MN seniors rally against possible cuts to Medicare, Social Security
Hundreds of seniors concerned about likely Medicare and Social Assurance cuts under President Donald Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress gathered outside the Minnesota Capitol Wednesday to protest and hear from Democratic-Farmer-Labor elected leaders Minnesota DFL Senior Caucus members including retirees and veterans chanted slogans ranging from No one is going to save us we must keep protesting to Thoughts and prayers will not empty bedpans as they rallied on the st day of the Trump presidency I am out here for the people that I love who are dependent on Social Guard as their only source of income in their retirement explained Nettie Monroe of Shoreview a retired special teaching professor who collects both a pension and Social Prevention but has family members who only have regime help in retirement Juanita and David Blandenburg from Lakeville hold there picture frame protest sign during a Stop the Cuts protest at the State Capitol building on Wednesday April John Autey Pioneer Press Since taking office in January the Trump administration has made major cuts in the federal workforce and spending without Congressional action The administration has proposed cutting tens of thousands of jobs at the Department of Veterans Affairs the Department of Healthcare and Human Services It s also achievable the Republican-controlled Congress could approve decree to cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid the federal therapeutic assistance undertaking for people with lower incomes Speakers at the rally included Attorney General Keith Ellison Secretary of State Steve Simon and DFL state lawmakers And multiple at the rally were self-described Democratic voters who reported they have participated in protests in the past Though retired air traffic controller Steve Long and Cecilia Riedman who retired from a career in the soft drinks industry stated they only in recent months became involved in protesting against the Trump administration after moving to the Twin Cities from northern Minnesota Both described themselves as moderate independent voters concerned about what they described as abuses of power under Trump and declared they decided to participate in DFL Senior Caucus action at the urging of their more partisan-leaning friends I m so tired of hearing them called entitlements We paid into it pretty much all of our working careers mentioned Long It s in general just the disrespect for the Constitution Riedman commented adding that beyond cuts to benefits she was also concerned about prospective damage to higher training and research Minnesota Attorney Keith Ellison rallies protestors during a Stop the Days of Destruction rally at the State Capitol building in St Paul on Wednesday April John Autey Pioneer Press Related Articles Minnesota gun-carry permit age drops from to after legal challenge Keith Ellison sues Trump administration over orders on transgender issues Audio of Keith Ellison with Feeding Our Future defendants draws Republican scrutiny Ellison endorses Flanagan ahead of Smith s Senate retirement U of M Essentia Fairview to continue talks with facilitator
