions to avoid feeling guilty, but keep in mind that you are not rejecting your aging parent if you can’t care for them in your home. Instead, you are showing how much you care by seeking out the best living arrangement to meet their physical, medical, and social needs.

“Why don’t you move in?” Think Twice About Relocation. Having the person you’re caring for move in can work fabulously. But think carefully about taking someone far from her community. Knowing friends, neighbors and people in the area can be important, you could be moving your parent from a comfortable environment which can take a toll on her health and happiness.

Map out the physical and emotional factors. Questions to consider: Where will your loved one sleep? Can you set up her own living space so she’ll have some privacy or independence? Can you get along? Can you both accept that you’re the boss? Are you comfortable handling personal care like bathing or changing an adult diaper?

Come to an agreement about who pays what. Go over questions such as: Will a parent help pay living expenses? Will siblings pitch in? Which costs are shared and which ones will you pay out of pocket? Also work with your other family members to create a schedule that allows for periodic breaks.

“We need to consider a nursing home.” Not everyone can accommodate a live-in loved one. And many who do it initially ﬁnd that it becomes too overwhelming. A caregiver who’s persistently depressed is one sign that it’s time to ﬁnd a new arrangement. Other indications: the ailing person no longer recognizes you or they become incontinent. These are often the tipping points that indicate a move to a nursing home is necessary.

Where to ﬁnd help CaregiversLibrary.org - 804-327-1111 ElderCare.gov - 800-677-1116 Nahc.org - 202- 547-7424 Caregiver.org - 800-445-8106

Public outcry over shocking survey results!

Media Services

73% pick the Wedge Sound System in a head to head test against the $500 competition 1,000s of satisfied Wedge owners spark buying frenzy Has more features, costs $100s less and has amazing sound Public outcry over survey triggers soaring demand for the #1 ranked Wedge Sound System after the survey found 73% of people favoring it over the more expensive $500 competition! And at a fraction of the price, the Wedge is quickly turning into this year’s hottest selling sound system. Its high-end sound quality and low price has people scrambling and jamming phone lines to get one for themselves and as gifts. The factory can barely keep up with this fevered demand for the Wedge Sound System. Survey results show over 73% of people pick the new Wedge Sound System over the more expensive $500 Music System. More people preferred the Wedge based on sound quality, sound clarity, number of features and build quality. And 64% of people said the Wedge has a sound equal or superior to the $500 Music System! And at only $147, it has music lovers buzzing with excitement. That’s a $350.00 savings! For the first time, anybody will be able to afford a top of the line sound system! Plus the company that has designed the Wedge is offering a 60-day Money-Back Guarantee so the public can hear the crystal clear sound for themselves risk-free. A truly unique aspect of the Wedge is you will never have to set the clock. The Wedge is already set for you when you plug it in and even adjusts for daylight Savings Time. Another unique feature is the dual battery back-up. If the power goes out, the Wedge won’t and your alarm will still go off. you will never be late again! And you can listen to any part of your music collection on your Wedge. From Cds and MP3s, to your favorite radio station, the Wedge plays them all. The Wedge even

stores up to 20 of your favorite radio stations for quick and easy access. To get the scoop on this new and groundbreaking technology, I spoke to the head of Product Research and design for the Wedge, Paul Goodman. Q. How can you offer such a high quality sound system in the Wedge for only $147 when the Leading Brand’s radio goes for $500? A. We have designed the Wedge Sound System from the ground up. All costs are closely monitored and, through a streamlined manufacturing technique, the Wedge is able to be offered at this ultra low price. Q. How can the tabletop Wedge Sound System produce such lifelike sounds? A. Our special engineering team has developed a revolutionary design enabling Wedge Sound System shocks the music community! the Wedge to fill a room with The new Wedge Sound System has music lovers buzzing with excitement. Never before has such a high quality sound system been offered to the crystal clear sound. public at such a low price. Finally a high quality sound system anybody can afford. The Wedge has the Leading perfect balance of power Wedge has more features! Wedge Here’s what a few of the thousands Brand flowing to its speakers so the Price $147 $500 of Wedge listeners have to say: sound is crystal clear with the volume on low or high. Adjusts for Daylight Savings Time YES NO “The sound is so rich and clear from such a small Q. How easy is it to NO piece. I was really amazed and pleased.” set up the Wedge Sound Stores 20 Favorite Radio Stations YES System? 2 Separate Battery Back-ups YES NO -Bronwyn M. Owens, Taylor, MI A. The Wedge is highYES NO ly advanced but is a super 2 Separate Alarms “Radio has excellent sound. Its clarity is excellent YES NO easy-to-use sound system. SD Memory Slot for Mp3s and it’s like people are in the room. Who needs a All the fine tuning has been Displays Day of Week YES NO stereo system!!” done for the consumer so all -Shelley Pearson, Poplar, WI YES NO they have to do is plug it in Nap Alarm and enjoy the Wedge’s crys- Remote Control YES YES “Wow, you caught me off guard. The compact tal clear sound. YES NO Wedge System sounds and looks great. I was No figuring out where Able to Operate Without Remote to place multiple speakers Play Music From iPod® (mp3 player) YES YES very surprised...” and no confusing wires to #1 Pick in Survey -Chuck Zabriski, St. Petersburg, FL YES NO hook up. End of interview. SPECIAL READER’S DISCOUNT COUPON Readers can get the Readers of this publication get a FREE Remote Control and FREE n I am ordering within 10 days of the date of this publication, therefore I Wedge Sound System with shipping ($10.00 value) with this coupon and pay only $147, if you order get a FREE Remote Control, plus FREE shipping and handling. My a FREE Remote and FREE within 10 days. And get additional savings when ordering more than one. shipping and handling if price is only $147 for 1 Wedge, only $278 for 2 Wedges and only $399 2 Wedges are only $139 each, and 3 are only $133 each. That’s a savings they order within the next for 3 Wedges. Quantity: ______ of up to $42.00! There is a strict limit of 3 Wedge Sound Systems at the 10 days. Please see the n I am ordering past 10 days of the date of this publication, therefore discount price - no exceptions please. Special Reader’s discount I do not get the FREE Remote or FREE shipping and pay $157. • To order by phone, call TOLL-FREE 1-800-588-5609 and give the Coupon on this page. For operator your Offer Code: WDR354. Place your order by using Enclosed is $___________ in: n Check n Money Order those readers ordering after your credit card. Operators are on duty Monday - Friday 6am - 3am, (Make payable to IHS) 10 days, we reserve the Saturday 7am - Midnight and Sunday 7am - 11pm, EST. right to accept orders at the or charge my: n VISA n MasterCard • To order by check or credit card, fill out and mail in this coupon to discounted price. the address below. n Am. Exp./Optima n discover/Novus Plus you will get FREE This product carries a complete 60-day satisfaction guarantee. If Account No. _______________________________ Exp. date ___/___ Shipping and Handling! you are not totally satisfied, your purchase price will be MAIL TO: International Home Shopping, Offer Code: WdR354 refunded. No questions asked. Complete and mail in the 7800 Whipple Ave NW coupon at the right or call. If __________________________________________________________________ Canton, OH 44767 lines are busy, please try NAME or use Offer Code: WdR354 online at back - you don’t want to __________________________________________________________________ www.wedgeradio.com miss out on owning a high AddRESS __________________________________________________________________ quality sound system for CITy STATE ZIP COdE only $147.

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Ohio factory reborn; 250 new hires for EdenPURE portable heater s ®

New models shipped direct from warehouse at up to 49% savings Richard Karn, North Canton, Ohio

I was fortunate enough to attend the grand opening of the new EdenPURE® factory in North Canton, Ohio. The new plant brought hundreds of new jobs back to Ohio and reversed the common practice of sending Midwest manufacturing jobs to China. Now, EdenPURE® continues to ramp up production for the coming Winter with exciting new models and hundreds of new employees as this Made in America success story continues to grow. With over 3 million portable heaters sold EdenPURE ® is the best selling portable infrared heating system in North America. However, like any classic, EdenPURE ® has dozens of would-be competitors who create Asian copies at low prices using cheap, foreign labor. Don’t be fooled by these imitations. Look for the EdenPURE® logo and the Made in North Canton, Ohio stamp. Save like millions of others on your heating bills and say “NO” to cheap foreign imitators. Now readers can save up to 49% ($192 the largest savings ever on new EdenPURE®s). EdenPURE® is not just the best-selling portable heating system in North America. As an EdenPURE ® owner I rank EdenPURE® #1 for quality, safety and efficiency. And now is the perfect time to save like never before on our expanded 2013 EdenPURE® line made in our brand new North Canton, Ohio facility. With two models EdenPURE® can meet all of your heating requirements 365 days a year. Stay Comfortable 365 Days a Year “Never be cold again” is the EdenPURE® promise. EdenPURE® provides you insurance against the cold all year long. Stay comfortable on those unseasonably chilly evenings no matter the season. I live in California but believe me it gets cold at night. Keep your expensive furnace turned down until it’s absolutely necessary. And if we are fortunate enough to experience a mild winter as many did in the Midwest last year, you keep your furnace off all season and save even bigger. New, More Efficient Models The engineers at EdenPURE ® listened to their millions of customers and somehow managed to improve the #1 portable heater in North America. Through old fashioned American ingenuity the new EdenPURE® line is more efficient to save you even more money. The EdenPURE ® Personal Heater now heats a larger area, an increase from 350 square feet to 500 square feet. That’s a 30% increase in efficiency! And Eden-

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Heats floor to the same temperature as ceiling.

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3. The soft heat “rides” the humidity in the room and provides even, moist, soft heat ceiling to floor and 1. Electricity ignites powerful wall to wall without SYLVANIA infrared lamp. reducing oxygen and 2. The quartz infrared lamp gently warms the patented humidity. copper heating chambers.

SYLVANIA is a registered trademark of OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc. used under license. Richard Karn is a paid spokesperson for EdenPURE®.

RICHARD KARN’S SAVINGS COUPON

As Al Borland on Home Improvement I was the man with all the answers. However, as Richard Karn I still look for money saving and efficient heating in my home. I have an EdenPURE® Infrared Portable Heater in my California home and like millions of others found it to be a super-safe, reliable source of portable heat all year long.

PURE ® is proud to introduce the 2013 Model 750. The new Model 750 is perfect for larger areas and heats up to 750 square feet. But the best thing about the Model 750 is the price. We priced the Model 750 at only $50 above the Personal Heater. This means you receive a 33% increase in performance for only $50. That’s American engineering at its best! The EdenPURE ® can cut your heating bills and pay for itself in a matter of weeks, and then start putting a great deal of extra money in your pocket after that. Super Safe Infrared Heat Now remember, a major cause of residential fires in the United States is carelessness and faulty portable heaters. The choice of fire and safety professionals like Captain Mike Hornby, the EdenPURE® has no exposed heating elements that can cause a fire. That’s why grandparents and parents love the EdenPURE®. The outside of the EdenPURE® only gets warm to the touch so that it will not burn children or pets. And your pet may be just like my dog who has reserved a favorite spot near the EdenPURE ® . You see the EdenPURE® uses infrared heat. And just as pets enjoy basking in a beam of sunlight they try to stay close to EdenPURE®’s “bonewarming” infrared heat. The Secret is in the Copper EdenPURE ® ’s EdenFLOW

technology uses copper heating chambers to take the energy provided by our special SYLVANIA bulbs and distribute our famous soft heat evenly throughout the room. Now our copper isn’t ordinary. It’s 99.9% pure antimicrobial copper from an over 150 year old American owned company in Pennsylvania. So your EdenPURE® heater is continuously pushing soft, healthy, infrared heat throughout your room. How to Order During our 2013 introduction you are eligible for a $202 DISCOUNT PLUS FREE SHIPPING AND HANDLING FOR A TOTAL SAVINGS OF $229 ON THE EDENPURE ® MODEL 750 AND A $175 DISCOUNT PLUS FREE SHIPPING AND HANDLING FOR A TOTAL SAVINGS OF $192 ON THE EDENPURE® PERSONAL HEATER. This special offer expires in 10 days. If you order after that we reserve the right to accept or reject order requests at the discounted price. See my attached savings Coupon to take advantage of this opportunity. The made in North Canton, Ohio EdenPURE® carries a 60-day, unconditional no-risk guarantee. If you are not totally satisfied, return it at our expense and your purchase price will be refunded. No questions asked. There is also a 3 year warranty on all parts and labor.

The price of the EdenPURE® Model 750 Heater is $449 plus $27 shipping and the price of the Personal Heater is $372 plus $17 shipping, but, with this savings coupon you will receive a $202 discount on the Model 750 and a $175 discount on the Personal Heater with free shipping and be able to get the Model 750 delivered for only $247 and the Personal Heater delivered for only $197. The Personal Heater has an optional remote control for only $12. The Model 750 remote is included in the price. Check below the number you want (limit 3 per customer) ■ Model 750 with remote, number _____ ■ Personal Heater, number _____ ■ Optional Personal Heater Remote $12, number _____ • To order by phone, call TOLL FREE 1-800-315-1257 Offer Code EHS7160. Place your order by using your credit card. Operators are on duty Monday - Friday 6am - 3am, Saturday 7am - 12 Midnight and Sunday 7am - 11pm, EST. • To order online, visit www.edenpure.com enter Offer Code EHS7160 • To order by mail, by check or credit card, fill out and mail in this coupon. This product carries a 60-day satisfaction guarantee. If you are not totally satisfied return at our expense, and your purchase price will be refunded – no questions asked. There is also a three year warranty.

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Check below to get discount: ■ I am ordering within 10 days, therefore I get a $202 discount plus Free shipping and my price is only $247 for the Model 750 Heater. ■ I am ordering within 10 days, therefore I get a $175 discount plus Free shipping and my price is only $197 for the Personal Heater. ■ I am ordering past 10 days, therefore I pay full price for the Model 750 or Personal Heater plus shipping and handling. Enclosed is $______ in: ■ Check ■ Money Order (Make check payable to EdenPURE®) or charge my: ■ VISA ■ MasterCard ■ Am. Exp./Optima ■ Discover/Novus Account No. ___________________________________________________________ Exp. Date ______/______ MAIL TO: EdenPURE® Offer Code EHS7160 7800 Whipple Ave. N.W., Canton, OH 44767

The Impact of the 2012 Election on our 113th Congress by Connor Martin and Caroline Howle

onths of spirited debates and zealous campaigning converged emphatically on Tuesday, November 6, when the American people descended on their local polling places to weigh in on the political fate of the country. Staying true to the democratic process, voters spoke with their ballots. The end result, interestingly – despite all of the rancor, partisanship, and bickering – was to primarily preserve the political status quo. In many ways, tomorrow is yesterday in the Nation’s capital. With President Barack Obama and the Democrats retaining control of the White House and Senate, and Speaker John Boehner and the Republicans maintaining their majority in the House of Representatives, the next two years – at least until the 2014 mid-terms – is likely to yield more of the same. This situation will not entirely preclude bipartisan cooperation, but major initiatives where significant divide remains are not likely to gain much traction. That being said, both parties run their own political risks in not achieving some form of compromise in critical areas, particularly those related to immediate tax reform and the budget, all of which are looming large as the calendar year approaches rapidly. In the race for the White House, even though President Obama defeated Governor Romney in the electoral college 303 to 206, he won the national popular vote by a razor thin majority. The numbers break down as follows: President Obama won with a total of 60,662,601 votes (basically 50% of the total vote cast), while Governor Romney gained a total of 57,821,399 votes (basically 48% of the total vote cast). The difference between the President’s win and Governor Romney’s loss is a relatively small difference of only 2,841,202 votes. Numbers like these confirm with crystalline clarity that politically, America remains divided straight down the middle, with little room for movement in the middle. A clear win it was; a wide win of landslide proportions it most defi-

nitely was not. Interestingly, some have even suggested that President Obama’s win on Tuesday night was more akin to survival than outright victory, a situation not unlike the reelection of President George W. Bush’s over Massachusetts Senator John Kerry in 2004. In fact, the margin of victory for both incumbents in 2012 and 2004 was strikingly similar; in 2004, President Bush retained control of the White House with a total of 62,028,285 votes (50.7% of the total vote cast), whereas Senator Kerry gained a total of 59,028,109 votes (48.3% of the total votes) – a difference of a mere 3,000,176 votes. Overall, turnout for President Obama was enough to carry him over the finish line, even though significant portions of the electorate who helped propel him to the Oval Office in 2008 moved back away from him this time around. Additionally, the sweeping margins that President Obama won by in 2008 were severely eroded across the country and in key battleground states. Also, North Carolina, Indiana, and one congressional district in Nebraska, all of which went for Obama in 2008, moved back right toward Governor Romney. Up on Capitol Hill, the prospect of continued gridlock in Congress, to greater or lesser degrees, appears very real. In terms of numbers, the House now remains split 234 (R) to 193 (D) and the Senate is divided 55 (D) to 45 (R). Those who are hoping for grand bargains on all the major issues of the day will probably be disappointed, as the Congress will likely focus on imperative “must-pass” legislation and items where the political risk is too great for both parties not to work together. That being said, the daily functions of the House and Senate, such as hearings and floor speeches and the drafting of bills, will continue with regularity. Throughout the election season, many prognosticators and fixers had projected that whatever the outcome of the Presidential contest, the likelihood of the House staying continued on pg. 24

22 | www.amac.us

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In the upper chamber, the

The Impact of the 2012 Election on our 113th Congress

overall balance of power also remains unchanged, with Senate Democrats retaining the majority. Early

can businesswoman Linda McMahon in in the election season, continued from pg. 22 what was her second bid for the Senate. In Virginia, former Senator George AlRepublicans were favored len, who was defeated by Democrat Jim to flip the Senate their way, within Republican control held firm. Webb in 2006 and who is now retiring, In fact, as the weeks ticked closer and lost to former Virginia Governor Tim as they only needed to closer to election day, earlier forecasts Kaine. In Wisconsin, Republican hopes pick up five seats to gain that the Democrats would pick up ten for a pickup of the senior Senate seat to fifteen seats started to wane. As of held by longtime Democrat incumbent control. However, as time this reporting, Democrats confidently Herb Kohl were dashed with a victory progressed, the chances of a gained at least five, with eight races by Wisconsin Representative Tammy still remaining undecided. Democrats Baldwin over Tommy Thompson, a beRepublican takeover faded. needed to cross a threshold of 25 seats loved longtime Governor of Wisconsin to recapture the House majority, and and former Secretary of Health and Hueven if all of the remaining undecided man Services under President George W. elections break their way, Republicans Bush. will still enjoy control of the south side In the end, while several GOP senaof Capitol Hill. tors up for reelection defended their In the upper chamber, the overall balpositions, the only seat that Republicans ance of power also remains unchanged, managed to overturn was in Nebraska, with Senate Democrats retaining the open with the retirement of Democrat majority. Early in the election season, Ben Nelson. In this race, now SenatorRepublicans were favored to flip the elect Deb Fischer defeated former SenaSenate their way, as they only needed to pick up five seats tor Bob Kerrey; she will be Nebraska’s first female Senator to gain control. However, as time progressed, the chances since 1954. of a Republican takeover faded. In fact, races that looked to The other factor to consider is how internal changes be all but guaranteed for Republican wins actually stayed in within the Congress, aside from elections, will play out. Democrat hands. For example, notable Democratic incumSpecifically here will be the changes in leadership at the bents like Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Joe Committee and Subcommittee levels due to retirements, Manchin (D-WV), Bob Casey (D-PA) and Jon Tester (D-MT) wins, losses or otherwise. Additionally, there will be notable managed to fend off their feisty Republican challengers. changes in leadership at the Committee and SubcommitRepublicans in the Senate relinquished control of several tees due to Republican party rules that automatically termkey seats as well. Democrat Elizabeth Warren narrowly delimit chairmanships; these changes will be most apparent feated Republican incumbent Scott Brown in Massachusetts. in the House of Representatives simply because the GOP Democrat Joe Donnelly beat out Republican Richard Murholds the majority. At this point in the game, dynamics of dock for Indiana’s open seat, formally held by Republican succession, shifts in power, and where freshman members Richard Lugar who lost the Republican primary earlier this and senators will eventually sit, have not yet been comyear. Incumbent Representative Rick Berg (R-ND, at large), pletely determined. And because neither the Democrats nor running for the senior North Dakota Senate seat opened by Republicans altered control of either chamber, many curretiring Kent Conrad, conceded the highly contested Senrently held chairmanships and ranking member positions ate race to Democrat Heidi Heitkamp, who garnered 50.5% will carry over into the 113th Congress. of the vote compared to Berg’s 49.5%. And in Maine, IndeHowever, some specific changes are coming into view. In pendent Angus King seized the seat of retiring Republican the Senate for example, and of direct interest to AMAC memOlympia Snowe. The party with which King will caucus has bers, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) is set to move into the yet to be announced, but most believe he will caucus with ranking member slot of the Senate Health, Education, Labor the Democrats. Joe Lieberman, who announced his retire& Pensions (HELP) Committee as Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) ment from the senior Senate seat in Connecticut, will be will be term-limited out. With two senators from each party, replaced by Democrat Chris Murphy who defeated RepubliSenators Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and Kent Conrad (D-ND), currently

24 | www.amac.us

continued on pg. 26

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serving on the Senate Finance Committee but retiring at the end of the year, the committee will make some adjustments in its membership in the next term. For now, the Senate Finance Committee is expected to gain two new Democratic members and one new Republican, bringing the committee total to 13 Democrats and 10 Republicans. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) will continue to serve as chairman of the Finance Committee alongside ranking Republican member Orrin Hatch (R-UT), who was re-elected by the state of Utah on Tuesday. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) is expected to retain her position as chair of the Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy Subcommittee with Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) remaining as the subcommittee’s ranking member. These shifts within the full Committee could make room for new members to join the Subcommittees on Health Care, as well as the Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight. The composition of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will not experience significant change. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) will continue to chair the committee alongside ranking member Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY). Of note, Harkin’s goals for the 113th Congress include “continuing to work to rebuild the middle class, advocate for retirement security, improve participation in the labor force for people with disabilities [and] support implementation of the Affordable Care Act.” The Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging will continue to be chaired by Senator Bernard Sanders (I-VT) with Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) serving as ranking member. On the House side, the leadership on the House Ways and Means Committee, a critical committee, will remain the same in the 113th Congress. Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI) will return to his position as committee chairman, and Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI) will continue to act as the panel’s ranking member. The exact make-up of the committee will not be determined for another two weeks, however, as several House election races await resolution. Historically, the 37 seats on the Ways and Means Committee have been divided between the two parties to reflect the overall percentage of Republicans and Democrats in the House. And, although Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) will not be the nation’s next Vice President, constituents in the 1st District of Wisconsin overwhelmingly voted to send Ryan back to Congress. Ryan is likely to remain the chairman of the House Committee on the Budget, but he will have to obtain a waiver of his party’s term limits in order to do so. Membership on the Budget Committee will fluctuate on both sides

26 | www.amac.us

of the aisle, but ranking Democratic Chris Van Hollen (DMD), who maintains an amiable working relationship with Ryan, is expected to return to his position on the panel. So, after countless political advertisements and speeches promised to rectify America’s major woes, how can mature American citizens expect the 2012 election to impact their lives and the issues they care about most? With few exceptions focused on the most critical economic and fiscal problems, attempts to address major issues and reforms with “landmark legislation” will mostly be just that - attempts. Bills may be drafted and debated, but all with the full expectation that unless they address an immediate short term problem that absolutely cannot be avoided, they will probably not enjoy the President’s signature into law. There are already some indications from Senatorial leadership on where the focus of the 113th Congress may rest. For example, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) agree that the mission of the lame duck Senate will be to reach a deal on the budget sequestration due to take effect and the tax cuts that are set to expire in early January 2013. Broadly, Majority Leader Reid has also mentioned that he plans to work with the House to change the tax code, deal with fiscal problems such as the debt and address the nation’s immigration system. Likewise, Minority Leader McConnell stressed the urgency of addressing Medicare and Social Security as insolvency threatens to bankrupt these programs for Americans nearing retirement. The nature of bipartisanship and culture of cooperation, however that manifests itself in the 113th Congress, will determine how many of these items are actually addressed and completed. All in all, AMAC has maintained a watchful eye on Washington over the course of this critical political season, closely monitoring the campaigns as they developed and analyzing the end results. AMAC members can be confident that we will continue to observe and report the most important changes in both the executive and legislative branches, and we will adjust our game-plan in Washington, D.C. accordingly and as needed. Regardless of how things shake out over the coming months and years, and regardless of which parties claim control, we will continue to press for the critical reforms this country needs, to champion realworld solutions to our most monumental challenges, and to highlight the needs and interests of Mature Americans, senior citizens and prospective retirees. AMAC Fights For You!

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www.amac.us | 29 10/16/12 9:22 AM

by Anthony R. Dolan

ome older Americans are saying that President Obama’s re-election means that the US electorate has permanently changed and that the America they once knew is gone forever. Such Americans need to pause, take a breath, and then consider some facts that not only cast the election in a much clearer light but point to opportunities for AMAC’s agenda of eliminating Obamacare, reducing deﬁcits, ensuring religious freedom and reforming Social Security. The election was not about increasingly liberal voters but missing conservative voters. The elite media is saying this year’s electorate was even more African-American, Latino and young than in 2008 and more composed, therefore, of groups that trend liberal. That’s true but only as a percentage, as part of the total number of voters. The truth is that liberal voters actually decreased compared to 2008 with President Obama getting considerably less votes than in 2008. (Although as of this writing the counting is still going on, that number is estimated to be somewhere between 3 and 5 million votes.) The problem was that the vote total for this year’s Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, was not much better than the low numbers run up by his predecessor, John McCain. And this despite the fact that Romney, unlike McCain who was carrying the burden of an unpopular Republican administration, was himself running against a not very popular incumbent with a poor economic track record. So rather than a realignment election this was a low turnout event and carries far less weight as a measure of what can happen in the future. Certain conservatively-inclined voters didn’t come out for Romney. In a seminal article published two days after the election, “The case of the missing seven million white voters,” the chief polling analyst for Real Clear Politics, Sean Trende, showed how millions of “white voters” who tend to vote Re-

30 | www.amac.us

OFFICIAL BALLOT 2012

The 2012 Election... When Losing is Winning

publican hadn’t come to the polls and then he tried to come up with an explanation. Doing a county-by-county analysis of the crucial battleground state of Ohio, he found those areas where voters turned out were not the high-income suburbs (they went heavily for Romney) but more middle income or blue collar areas that lean Republican. “My sense is these voters were unhappy with Obama. But his negative ad campaign relentlessly emphasizing Romney’s wealth and tenure at Bain Capital may have turned them off to the Republican nominee as well. The Romney campaign exacerbated this through the challenger’s failure to articulate a clear positive agenda to address these voters’ fears, and selfinflicted wounds like the ‘47 percent’ gaffe. Given a choice between two unpalatable options, these voters simply stayed home.” Though Trende’s final numbers are likely to change since he was working off exit-polling for his estimate, the trend he points to is inescapable; Obama didn’t so much win the election as his opponents lost it,. The Republican establishment’s candidate didn’t resonate. After an unsuccessful election, nothing is easier than to blame the candidate. Governor Romney performed quite well in the presidential debates and his campaign was in some respects effective. Many who did not support him in the GOP primaries came to do so and even like him. But the Republican establishment, in pushing so hard for Governor Romney, overlooked the fact he was never a strong vote getter. In his home state of Massachusetts he was unable to run for a second term and in a later try for a Senate seat he was unsuccessful. A brief history of this year’s Republican primaries shows the same pattern. After Newt Gingrich became the front runner in Iowa and the Romney Super PAC filled Iowans’ TV screens

The 2012 Election... When Losing is Winning with attack ads the, Romney forces cut down Gingrich but still lost the primary to Santorum. Romney then had a modest win in one of his home states, New Hampshire, but followed by losing badly to Gingrich in South Carolina. When Gingrich emerged again as the frontrunner in Florida the Romney camp spent $22 million more on anti-Gingrich attack ads and Romney did win the primary. But even with such an important victory, he did quite poorly over the next ten days as he underperformed compared to four years earlier in the Nevada caucuses. Then in the next three primaries of Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota, he lost to Santorum though he outspent him by over 4 to 1. With Santorum now emerging as his principal rival for the rest of the primary season, Governor Romney never won a single southern state and had to struggle to win even in another of his home states, Michigan. The case can be made that most Republicans wanted the Non-Romney. In the two critical later primaries, for example, Romney got only 41% (Michigan) and 37% (Ohio). The fact is that if Gingrich and Santorum hadn’t been splitting the conservative vote from the start, Romney would never have been the nominee. Romney’s nomination really relied on the Republican establishment’s determination to firebomb his opponents. As an adviser to Gingrich I was hardly a neutral observer, but I don’t think that alters the truth of one basic, quite obvious fact, something I saw up close. The Romney Super PAC, made up of Karl Rove protégés and located in the same building as Rove’s operation, sponsored commercials that did not just exaggerate but actually inverted the truth about Gingrich on five different charges. Though this was my eighth presidential campaign I had never seen Republican candidates engage in these sorts of startlingly mendacious attacks before. Moreover, rather than objecting to such illicit practices, particularly because they were aimed at a conservative like Gingrich who was largely responsible for Republicans winning the House of Representatives in 1994, some conservative magazines and TV and radio talk show hosts, having been recruited heavily by Romney, actually joined in those attacks. (Attacks that helped a candidate who unlike Gingrich had done almost nothing for the conservative movement; indeed, in his previous tries for public office he had attacked the Reagan agenda and taken far-left positions on the social issues. Much on the same point was Rush Limbaugh’s observation at the time. Those behind these sorts of attack ads would aim them at conservatives who were seen as intra-party rivals but not at Democrats in the general election.) The establishment’s support, then, and not Romney’s votewinning ability got him the nomination. And this did not

auger well for the general election. Republican voters reluctance about Romney carried over to other conservatively-inclined voters in the general election. Republicans tended to distrust Governor Romney because of suspicions that he was not a real conservative and his past criticism of the Reagan agenda. Trende’s suggestion in the article cited above makes a similar point; many voters for reasons having to do with Governor’s Romney’s image, background or personal manner or, to use an old 50’s term, “gestalt,” had trouble relating to him and couldn’t feel enthusiastic about his candidacy. (Perhaps this is no surprise but Trende points out that the same counties in Ohio where Romney did so poorly in the general election went for Santorum in the primary.) Downplaying certain issues was damaging. Another bit of history might be helpful here. In the Reagan years, establishment Republican types told President Reagan he needed to correct his image as “a nuclear cowboy” and talk about world affairs only in terms of his peaceful intentions and certainly not sound any anti-Soviet themes. Ronald Reagan disagreed; he thought the people could handle the truth. So even as he called for the Soviets to come to the conference table, he launched a “crusade for freedom,” and in calling the USSR an “evil empire” exploited the internal contradictions of the Soviet state, thereby demonstrating how moral confrontation eventually leads criminal regimes to conciliation. In picking as his running mate a true conservative like Paul Ryan, Governor Romney did show he was becoming more conservative. But establishment Republicans tend to grow shy when criticized by Obama for favoring the rich or being extremist on social issues. In failing to talk more about the huge success of Reaganomics in the early 80s and “tax cuts” as a way to stimulate “growth,” and by not emphasizing the assault on religious freedom and the Catholic Church, the Romney campaign missed issues that not only would have helped get out their base but, ironically, appeal to blacks and Latinos who always move faster up the economic ladder under Republican policies and many of whom take the same view as Republicans on abortion, same sex marriage and religious rights. So this election, far from being a big liberal win, could easily have gone another way. A friend of mine who is a Democratic pollster wrote to me two days after the election and put things in perspective. “A 2-point shift would have given Mitt both the popular vote and Florida, Ohio, Virginia and Colorado, and 272 votes for the electoral college. I suspect that Nixon, Reagan or W. Bush would have gotten that extra 2%.” continued on pg. 34

www.amac.us | 31

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The 2012 Election... When Losing is Winning continued from pg. 31

The Republican establishment is over. Last September pollster Scott Rasmussen noted the role of Bush administration figures in nominating Governor Romney and added their influence would be at an end if Romney was not successful. Already major donors are demanding answers from Karl Rove and others about the failure of their $1.2 billion strategy. But many conservatives were not surprised by the failure of strategists or “architects” as they are sometimes called by liberals who think that only some hidden hand rather than the power of good ideas could explain conservatism’s appeal. These operatives could only barely beat, after all, weak Democratic nominees like Al Gore and John Kerry, had the major roles in the electoral debacles of 2006 and 2008 and drove President Bush’s approval ratings to a skyrocketing 11%. Had they not corrupted the 2012 primaries with so much money and mendacity, the GOP would have had a chance of coming up with a stronger nominee. In looking to the future one historical fact stands out: nothing is more dangerous for a flawed president than reelection. Lyndon Johnson’s landslide in 1964 resulted in 1966 in huge GOP gains and a presidency so unpopular he could not run again. Republicans then took the presidency in 1968. The same is true following the Nixon landslide in 1972 as the Democrats made massive gains in 1974 and then took back the presidency in 1976. The political danger for Obama allies. Besides having to answer why it covered up the truth about its response to the Benghazi attack, the Obama administration will face depressed economic conditions as it continues with its unpopular agenda of raising taxes, Obamacare and refusing to deal with the deficit except through devastating cuts to the military. But Obama’s attempt to get his agenda through Congress will put his own party in a terrible situation. So too, as Republicans in the House push to reduce taxes or eliminate the most unpopular parts of Obamacare, Democrats up for reelection will have to choose between supporting Obama or doing what their own constituents want. The shape of the 2014 race for control of the US Senate is especially relevant here. Voting for the Obama agenda will put in even more jeopardy Democratic senators already vulnerable in 2014. Look at the list of Senators up for reelection in the box. Only one of the 13 Republicans up for reelection comes from a state that voted heavily for Obama, Susan Collins of Maine, and she is considered popular enough to win reelection. But Democrats have to defend 20 seats and their states present a very different picture. Six Democratic senators are up from states that voted overwhelmingly for Romney and thus by

34 | www.amac.us

DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS UP FOR REELECTION DEMOCRATS Baucus, Max (D-MT) Begich, Mark (D-AK) Coons, Christopher (D-DE) Durbin, Richard J. (D-IL) Franken, Al (D-MN) Hagan, Kay R. (D-NC) Harkin, Tom (D-IA) Johnson, Tim (D-SD) Kerry, John F. (D-MA) Landrieu, Mary L. (D-LA) Lautenberg, Frank R. (D-NJ) Levin, Carl (D-MI) Merkley, Jeff (D-OR) Pryor, Mark L. (D-AR) Reed, Jack (D-RI) Rockefeller, John D., IV (D-WV) Shaheen, Jeanne (D-NH) Udall, Mark (D-CO) Udall, Tom (D-NM) Warner, Mark R. (D-VA)

REPUBLICANS Alexander, Lamar (R-TN) Chambliss, Saxby (R-GA) Cochran, Thad (R-MS) Collins, Susan M. (R-ME) Cornyn, John (R-TX) Enzi, Michael B. (R-WY) Graham, Lindsey (R-SC) Inhofe, James M. (R-OK) Johanns, Mike (R-NE) McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) Risch, James E. (R-ID) Roberts, Pat (R-KS) Sessions, Jeff (R-AL)

inference against the Obama second term agenda. Here are the startling anti-Obama percentages in these states: Arkansas 60%; Alaska 55%; Louisiana 58%; Montana 55%; North Dakota 58%; and West Virginia 62%. A seventh state, North Carolina, was closer at 52% but still safely in the Romney and anti-Obama column. So too, three other senators come from states that though Romney lost them narrowly (for reasons discussed above), actually trend conservative especially in off year elections: Colorado, New Hampshire and Virginia. Add to these 10 states the conservative-to-moderate states of Minnesota and Iowa who have extreme liberals like Al Franken and Tom Harkin as their senators, and the problem of the Democratic Party is clear. With 12 vulnerable seats in 2014 we can expect to read news stories about the dilemma of Democratic Senators who have to choose between Obama’s failing, extreme left-wing agenda and their own political survival. To summarize: one of the oldest sayings in politics applies about this election: “Losing is winning.” America hasn’t changed. Her history has always seen troubled moments that were followed by vibrant and triumphant reassertions of the American Dream. We are headed there again. And AMAC members can help lead the way. Anthony R. Dolan was chief speechwriter to President Reagan for eight years and served in the Bush administration as senior advisor in the Office of Secretary of State and special advisor in the Office of Secretary of Defense.

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Perfect Choice HD Perfect Choice HD feature comparison is NOT a hearing Others aid. Hearing aids Perfect Choice HD can only be sold by Lightweight and YES Some an audiologist or Inconspicuous a licensed hearing Easy Toggle YES Few instrument specialist. Switch Adjustment In order to get a Tests and Fittings NO Most hearing aid, you had Required to go to the doctor’s as much as YES office for a battery of Affordable $5000 tests and numerous Friendly Return YES Rarely fitting appointments. Policy Once they had you tested and fitted, you would have know you have it on. It’s comfortable to pay as much as $5000 for the and won’t make you feel like you product. Now, thanks to the efforts of have something stuck in your ear. It provides high quality audio so Are you or sounds and conversations will be easier to hear and understand. a loved one frustrated

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★ AMAC Inside the Beltway

AMAC’s Growing Influence on Capitol Hill by Andrew Mangione

first met Dan Weber while working for one of the largest insurance carriers in the country over four years ago. Dan was looking for a strategic partner with a portfolio of insurance products that he wanted to offer members of a fledgling organization called the Association of Mature American Citizens. Dan barely had 5,000 AMAC members on board when we struck an agreement to work together in 2008. Since then, I have watched AMAC’s membership grow organically to nearly 500,000 today. Dan approached me earlier this year to come to work for AMAC and I was gratified to officially join this wonderful team in October. As a husband, father and passionate Conservative, working for AMAC was the easiest of decisions. AMAC and I share the same values of faith, family and freedom. I consider myself to be blessed to professionally promote the same values which serve as the guiding force for my life’s direction. I seek to model these values for my family and pass them onto my sons. I serve as Director of Business Development which means that I wear many hats, including acting as spokesperson, working on special projects such as the recently concluded Health Care Workshops, managing vendor relationships and other outreach ventures. When Dan Weber asked me to accompany him on a recent trip to Washington, DC for several meetings scheduled with legislative offices, I leapt at the opportunity. I had been to our nation’s capital before, but only as a tourist and for a very brief period of time. After I met Dan at the airport, we were picked up by a gentleman named Tony Dolan. If you recall President Ronald Reagan labeling the Soviet Union an “evil empire” or his famous Berlin Wall speech where he implored then Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down this wall,” then you’ll also know Mr. Dolan. He served as President Reagan’s chief speech writer for both presidential terms and assisted the President with such famous speeches. He likes to note it was President Reagan who first came up with the “tear down this wall” line. He is also an AMAC consultant and we spent a productive dinner strategizing and preparing for our meetings the following day. The next day it was time to head to Capitol Hill. With Congress on recess we met with the senior staff of three legislative offices, including Rep. Trey Gowdy (SC-4), Rep. Paul Ryan (WI-1) and Senator Marco Rubio (FL). Our reception in these offices was very encouraging. The legislative directors and leadership staff were very happy to know that an alternative to the AARP exists. We were told that for far too long there had been only one voice for older

36 | www.amac.us

Americans in Washington and these staffers now intend on using AMAC as a resource for their respective representatives. They recognize AMAC and its members as a vibrant, growing organization of active, informed, engaged Americans and are eager to tap into our energy to gain a deeper perspective of the concerns of today’s mature citizens. Dan Weber also presented AMAC’s plan to save Social Security and it too was well received. Our second day in Washington found us in the offices of the Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank that performs extensive research on vital issues and then shares the data with members of Congress. We met with Dr. Robert Moffit, a Senior Fellow from Heritage’s Center for Policy Innovation. Dr. Moffitt is regarded as a leading expert on Medicare and his studies are highly respected. We spent the better part of the morning learning more about Dr. Moffit’s research and we left with a wealth of knowledge on the subject. We are also currently crafting plans to participate in orientation and leadership meetings as the new Congress convenes in 2013 to increase both the visibility and influence of AMAC. I felt a great deal of pride as I walked through the halls of the Congressional and Senatorial offices buildings. I was proud to promote the conservative values and ideas that I share with hundreds of thousands of AMAC members. It is gratifying to be a part of this robust new senior group known as the Association of Mature American Citizens. As 2012 rolls into 2013, AMAC is well positioned to play a major role in safeguarding the rights and benefits of citizens 50 and older. Look for AMAC to be heavily involved in the new mandate to repair the American economy using free market principles and effect sensible improvements to our health care system. It is exciting to be a part of this effort, and with the support of our members we will succeed! ANDREW MANGIONE is the Director of Business Development for The Association of Mature American Citizens. Mr. Mangione is married and he and his wife reside in Louisville, Kentucky with their two sons. Andy is active in his church as a lector and also in the Parish Religious Education Program as an instructor. He is also the host of a weekly radio program that focuses on fathers raising their sons to be men of God. The program, “His Father’s Apprentice,” is broadcast on Louisville’s Catholic radio station, WLCR – AM 1040.

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★ Government Watch Today’s Retirees First to Pay More Into Social Security Than They Will Receive People retiring today are part of the first generation of workers who have paid more in Social Security taxes during their careers than they will receive in benefits after they retire. A married couple retiring last year after both spouses earned average lifetime wages paid about $598,000 in Social Security taxes during their careers. They can expect to collect about $556,000 in benefits, if the man lives to 82 and the woman lives to 85. It’s a historic shift that will only get worse for future retirees.

By Fido - your government watchdog programs, at a cost approaching $1 trillion annually, said Heritage Senior Research Fellow Robert Rector. The increase in federal means-tested welfare spending during Obama’s first two years in office was twoand-a-half times greater than any previous increase in federal welfare spending in U.S. history, after adjusting for inflation.

Government Waste •

In 2011, the federal government wasted $115.3 billion of taxpayers’ money in improper payments: money paid in the wrong amount, to the wrong person, or for the wrong reason. Most of these excess payments—$107 billion, or 93 percent— were in just 10 programs, including Medicare feefor-service ($28.8 billion), Medicaid ($21.9 billion), the Earned Income Tax Credit ($15.2 billion), and Unemployment Insurance ($13.7 billion).

•

Federally subsidized Amtrak lost $84.5 million on its food and beverage services in 2011, and $833.8 million over the past 10 years. It has never broken even on these services.

•

The Government Accountability Ofﬁce (GAO) identiﬁed 34 areas in which federal agencies or initiatives have overlapping goals or duplicative services, which cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year. There are:

Phoenix Bans Church from Giving Away Water to the Thirsty According to a letter to the city of Phoenix from the Rutherford Institute, the case developed in July during a “First Friday” festival when Dana Crow-Smith was giving “free bottles of cold water to passersby” on the public sidewalk “as a means of exercising her Christian beliefs.” She “was moved” to offer the refreshment “to people at the festival who were braving the desert’s scorching 112-degree heat,” said the letter to city attorney Gary Verburg. The church group was approached by a Neighborhood Preservation Inspector who told them that they were violating the Phoenix City Code by giving away water without a vendor’s permit. According to Ms. Crow-Smith, her group was told that giving water away was “prohibited.” The ban, however, violates several signiﬁcant precedents, such as the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and Arizona’s Freedom of Religious Exercise Act. Rutherford’s president, John W. Whitehead, said in the letter the city’s actions violated Ms. Crow-Smith’s First Amendment rights to freely exercise her religion and Fourteenth Amendment due process rights.” “It is beyond comprehension that local government ofﬁcials would interfere with citizens performing such a basic act of charity as giving water to the thirsty,” Whitehead wrote.

Welfare State Grows by Nearly 19% Under Obama – to Almost $1 Trillion a Year Federal and state welfare assistance has grown almost 19 percent under President Barack Obama, according to the Heritage Foundation. All in all, there are 79 means-tested federal welfare

38 | www.amac.us

•

More than 80 economic development programs operating out of four different agencies: the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and Housing and Urban Development, and the Small Business Administration;

•

More than 100 economic development programs spread across ﬁve agencies within the Department of Transportation;

•

Seven federal agencies, including the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development, which have more than 20 programs addressing homelessness;

•

44 employment and training programs in the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor; and

•

82 programs on teacher quality run through the Departments of Defense, Education, and Energy, as well as NASA and the National Science Foundation.

Chicago Doctor Invents Affordable Hearing Aid Outperforms Many Higher Priced Hearing Aids

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“Perhaps the best quality-toprice ratio in the hearing aid industry” – Dr. Babu, M.D. Board Certified ENT Physician Dr. Cherukuri knew that untreated hearing loss could lead to depression, social isolation, anxiety, and symptoms consistent with Alzheimer’s dementia. He could not understand why the cost for hearing aids was so high when the prices on so many consumer electronics like TVs, DVD players, cell phones and digital cameras had fallen. Since Medicare and most private insurance do not cover the costs of hearing aids, which traditionally run between $2000-$6000 for a pair, many of the doctor’s patients could not afford the expense. Dr. Cherukuri’s goal was to find a reasonable solution that would help with the most common types of hearing loss at an affordable price, not unlike the “one-size-fits-most” reading glasses available at drug stores.

He evaluated numerous hearing devices and sound amplifiers, including those seen on television. Without fail, almost all of these were found to amplify bass/ low frequencies (below 1000 Hz) and not useful in amplifying the frequencies related to the human voice.

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phone he had just purchased. “I felt that if someone could devise an affordable device like an iPhone® for about $200 that could do all sorts of things, I could create a hearing aid at a similar price.”

“I have been wearing hearing aids for over 25 years and these are the best behind-the-ear aids I have tried. Their sound quality rivals that of my $3,000 custom pair of Phonak Xtra digital ITE” —Gerald Levy

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“I have a $2,000 Resound Live hearing aid in my left ear and the MDHearingAid PRO® in the right ear. I am not able to notice a significant difference in sound quality between the two hearing aids.” — Dr. May, ENT Physician “We ordered two hearing aids for my mother on Sunday, and the following Wednesday they were in our mailbox! Unbelievable! Now for the best part— they work so great, my mother says she hasn’t heard so good for many years, even with her $2,000 digital! It was so great to see the joy on her face. She is 90 years young again.” —Al Peterson

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★Travel

Mount Rushmore: From Mountain to Monument by D.J. Wilson

t’s hard to conceive that a rugged mountain in South Dakota could be sculpted into one of the most visited monuments in America. Mount Rushmore is proof that it can be done. Welcoming over 3 million tourists annually, it is one of the most beloved attractions in our great country. Carved in rock with detailed accuracy are the faces of four beloved presidents who represent the first 150 years of American history. It is the brainchild of historian Doane Robinson, whose original vision involved large figures of the American west carved in South Dakota’s Black Hills for the sake of tourism. Talented artist John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum headed the project and suggested using the faces of American Presidents instead to create this one of a kind masterpiece. Perhaps Gutzon enjoyed the unexpected as he took on the challenge, fully aware of the immensity of his duties. The story of Mount Rushmore is more than an account of its technically difficult construction. It’s beyond the tons of rock blasted away. It’s more than the chronicles of gaining financial backing. It’s even beyond the detailed models made by the artist. It’s the story of 400 daring men who rappelled over the mountainside and risked their lives day in and day out for the monument. It’s the story of human spirit and how one man’s dream became a reality against great odds. Born Jonah LeRoy Robinson, Doane was a farmer who left his roots to become a lawyer and scholar. As South Dakota’s state historian, he conceived the idea of a monument after reading about sculptor Gutzon Borglum’s carvings in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Robinson wrote to the artist and promised to find financial backing if the famous sculptor agreed to design and supervise the project. He also contacted influential Senator Peter Norbeck, creator of a large game preserve in the Black Hills known as Custer State Park. This was to gain moral and financial support for the project to ensure its success. Borglum

42 | www.amac.us

set out to find the ideal location and discovered a broad wall of exposed granite on the 5,725 foot Mount Rushmore. The mountain was the highest peak in the nearby region and was selected for its erosion resistant granite composition and sunlit southeast exposure. While Robinson had his own ideas of what the monument should look like, Borglum’s view of four American Presidents had wider appeal. So, the decision was made to pursue Borglum’s vision. President Calvin Coolidge had a reason for interest in Mt. Rushmore. In the summer of 1927, he vacationed in the Black hills where he enjoyed leisure activities such as horseback riding and fly fishing. Borglum, who was quite a character, used this to his advantage. He hired a plane to fly over the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park where Coolidge was residing and dropped a wreath inviting the President to the dedication ceremony. The President accepted the invitation. Coolidge attended the ceremony and gave a speech with the promise of federal funding for the project. “Silent Cal” was a man of his word. President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill which created a commission to oversee the sculpting. Robinson failed to be included in the commission and this lead to great personal disappointment for the man with the original idea. However, headquarters of the project, south of Mount Rushmore, became known as Doane Mountain. Construction officially commenced on October 4, 1927. Borglum, spearheading the project, was a patriot who believed that the “monuments we have built are not our own.” His desire was to create art that was “American, drawn from American sources, memorializing American achievement” per a 1908 interview. Over time, four Presidents were carefully selected to represent the first 150 years of American history. Naturally, our first president, George Washington (1789-1797), was chosen to represent the birth of our country. Thomas

the memorial by writing and promoting legislation in favor of the monument. Franklin Roosevelt made the monument part of the National Parks Service. Construction was ﬁnally completed in 1941 at the cost of $900,000, way above the original projected cost. During a dedication ceremony in 1936, President Franklin Roosevelt offered these words:

Washington’s likeness emerges from the granite mountainside during construction. (photo circa 1932)

Jefferson (1801-1809), credited with the Louisiana Purchase, was selected to represent expansion of the nation. Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865), who faced the challenges of the Civil War, was selected to represent preservation of our nation. Lastly, Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909), who promoted construction of the Panama Canal, was picked to represent development. Borglum’s design was based upon small scale models he created, which his workmen relied upon as guides. Sculpting began with George Washington. The idea was to expose and create an egg shaped portion of rock from which to begin. This necessitated the use of skilled workers who could blast dynamite within inches of accuracy. After shaping, workers used heavy pneumatic drills to create closely spaced holes in the granite from which to chisel excess rock. After the “honeycombing” process, pneumatic hammers were then used to create its smooth surface. 400 brave and capable men, undaunted by heights, sat in swings called Bosun chairs designed to hold them suspended by cables. While some of them later suffered from breathing dust of the granite, the careful set-up paid off as no loss of life was incurred during construction. Over 450,000 tons of rock were removed. Original plans called for Washington to be sculpted in the middle of the monument. When the workers were halfway through carving Thomas Jefferson, they realized the rock was weak. Borglum was forced to blast away two years of work and move Jefferson to the other side of Washington, leaving Washington on the end. Because of this change, he had to ﬁnd a new place for Lincoln. He put Lincoln at the opposite end where the rock was stable. As the face of Roosevelt was created, Borglum and his workers ran into problems ﬁnding suitable rock and were forced to dig deeper into the mountain. As a result, Roosevelt’s sculpt is placed far behind the other three. During the Great Depression in 1930, an appeal was made to school age children in America to donate towards the Mt. Rushmore project. Even though the collection fell shy of funds desired, it was a way of involving youngsters in the mission. Fortunately, Senator Norbeck, along with Congressman William Williamson, ultimately secured 85% of the funding for

“On many occasions, when a new project is presented to you on paper, and, later on you see the accomplishment, you are disappointed; but just the opposite is the fact in what we are looking at now. I had seen photographs, I had seen the drawings, and I had talked with those who are responsible for this great work. Yet I had had no conception until about ten minutes ago, not only of its magnitude, but of its permanent beauty and of its permanent importance. Mr. Borglum has well said that this can be a monument and an inspiration for the continuance of the DemocraticRepublican form of government, not only in our own beloved country, but, we hope, throughout the world. This is the second dedication. There will be others by other Presidents in other years. When we get through, there will be something for the American people that will last not merely through generations but for thousands and thousands of years. I think that we can perhaps meditate a little on those Americans ten thousand years from now, when the weathering on the faces of Washington and Jefferson and Lincoln shall have proceeded to perhaps the depth of a tenth of an inch, and wonder what our descendants—and I think they will still be here will think about us. Let us hope that at least they will give us the benefit of the doubt, that they will believe we have honestly striven every day and generation to preserve for our descendants a decent land to live in and a decent form of government to operate under.” Gutzon Borglum remained devoted until his death. After his passing, his son Lincoln continued in his father’s footsteps, putting the ﬁnal touches on the monument. The year 1991 marked the 50th anniversary of the monument and celebrated a $40 million dollar restoration project. In a canyon behind the faces is a vault with sixteen porcelain enamel panels which include the text of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, history of the U.S., and biographies of the four presidents and Borglum. The vault was installed in 1998. Recently, the National Park Service unveiled results of a digital preservation project to create a highly accurate 3D model of the park, sculpture and associated artifacts. It aims to preserve the monument and increase public awareness of park resources. This includes the creation of a new digital portal and a free mobile application, as well as educational games for children to learn of Mount Rushmore. Efforts are constantly underway to protect the monument from water damage and erosion. Each year, and with the help of technology, trained staff from the National Park Service rappel over the side of the faces to inspect and seal cracks. The goal is to close out moisture to prevent ice and snow from penetrating and damaging the structure. Mount Rushmore exempliﬁes the will of the people to memorialize American history and serves as our “Shrine to Democracy”. It is a masterpiece of art and courage. It’s important to remember that the ultimate vision belonged to one man with a dream, making it a true testament to the “perseverance of the human spirit.” Look for a Mt. Rushmore Quiz on our Just for Fun Bonus Page!

www.amac.us | 43

Manufacturer’s Recall Just Announced

Are you suffering after being implanted with a

STRYKER REJUVENATE

Modular Hip Implant? Have you experienced failure of your Stryker Rejuvenate hip implant, resulting in pain and other complications that may have required revision surgery? If so, please know that we are investigating these injuries for possible legal action. On July 4, 2012, Stryker Orthopaedics announced a voluntary USA Recall of certain models of its Rejuvenate and ABG II hip implants, due to concern over revisions potentially associated with fretting and/or corrosion at or about the modular neck junction of the devices. These occurrences, according to Stryker, “may result in adverse local tissue reactions manifesting with pain and/or swelling.” In April, a Canadian Medical Device Recall Listing was issued noting revised Rejuvenate usage instructions, warning that these components may also lead to improperly releasing potentially dangerous amounts of metal debris or metal ions into the patients’ bodies and may result in Adverse Local Tissue Reaction including metallosis and necrosis. Weitz & Luxenberg can help you understand your legal options. We are one of the largest trial law and products liability law firms representing thousands of injured clients with results-oriented professionalism and sensitivity. For a free consultation please call us today at 1-888-411-LAWS (5297) or visit us on the web at www.HipDeviceRecall.com

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www.amac.us | 45

★Kathie’s Kitchen

Sharing a Sweet Holiday Tradition

ne of the most cherished seasonal activities is the

❅ Invite individuals who enjoy baking, and ask each of them to

baking of holiday cookies. Despite hectic schedules

bring a big batch of cookies – a dozen of one type of cookie

and a myriad of social activities, people still enjoy the

for each person attending. For example: if you have 6 people

warmth and tradition of holiday baking. However,

exchanging cookies, then each person will contribute 6 dozen

preparing a variety of attractive and tasty treats can be time con-

of one type. Guests will share cookies and also go home with 6

suming and expensive. Participating in a cookie exchange with

dozen – 1 dozen each of 6 different types.

friends and family can save time in a Santa-size way, and provide a fantastic assortment of delicious home baked treats. Rather than trying to bake a variety of goodies, an exchange allows participants to bake a large batch of one type of cookie but go home with an array of beautifully decorated and charmingly shaped cookies to serve at holiday gatherings, give as gifts or eat and enjoy throughout the holiday season. The following guidelines and recipes will help in planning a fun and festive gathering. “Many hands make light work” surely applies to this holiday event!

❅ Set a date early in the month of December. Participants will be able to freeze the cookies, then thaw and assemble attractive cookie trays throughout the month.

46 | www.amac.us

❅ If desired, ask participants to bring additional cookies for sampling.

❅ Send invitations early, since the holiday season is ﬁlled with gatherings and obligations.

❅ Ask guests to RSVP. To avoid duplicates, ask each guest to indicate the type of cookie they will be contributing.

❅ Once the cookie swapping ends, the recipe swapping usually begins. So request that guests bring copies of the recipe along with the cookies.

Coconut Thumbprints ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

2 sticks butter - softened 1 cup sugar 2 eggs – separated 2 tsp. vanilla 1 ½ cups ﬂour ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. baking powder 1 ½ cups coconut ½ cup raspberry or apricot jam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks and vanilla. Combine flour, salt and baking powder. Gradually add to creamed mixture – blend well. Form into 1 inch balls. Beat egg whites until slightly frothy. Dip cookies in egg whites to coat – roll in coconut. Place on greased cookie sheets. Make a shallow depression in the center of each cookie. Spoon ½ tsp. of jam into each. Bake for 8 – 9 minutes or until coconut begins to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 – 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and continue cooling. Makes 4 dozen.

❅ Set a beautiful table, and arrange the cookies and recipe copies as guests arrive. Place an extra platter on the table

Rugelach ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

2 cups ﬂour ½ tsp. salt 2 sticks butter - softened 8 oz. cream cheese - softened ½ cup plus 4 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup apricot preserves 1 cup chopped golden raisins 1 cup ﬁnely chopped walnuts milk

Whisk together flour and salt - set aside. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add flour (mixture will be crumbly). Gather dough into a ball, and flatten into a 7x5 inch rectangle. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 – 24 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ½ cup of sugar & cinnamon – set aside. Cut the chilled dough into 4 pieces. On a well-floured surface, roll out each piece into a 12x8 inch rectangle, transferring each finished piece onto a sheet of parchment or waxed paper and placing in the refrigerator while rolling out the others. Arrange 1 dough rectangle on work surface. Spread ¼ cup of preserves evenly over dough. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of raisins, ¼ cup of walnuts and 2 Tbs. cinnamon sugar – ending ½ inch from both short sides. Roll dough, starting with the long side, into a tight log. Pinch ends and tuck underneath. Place log seam side down on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining 3 dough rectangles – placing on the same cookie sheet leaving 1 inch between logs. Brush logs with milk and sprinkle each with 1 tsp. sugar. With a sharp knife, make ¾ inch deep cuts crosswise in dough (not all the way through) at 1-inch intervals. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes or until golden. Place cookie sheet on rack and cool for 30 minutes. Transfer logs to cutting board, and slice cookies all the way through. Cool completely. Makes 4 dozen.

for the sample cookies that will be enjoyed during the party.

❅ Keep

refreshments simple. In addition to the cookies

brought for sampling, consider serving cheese, crackers, fruit, nuts or dips.

❅ Offer beverages such as coffee, tea, cocoa, eggnog and hot cider.

❅ Give each guest an inexpensive, large holiday tin or tray as a party favor, or ask participants to bring their own containers for transporting cookies home.

❅ Enjoy some holiday music, delicious food and each other’s company.

❅ After eating and socializing, have guests circle the display table to collect their share of holiday cookies. Provide foil or plastic wrap for sealing up the cookie parcels.

Almond Crescents ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

1 stick butter - softened 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 1/2 tsp. almond extract 1 cup ﬂour 1/2 cup ﬁnely ground blanched slivered almonds

Beat together butter and ½ cup confectioners’ sugar until smooth and creamy. Add almond extract. On low speed, beat in flour and almonds. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm – 2 hours. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Pinch off pieces of dough in heaping teaspoonfuls. Roll into logs. Taper ends and bend into crescent shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 16 - 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove cookies to wire rack. While warm, dust with a generous layer of remaining confectioners’ sugar. Cool completely. Makes 3 dozen.

www.amac.us | 47

★ Obamacare Watchdog New Obamacare Tax Form Mandates Americans Report Personal Health ID Info to IRS by Ryan Ellis and John Kartch – Americans for Tax Reform

Here’s why the IRS will require Americans to disclose their personal health ID information starting in 2014: When Obamacare’s individual mandate takes effect in 2014, all Americans who file income tax returns must complete an additional IRS tax form. The new form will require disclosure of a taxpayer’s personal identifying health information in order to determine compliance with the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate. As confirmed by IRS testimony to the tax-writing House Committee on Ways and Means, “taxpayers will file their tax returns reporting their health insurance coverage, and/or making a payment.” So why will the Obama IRS require your personal identifying health information? Simply put, there is no way for the IRS to enforce Obamacare’s individual mandate without such an invasive reporting scheme. Every January, health insurance companies across America will send out tax documents to each

insured individual. This tax document—a copy of which will be furnished to the IRS—must contain sufficient information for taxpayers to prove that they purchased qualifying health insurance under Obamacare. This new tax information document must, at a minimum, contain: the name and health insurance identification number of the taxpayer; the name and tax identification number of the health insurance company; the number of months the taxpayer was covered by this insurance plan; and whether or not the plan was purchased in one of Obamacare’s “exchanges.” This will involve millions of new tax documents landing in mailboxes across America every January, along with the usual raft of W-2s, 1099s, and 1098s. At tax time, the 140 million families who file a tax return will have to get acquainted with a brand new tax filing form. Six million of these families will end up paying Obamacare’s individual mandate non-compliance tax penalty. As a service to the public, Americans for Tax Reform has released a projected version of this tax form to help families and tax specialists prepare for this additional filing requirement. Taxpayers may view the projected IRS form at www.ObamacareTaxForm. com. On the form, lines 3-4 show where taxpayers will disclose their personal identifying health information.

★ AMAC in Action The AMAC Healthcare Workshops The AMAC Healthcare Workshops have concluded and we’d like to thank all of those who participated. Over 90 people indicated an interest in participating in these forums including nurses, pharmacists, multi-specialty physicians, healthcare executives, insurance professionals, small business owners and consumers. We had an outstanding 80% participation rate for the workshops as participants used both the teleconference and online venues to contribute their suggestions. We are currently compiling the data which will result in the document that AMAC presents to the GOP Doctors Caucus. Ultimately, this document belongs to you, our AMAC members, for it is your voice on the issue of healthcare reform that we are taking to Washington, D.C. The document, as well as sound bites from the teleconferences, are available on the AMAC website.

AMAC’s Greatest Resource - Our Members! 48 | www.amac.us

Dan Weber Appears on WPEC Town Hall AMAC President, Dan Weber, was invited to appear as a panelist on West Palm Beach, FL television station WPEC's Townhall debate regarding Medicare, Obamacare and other issues facing seniors today. The 90 minute debate aired on October 18, 2012.

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We are totally committed to protecting the rights and needs of the 50+ population. We are a hands on organization designed to be the voice for seniors.

★ AMAC stands for the values on which our country is founded

• Protecting your healthcare from government control and destruction • Protecting you from reckless, runaway, government spending • Getting and keeping government out of your personal life • And maintaining the integrity of our greatest government document, the Constitution

★ AMAC is working to reafﬁrm America as a country of the people, by

the people and for the people • We are striving to see that America remains one nation under God • A nation free to pray for the safety of its athletes before they go out onto the ﬁeld • A nation free to display the 10 commandments in its highest courts • A nation our loved ones fought and died for to keep free. If you are one of those heroes who fought to protect the sanctity of America and all she stands for, we humbly thank you from the bottom of our hearts

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Old Cookbooks Reveal

“Amazing Details of Washington and Jefferson’s Dining Habits” by Guy Coalter, Special Features Writer Canton OH, Special - With hundreds of servants at her command... a person would think our first First Lady was a woman of leisure. Not so... according to a new historical discovery. A long out-ofprint volume entitled, “The Martha Washington Cook Book” shows Mrs. Washington personally supervised her entire household staff... and especially the kitchen and dining room servants. Martha made sure every dish served at Mount Vernon... as well as in the first Presidential “White Houses” in New York and Philadelphia... was prepared exactly as called for in her personal cookbook. The family cookbook was given to Martha at the time of her first marriage. In 1749, beautiful seventeen-yearold Martha Dandridge married Daniel Parke Custis. As a wedding gift, the Custis family presented Martha with a family cookbook entitled Booke of Cookery and Booke of Sweetmeats. Handwritten by an unknown hand, there is evidence the recipe book had been in the Custis family for generations. It is quite likely this was a family heirloom dating back to the early 1600s. In all, there were over five hundred classic recipes, dating largely from Elizabethan and Jacobean times, the golden age of English cookery. Later, Martha Custis became a widow and in 1759 she married Col. George Washington. Washington was to become the Father of our country and its first President. Martha, of course, became our very first, “First Lady.” Martha kept and used her family cookbook for over fifty years. In 1799, she presented the book to her granddaughter, Eleanor Parke Custis as a wedding gift when she married Lawrence Lewis. The cookbook was handed down from mother to daughter until 1892 when the Lewis family presented it to The Historical Society of Pennsylvania where it still resides today. In 1940, the Society gave permission to historian Marie Kimball to study the manuscript and prepare a cookbook entitled, “The Martha Washington Cook Book.” Although now long out-of-print, an Ohio publisher was recently commissioned to reprint a limited edition of this rare and amusing piece of Americana. Accordingly, a limited number of copies are being made available to the public at this time. Each volume is numbered and when the present printing is exhausted, there is no contract to print more. These cookbooks could very easily become valuable collectors items. “The Martha Washington Cook Book” includes facsimile copies of several actual pages from the one-of-a-kind

original manuscript. Then, and brought back to the Mrs. Kimball chose over United States. 200 delicious unique When Jefferson returned recipes from Martha to America, he came not Washington’s personal only as a distinguished cookbook and completely statesman, but as one of modernized them so you the greatest epicures and can easily prepare them connoisseurs in the art in your own kitchen! of fine dining of his day. The original recipes The choicest delicacies were written for a huge of two continents now household including numermade their appearance Martha Washington ous servants. Many called on his table... the finest for dozens of eggs and wines were imported from gallons of one thing or France, Spain, and Italy... another. Marie Kimball all personally supervised “trimmed” each recipe to by Jefferson. quantities of ingredients The recipes were for a family of six. preserved in Jefferson’s You’ll get dozens of personal cookbook. delicious recipes for Jefferson’s little Soups, Fish, Meats, Meat Thomas Jefferson – “The Father granddaughter, Virginia of Fine Dining” In America Pies, Poultry and Game, Randolph carefully copSauces, Eggs - Mushrooms ied the recipes he brought and Cheese, Fritters and Pancakes, back from France, as well as additional Pastry - Pies and Tarts, Cakes, Creams ones from friends and the various cooks and Jellies, Puddings, Preserves, and and stewards who worked at different times, at Monticello and the White Beverages. Perhaps more interesting for us history House. The one-of-a-kind cookbook was buffs is the detailed description of the kitchen and dining habits in the George handed down for generations from mother Washington household. Martha sat at to daughter as a priceless possession. In the late 1930s, Fanny M. Burke... the head of the table with her husband great-great granddaughter of Jefferson... at her side to the right. Despite dozens of servants around presented the book to the Thomas the table, either Martha or George Jefferson Memorial Foundation shortly before her death. Ms. Burke joined always carved the meats to be served! You’ll absolutely love dozens of with the Foundation in giving noted other interesting details of this historical historian, Marie Kimball permission to prepare it for publication. dining room. Mrs. Kimball fully adapted Thomas “The Martha Washington Cook Book” is a beautiful perfect bound book Jefferson’s Cook Book to practical, you will be proud to display on your modern use. Each recipe has been tested. It is not coffee table, bookshelf, or where ever only correct, but tastes great! you keep your very best books. Thomas Jefferson’s Cook Book by Your friends and neighbors are guaranteed to be envious... and you are Marie Kimball was published in 1938. guaranteed to be completely satisfied It has now, of course, long been outwith your cookbook. You may examine of-print. An Ohio publisher, however, has and use it for a full three months and return it for a full no-questions-asked recently made special arrangements to reprint a limited edition of Thomas refund if you desire. Although not available in bookstores, Jefferson’s Cook Book. From his recipes used in Paris, you may order your cookbook directly from the publisher through the special Monticello and in the White House are complete treatises on many delicious order details at the end of this article. soups... both French and American. “Amazing Details of Jefferson’s You’ll love Jefferson’s personal Dining Habits” comments about his soup recipes. Better yet, the list of desserts and Jefferson set sail for France in 1784 creams will make you hungry when as Minister to the Court of Louis XVI. The cuisine of France, which he was you really aren’t! Under “Creams” are to discover, was a joy and a revelation recipes for dishes as tasty today as when they were written over 200 years ago! to him. Want to really be a hit with your During the four years he lived in Paris... Jefferson devoted himself to the family and friends? Simply invite them intricacies of French cooking. The most over for “dinner with Jefferson” and precious recipes of his French kitchen serve all your dishes from Thomas were carefully copied in his own hand Jefferson’s Cook Book!

Your friends and neighbors are guaranteed to be absolutely envious... and you are guaranteed to be completely satisfied with your cookbook. You may examine and use it for a full three months and return it for a full no-questions-asked refund if you desire. If you contact the publisher right now, you can get your own personal copy of these delightful historic cookbooks. They are beautiful full-size perfect bound books you will be proud to display on your coffee table, bookshelf, or where ever you keep your very best books. Although not available in bookstores, you may order your cookbooks directly from the publisher. The price of each cookbook is regularly $23.93 each. So the 2 book set would be $47.86. But readers of this article get a $17.86 discount plus get free shipping and handling and pay only $30 delivered. That amazing price is only available if ordering both The Martha Washington Cook Book and a copy of Thomas Jefferson’s Cook Book together as a complete 2 book set. There is a strict limit however, of only two sets per customer. It’s easy to get your copy of The Martha Washington Cook Book and your copy of Thomas Jefferson’s Cook Book. Simply write your name and address on a plain piece of paper. Mail it along with your remittance of only $30 postpaid, OH residents please add 6.25% sales tax) to: Martha & Jefferson Cookbook Set, Special Offer MJ202, 500 S. Prospect Ave., Box 980, Hartville, Ohio 44632. You may charge to your Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express by including your card number, expiration date and signature. For even faster service, have your credit card handy and telephone toll-free 1-800-310-7610 and ask for Special Offer MJ202. These books make an excellent gift for any gift-giving occasion. You can get two sets (that’s 2 Martha Cookbooks & 2 Jefferson Cookbooks, total 4 books) for only $50 postpaid... another $10 saving! Act within the next 15 days and the publisher will include a free bonus valued at $20.00. It’s a copy of a priceless historic document... the littleknown original rough draft of the Declaration of Independence! The draft is in Jefferson’s own handwriting with corrections in the margins by Ben Franklin and John Adams! Remember, it’s yours absolutely free, even if you decide not to keep your cookbooks. http://www.jamesdirect.com IMPORTANT: This limited offer is only available to readers of this publication who call or order by mail. Website doesn’t offer this special discount pricing at this time. ©2012 JDI MJ102S02

www.amac.us | 51

★ Did You Know

★ Fun Facts

Oil and Natural Gas Power America’s Economy

MARK TWAIN didn’t graduate from elementary school.

America’s oil and natural gas companies contribute signiﬁcantly to the U.S. economy as one of the nation’s largest employers and purchasers of goods. The industry supports more than 9 million jobs while contributing nearly 7.7% to our country’s GDP, and they contribute $86 million a day to the U.S. Treasury, with an effective tax rate that’s nearly double the average for all industries.

Q IS THE ONLY LETTER in the alphabet that does not appear in the name of any of the United States.

Credit Bureaus Selling Your Private Info A loophole in the law allows the four largest credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, TransUnion and Innovis to sell your personal and private ﬁnancial information to credit card companies and mortgage companies without your permission. You then get all kinds of confusing letters, many of them trying to trick you into thinking they are your current credit card or mortgage company. The good news is that you can stop them from doing this. By contacting www.optoutprescreen. com, you can have your name removed from the list and these agencies will no longer be allowed to sell your personal and private information.

Breast Cancer and Sleep A recent study links a lack of sleep with more aggressive breast cancer. At University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Cheryl Thompson saw the link in data on 101 women with breast cancer who were asked about their average sleep hours. “Women who reported on average before diagnosis fewer hours of sleep per night had a higher likelihood of recurrence, so therefore a more aggressive breast tumor.” These more dangerous tumors were more common among women who reported 6 hours or less of sleep per night. Thompson says more data is needed to discover what accounts for the association, but she says 7 to 8 hours of sleep should still be a good thing.

Wealthy Americans Continue to Give It looks like the wealthy are doing just ﬁne distributing their money to where it is needed, without the government’s “help.” They gave almost 9 billion dollars last year to not-for-proﬁt Hospitals alone.

Easing the Burden of Utility Bills Most utility companies offer a plan where you can ‘average-out’ the cost of your utility usage. They will ‘total’ your bills for one year, then divide by 12 months to get your average cost. It is often easier to pay $100/month, than to have that summer electric bill at $350 hit you. Same with the gas bill in winter. Call your utility companies for information.

Finding a Doctor Who Takes Medicare Having a hard time locating a doctor who participates in Medicare? Medicare maintains a participating physician directory on its site. The info includes gender, education, certiﬁcation, and hospital privileges. For further information: 1-800-633-4227 or www.medicare.gov

52 | www.amac.us

BABE RUTH wore a cabbage leaf under his cap to keep him cool. He changed it every 2 innings. THE PENTAGON in Washington, D. C. has five sides, five stories, and five acres in the middle. In 1963, baseball pitcher GAYLORD PERRY remarked, “They’ll put a man on the moon before I hit a home run.” On July 20, 1969, a few hours after Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, Gaylord Perry hit his first (and only) home run. THE MICROWAVE OVEN was invented by mistake when an engineer testing a magnetron tube noticed that the radiation from it melted the chocolate bar he had in his pocket.

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Just for Fun Crossword ACROSS 1. 5. 10. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 20. 22. 23. 24. 25. 32. 33. 34. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 45. 49. 50.

Crazes Vamoose Garret Pearly-shelled mussel Not dead Spindle Standard Freeing Patella Ash Male cat Unreactive Complete League members Delete Suffering Backside Bumbling Gloomy atmosphere Not cold Critical TV, radio, etc. Booking Lust for money Large flightless bird A poisonous plant

53. 57. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65.

Drawing a comparison Happening Region Cooking fat Express a thought Close Tall woody plant He plays the bagpipes Ripped

DOWN 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 19.

Depression Nameless Calamitous At some indefinite time Highly seasoned fatty sausage Paper holder Thorax protector Affirm No more than Language of ancient Rome Any compound of oxygen Ground grain Basic belief Comment to the audience

Sudoku

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54 | www.amac.us

21. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 34. 35. 36. 38. 39. 41.

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Joke of the Month

42. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 58.

Mother Superficiality Specter Happen again Master of ceremonies Wash out with a solvent Prune Yachting cap Skin disease Chocolate cookie Equipment Tale Bite Solutions on pg. 45



A man is talking to the family doctor. “Doc, I think my wife’s going deaf.” The doctor answers, “Well, here’s something you can try on her to test her hearing. Stand some distance away from her and ask her a question. If she doesn’t answer, move a little closer and ask again. Keep repeating this until she answers. Then you’ll be able to tell just how hard of hearing she really is.” The man goes home and tries it out. He walks in the door and says, “Honey, what’s for dinner?” He doesn’t hear an answer, so he moves closer to her. “Honey, what’s for dinner?” Still no answer. He repeats this several times, until he’s standing just a few feet away from her. Finally, she answers, “For the eleventh time, I said we’re having MEATLOAF!”

Heard any good ones lately? Send them in!

Please submit your joke by emailing info@amac.us or mailing to Joke of the Month, c/o AMAC 5 Orville Drive, Suite 400, Bohemia, NY 11716. Your joke may be featured in our next magazine!

www.amac.us | 55 1. (b) Mount Rushmore is named for a New York City Lawyer who came to the Black Hills to inspect mining claims in 1885. Story goes that Charles E. Rushmore asked the name of the mountain and his guide suggested calling it Rushmore. 2. (c) There were nearly 400 workers who helped create the memorial, putting their skills to work on Rushmore as drillers, carvers, powder men, etc. The average salary was anywhere from .45 cents to .75 cents an hour, with the chief carver earning the highest salary at $1.50 per hour. Some worked for a few days and others for many years. It is believed one man was ﬁred by Borglum for yodeling on the job. 3. (a) Cost of construction fell just shy of a million dollars, which was considered an astounding amount of money at the time. It is estimated that out of 14 years of carving, 8.5 years of delays were encountered due to funding issues or poor weather. 4. (a) The number of people who died during construction is zero. This is a miraculous fact due to the dangerous nature of the work. Sadly, some of the workmen suffered lung problems later due to inhalation of dust. 5. (d) Mount Rushmore is made of Harney Peak Granite, an ideal medium for sculpting. This granite erodes very slowly at only one inch every 10,000

9. (c) In efforts to preserve the Memorial, electronic instruments have been placed along some of the major fractures. These instruments measure the slightest movement in three dimensions and also record temperature of the air and rock surface. Measurements are taken four times a day and information is sent to a central computer. Cracks on Mount Rushmore are filled with silicone sealant before they can do real damage. Repairing cracks requires a trained member of the “Rope Access” squad to manually fix troubled spots by rappelling down the faces with a silicone-filled caulking gun.

6. (b) 90% of the heads were carved with dynamite and over 450,000 tons of rock was removed. These impressive faces were considered “full scale” meaning that if they were part of a full body, they would stand at about 465 feet tall. Each face measures roughly 60 feet from the top of the head to the chin, with the nose of each about 20 feet long.

Workers had to climb 506 steps daily to get to the top of the memorial. Many folks who visit the monument are in complete awe of its grand scale. The entire memorial covers 1,278.45 acres.

years and is considered ﬁne-grained with zones of large crystals called pegmatite. These zones are more susceptible to cracking than the surrounding granite and need to be carefully monitored.

7. (d) Mount Rushmore is open 7 days a week, 364 days a year, closed only for Christmas. July and August are the busiest months. There is a visitor center and a café and gift shop. As part of the partnership project, there is now a much larger parking facility and a new Lincoln Borglum Museum which features an orientation ﬁlm and exhibits. The Avenue of ﬂags lines the walkway leading to the Grandview Terrace and Presidential Trail, a halfmile walking trail that offers views of the mountain. Entrance to the park is free, however, expect to pay for parking. 8. (b) Mount Rushmore stands at 5,725 feet with the faces at 5,500 feet above sea level. Each face is estimated to be as tall as 6 a story building.

10. (a) George Washington’s face was sculpted first. On July 4, 1930, an official dedication ceremony was held for the head of Washington. Though Washington’s sculpture was completed first, Gutzon Borglum continued to perfect each head throughout years of carving. He studied the faces from the base of the mountain at many different angles and observed how light and shadows affected the sculptures. His goal was to accurately capture the facial expressions of each president.

Answers to quiz: a) b) c) d)

$989,992.32 $665,003.42 $75,892.22 $88,992.50

3. The cost of the memorial was: a) b) c) d)

95 200 400 800

2. The number of workers who helped create this memorial was: a) b) c) d)

A hiker A New York City lawyer A politician A meandering stream

1. Mount Rushmore Mountain was named in 1885 for:

a) b) c) d)

Sledge hammers Dynamite Arc Welders Sandblasters

6. 90% of the heads were carved with: a) b) c) d)

Quartz Corundum Pyrite Harney Peak Granite

5. The mountain is made primarily of: a) b) c) d)

0 2 3 11

4. The number of people who died during construction was:

a) b) c) d)

George Washington Thomas Jefferson Abraham Lincoln Theodore Roosevelt

10.Whose face was sculpted first? a) b) c) d)

Concrete Latex based glue Silicone sealant Acrylic ﬁller

9. Cracks on Mount Rushmore are filled with: a) b) c) d)

8,032 feet tall 5,725 feet tall 2,025 feet tall 1,997 feet tall

8. Mount Rushmore is: a) b) c) d)

Weekends only Weekdays only Spring and Summer All year long

7. Mount Rushmore is open to the public: Test Your Knowledge - answers below

Mount Rushmore Quiz JUST FOR FUN... BONUS PAGE

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*Average savings based on new auto policyholder savings reported to Travelers through the Affinity marketing distribution channel in 2011. Individual savings may vary. Savings are not guaranteed. Savings message is not applicable in MA. Insurance is underwritten by The Travelers Indemnity Company or one of its property casualty affiliates, One Tower Square, Hartford, CT 06183. In FL: Auto insurance policies are underwritten by First Floridian Auto and Home Insurance Company, The Travelers Home and Marine Insurance Company, or by The Travelers Commercial Insurance Company. In MA: Auto policies are underwritten by The Premier Insurance Company of Massachusetts (Premier), a single-state subsidiary of The Travelers Indemnity Company. Premier is not guaranteed by The Travelers Indemnity Company or any other Travelers company. In TX: Auto insurance is offered by Travelers MGA, Inc. and underwritten by Consumers County Mutual Insurance Company (CCM). CCM is not a Travelers company. Coverages, discounts, special program rates, and billing options are subject to availability and individual eligibility. Not all features available in all areas. ÂŠ 2012 The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved. Travelers and the Travelers Umbrella logo are registered trademarks of The Travelers Indemnity Company in the U.S. and other countries. PL-15467 Rev. 9-12

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