Granny's Doing Fine

The Census reports that over 65s have actually seen their income rise during the Great Recession: Perhaps no households have weathered the downturn better than those headed by people 65 and older, whose incomes rose 5.5 percent from 2007 to 2010. By contrast, household income for every …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday September 15, 2011

Plummer's Extraordinary "Beginners" Luck

Christopher Plummer is beguiling in "Beginners". He plays a widower who comes out of the closet as a liberated gay senior, landing a beefcake younger boyfriend. Spreading out after two weeks of very limited big-city release, writer/director Mike Mills' dramedy Beginners is kind of an in-joke, as …

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Written by Telly Davidson on Friday June 24, 2011

Gingrich Was Right About Ryan Plan

The elderly and large numbers of independents oppose the Ryan Plan, meaning GOP presidential hopefuls touting its proposals could be driven out of contention. Americans want the deficit reduced, but they aren’t so keen on Paul Ryan’s medicare plan. A new Bloomberg Poll finds that Americans by …

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Written by Jeb Golinkin on Friday June 24, 2011

Can Seniors Really Handle a Medicare Cut?

Social Security provides more than 60% of the income for Americans over age 65. Can we really count on seniors to pay a rising share of their Medicare costs? Jared Bernstein makes the point that Social Security provides more than 60% of the income for Americans over age 65. (h/t "Debs") There …

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Written by David Frum on Tuesday May 17, 2011

The Elderly Say "No"

People on Medicare are often suspicious of expanded government involvement in healthcare, because they see it as competing with Medicare for scarce dollars. Tom Schaller asks : "Why are senior citizens crying "socialism" at town halls?" As we like to say in academia:  I don't know the answer, …

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Written by Andrew Gelman on Tuesday August 25, 2009

The Big Money Speaks

Yesterday, the first ad debuted in what is being described as a $12 million campaign in favor of the Democrats’ health plans. After an August of angry public meetings, September looks to be the month when the big money is heard. Yesterday, the first ad debuted in what is being described as a …

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Written by David Frum on Friday August 14, 2009

The Reckless Right Courts Violence

Hysterical talk from TV and radio hosts may be a cynical marketing exercise. But it's getting too dangerous to ignore. A man bearing a sidearm appears outside President Obama's Aug. 11 town hall meeting in Portsmouth, N.H., under a sign proclaiming, "It is time to water the tree of liberty." …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday August 13, 2009

Now It’s the Dems Turn to Experience Mediscare

The Dems are finally discovering what should have been obvious from the sea of gray and white heads in evidence in all those town hall videos: senior citizens loathe Obamacare. The Washington Post finally discovers what should have been obvious from the sea of gray and white heads in evidence …

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Written by Gusher on Monday August 10, 2009