Senior Coalition or Drug Company Coalition? You tell us.

If you live here, you are wondering who is the Senior Coalition and why are they thinking that I'd ever want to vote for John Sweeney?

A letter to the editor in today's Post Star tells all:

The recent mailing by "The Senior Coalition" is a blatant example of non-truth on behalf of Mr. Sweeney.

The Senior Coalition is a thinly disguised organization largely funded by "Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America," and we know whose side they're on. The Senior Coalition asks that we encourage Mr. Sweeney to fight against H.R. 752, the Medicare Prescription Drug Savings and Choice Act. This bill would require that Medicare negotiate with suppliers for the best possible prices. Imagine the pharmaceutical industry agreeing to that.

The Senior Coalition would have Mr. Sweeney work to have Congress undo the 1993 tax changes on Social Security benefits of the Clinton administration. He doesn't tell us that these taxes were on the Social Security benefits of those with the highest adjusted gross incomes. Removing this tax change would be a boondoggle for the wealthiest of the Social Security recipients and add to the burden of the rest of the senior community.

The Senior Coalition would keep people from buying their prescription drugs in places like Canada where they cost a fraction of their price in the U.S. They've got Mr. Sweeney to help in that.

With "friends" like these, we don't need enemies. To turn Mr. Sweeney loose again in Congress is liking sending a wolf to watch the chickens getting plucked. Again.

MORT GREENBERG

Shushan