Above photo by Bill Hughes.
Activists formed a human chain Tuesday at the Social Security Headquarters in Woodlawn, Baltimore to say “no” to cuts in benefits.
The Obama-Biden administration put on the table “Chained CPI,” to appease some suspect the wirepullers on Wall Street. But activists say it will hurt folks on Social Security and aid the notoriously greedy 1 percent Gang.
The plan’s purpose is to cut Social Security benefits by “letting inflation eat into annual cost-of-living increases.”
One of the speakers at the rally was Fred D. Mason. He’s president of the Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO. Mason said that people in this country are getting fed-up with politics that places unfair burdens on working class people and the retirees. He said The Chained CPI will take “$300 billion on more” out of Social Security.
Mason added: “I’m mad as hell…The people are getting mad as hell, too, and they aren’t going to take it anymore…It’s time to stand-up and fight back.”
The rally was sponsored by the “Alliance for Retired Americans.”
Meanwhile, gofers in Congress for the super-rich/Wall Street Banksters, are permitting the 1 percent Gang to get away with not paying their fair share of taxes and letting them hide their massive assets in off-shore accounts.
For more photos see my Facebook page.
Staff note: There were more than 5o actions and over 2000 participants nationwide. This is a great start. Here are some news reports state by state, compiled by the Alliance for Retired Americans.
California – Berkeley Daily Planet: Rally to Protect Our Vital Programs
KSEE-TV (ABC): Valley Retired Residents Hit the Road to Protest Possible Medicare, Social Security Cuts
Connecticut – Hartford Courant: Retirees Will Protest Social Security Plans
New Haven Independent: Protesters: Keep Social Security Unchained
Florida – The Palm Beach Post: Seniors to Protest Social Security Benefit Changes
The Tampa Tribune: Henderson: Rubio’s problems don’t end with immigration
Iowa – Cedar Falls Courier: Foes of Social Security change to protest
Des Moines Register: Liberal groups to protest ‘chained CPI’ reform to Social Security Tuesday
Radio Iowa: Protest of “chained CPI” at Federal Building in Des Moines
WOI-TV (CBS): Human Chain Formed in Protest
Indiana
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Retirees plan protest chain today at federal building
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Protesters link up to oppose chained CPI
WIBC Radio (FOX): Protestors Speak Out Against Chained CPI
WFIU Radio (NPR): Protestors Decry Linking Social Security To Cost Of Living
The Herald Bulletin: Retirees oppose Social Security cuts outside Anderson City Hall
WISH-TV (CBS): Retirees demonstrate against proposed Social Security reductions
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Protesters oppose chains on benefits
WBAA Radio (NPR): Seniors rally against Social Security changes
Maryland – Baltimore Post-Examiner: Social Security Cuts: Baltimore’s AFL-CIO Fred Mason is ‘Mad as Hell’
Missouri
KMOX Radio (CBS): Seniors Protest Possible Social Security Change
Nebraska
Star Herald: Groups in Neb. to protest Social Security change
KHAS-TV (NBC): Protesters Concerned About Changes To Social Security Changes
KLKN-TV (ABC): Dozens rally against possible Social Security cuts
Journal Star: Retired Americans plan Tuesday rally
Omaha World Herald/AP: Groups to protest Social Security change
WOWT-TV (NBC)/AP: “Human Chain” Protests SS Cuts
NTV-TV (ABC)/AP: Group to Protest Social Security Cuts Around Federal Building
New Jersey
South Jersey Times: Seniors decry potential changes in Social Security benefits at Rowan
New Mexico
KRWG TV/FM (NPR): Protest Against Potential Social Security Cuts Tuesday In Albuquerque
Nevada
KRNV-TV (ABC): Locals protest Social Security cuts
KTNV-TV (ABC): Social security discussion held in Las Vegas
New York
The Post-Standard: Seniors need to stand together to protect retirement security
WIVB-TV (CBS): Seniors to form human chain in protest
North Carolina
WPDE-TV (ABC): Retiree group protests Social Security proposal in Conway
WNCN-TV (NBC)/AP : Group to protest in front of Hagan office over Social Security proposal
WLOS-TV (ABC)/AP: Retiree group protests Social Security proposal
Triangle Business Journal: Retirees protest proposed SS changes
Ohio
WKBN-TV (CBS): Seniors protest proposed benefit cut
The Plain Dealer: Human chain protests proposed Social Security changes
Tribune Chronicle: Protesters: Protect S.S.
South Carolina
Summerville Patch: Human Chain Against Chained CPI’ on July 2
Charleston City Paper: Human chain protests Social Security benefit cuts
The Charlotte Observer/AP: Retiree group protests Social Security proposal
WCSC-TV (CBS)/AP: Retiree group protests Social Security proposal
Virginia
The Virginian-Pilot: Protesting a Cut to Social Security
Vermont
VTDigger: Vermont Alliance for Retired Americans to form human chain to protest Social Security CPI change
Burlington Free Press: Rally decries Social Security benefit cuts
Washington
The Olympian: Alliance for Retired holds demonstration at state Capitol grounds to protect Social Security COLAs
WEAU-TV (NBC): Seniors protest potential Social Security cuts
Wisconsin
Green Bay Press Gazette: Retirees form human chain to protest chained CPI
Examiner: Two July 2 ‘Human Chains’ for Social Security in South Carolina
Superior Telegram: Senior citizens protest chained CPI in Social Security
Appleton Post-Crescent: Protesters form chain around Ribble’s office to oppose Social Security proposal
Facts about chained CPI:
- It’s a Social Security benefit cut! It’s not just a simple technical change
without any impact – it’s an immediate, real cut to the benefits you have earned every
year into the future. - It is NOT just a small benefit cut! Switching to a chained CPI would compound
benefit reductions dramatically over time, resulting in an annual benefit that is roughly
$1,000 (2012 dollars) lower by the time a beneficiary reaches age 85. - We need a higher COLA – not a lower one! The current COLA is not enough – it
does not accurately account for large health care cost increase faced by seniors and
people with disabilities.
To learn more, check out our Chained CPI Fact Sheet.