Seniors Rally in Boston Against Cuts to Social Programs (Seniors for Socialism Alert)

The Wall Street Journal ^ | 2011-11-10 | Jennifer Levitz

[rabscuttle385]

BOSTON–Chanting “hands off” and “no cuts,” hundreds of seniors rallied here to warn Congress’s deficit-cutting supercommittee to stay away from Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

“When you get older, you need help, not cuts,” said Steve Ciardi, a former pipe fitter who has multiple sclerosis and was in a wheelchair being pushed by his wife, Patty.

“That is what the country is about – helping people,” she said.

AARP Massachusetts, the SEIU and AFL-CIO labor unions, and several senior activist groups are organizing the event, which kicked off this morning with a rally at the historic Wang Theatre in downtown Boston.

[MEGoody]

I'm sure this is an unpopular opinion with some on FR, but. . .

I'm all for cuts for the future (i.e. starting with people in their 40s who know they won't have this in their lives and can plan for it). But I'm not in favor of cuts that are going to hurt people who are currently dependent on these things.

Yes, they should have saved more in their working years, but they didn't because they expected to have these benefits available in their "golden years". (And they DID pay in to social security expecting it to be there.)

[Jack Hammer]

Yes, I’ve heard it’s a government-mandated swindle; however, it’s not like the Oldsters didn’t earn the money.

[TheOldLady]

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[RWGinger]

This is absolutely true and important.
“AARP is crooked..and I will NEVER join. they ushered in 0bama and his healthcare...and will be the first ones to claimm and exemption.”

I took my aunt to one of the first meetings ARP held on obamacare here in dallas.
those AARP folks thought they were going to be talking to a bunch of sweet agreeable grandmas and granpa.s

instead the people had done their homework and blasted the AARP talkers on why they were supporting and working for a plan that would destroy medical care for everyone.
The AARP workers tried to lie and say they weren’t lobbbying for obamacare and were booed.
they left with those old people yelling at them.
It was wonderful.

so most seniors do get it. These people in Boston must have been recruited

[rabscuttle385]

Yes, they should have saved more in their working years, but they didn't because they expected to have these benefits available in their "golden years". (And they DID pay in to social security expecting it to be there.)

They also voted for politicians who took that money and spent it on other things.

Now, they expect future generations to pay the bill.

[MEGoody]

They also voted for politicians who took that money and spent it on other things.

Yes, some of them did. (Not all of them, of course.)

Now, they expect future generations to pay the bill.

Sort of. They all paid in to social security, and they all paid taxes throughout their working lives. It isn't fair to paint them with the same brush used to paint those who have lived on welfare all their lives.

Again, I'm all for changing things for future retirees, but not for yanking it from those already dependent.