IN OUR VIEW | Expanding Medicare: Should program cover those age 50 and up?

Congressional Democrats are floating an idea to increase health insurance coverage by allowing those age 50 and above to buy into Medicare.

President Joe Biden had supported lowering the age to 60 during his campaign for the White House, but has so far not proposed such a move.

Supporters say lowering eligibility from 65 to 50 would help ensure more people are covered and decrease costs for everyone by taking the people with the highest percentage of health issues out of the private insurance marketplace.

Critics worry how the government will fund expanded Medicare and predict premiums will have to go up on younger Americans to pay for it.

We want to know what you think. Should Congress consider lowering the age for Medicare eligibility? Or is it a bad idea?

Send your response (50 words maximum) to [email protected] or visit texarkanagazette.com/question by Wednesday, May 12. You can also mail your response to the Texarkana Gazette Friday Poll, at P.O. Box 621, Texarkana, TX 75504 or drop it off at our office, 101 E. Broad St, Texarkana, Arkansas. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number. We will print as many responses as we can in next Friday's paper.

Last Week: Off-Campus Speech?

Last week's question was about a U.S. Supreme Court case that could decide just how much authority schools have over student speech outside of the classroom. Should schools be able to discipline students for off-campus speech? Or should that be beyond a school's authority?

- This is definitely free speech. Brandy spoke off campus, which should be fine. Schools have covenants, particularly on athletes on what not to do on campus. Just because her (supposed) friends squealed on on her, does not take her freedom of speech away. As usual, Republicans want to take everyone else's rights away, but their own. Such a sad bunch! - R.K.

From texarkanagazette.com/question

- No. Anything children do or say outside of school is literally between the child and the child's parents. The parents are in charge of discipline outside of school and that choice is theirs. The school district should have zero authority over anything off of school property. That's as if the school is saying "don't talk about me or I'll punish you once you come back to school." It's ridiculous. Of course kids say things when they get mad. They're KIDS. Get over it. - C.F.

- No. If this is moved into the control of any school, what is next? Will it be a student's beliefs? The way they dress? How they speak, in general? Do I agree with the social media post? Absolutely not! I don't have to, nor do I need to see it or follow it. I will not make any attempt to see it at all. I feel like the girls in question, should have more respect for themselves than to stoop so low. I am thankful my parents showed me how to make good choices, I pray I have instilled the same in my children. There is so much pressure in this modern day world. - J.B.

- No. That would be a parents place otherwise a school should take legal action. - L.H.

- Yes. Employers do it, why shouldn't schools do it, but it does depend on who you are too, as far as disciplining is concerned. - L.C.

- Yes. All speech is not protected. If the speech fails the "clear and present danger test," then yes schools can discipline if that speech is with intent to harm or defame. - M.C.

From facebook.com/texarkanagazette

- Nope school grounds are where their authority ends.what people do out side of school is none of the schools issues.

- No they didn't have that right. They didn't do it on school grounds so that is none of the schools business.

- No, with the exception of bullying, hate speech or threatening physical violence.

- Absolutely not the school system should not have the authority to discipline a child outside of school grounds that is the parents job! How did that substantially disrupt learning? It hurt the coaches feelings but disrupted nothing.

- Nope. School is wrong on this.

- I agree with the suspension.

- Those parents need to teach her not to be a sore loser though

- A kids behavior outside school reflects that school and as a cheerleader, she is representing the school on the field and off.

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