BOSTON, MA - Historic turnout is expected for a rally on Wednesday, November 9, 11:00 a.m. at the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre in Boston where thousands of seniors and workers will voice their opposition to proposed Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid cuts.
As a congressional Super-Committee readies its recommendations on reducing the federal deficit, the November 9 event is expected to draw the largest senior turnout in Boston of any community rally in decades. The rally at the Wang Theatre will be followed by a rolling rally towards the offices of Sen. John Kerry and Sen. Scott Brown.
Seniors and workers say the proposed cuts will not only jeopardize benefits and retirement security for today's seniors and the seniors of tomorrow - they warn the proposed cuts are job killers that will undermine the nation's economic recovery and will immediately thrust more families and seniors into poverty.
The Super-Committee - a 12 member bipartisan group, including Sen. Kerry - is considering potential cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security that would harm today's seniors and workers - including: a $112 billion cut to Social Security by changing how the Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) is calculated and reducing benefits; raising the age of Medicare eligibility from 65 to 67; and, increasing out-of-pocket costs for seniors in Medicare.
There is a broadly-held concern among those slated to participate in the rally that Congress is not heeding the growing level of constituent frustration over the attacks on these hard-earned benefits that workers have paid into for years. Rally organizers say these benefits represent an intergenerational commitment - and that cuts of the magnitude being considered by the Super-Committee would constitute a betrayal of the seniors, veterans, and workers who have paid into the safety net and retirement systems for years.
The rally to defend retirement security and jobs will begin at 11 a.m., with seniors and workers uniting from across the state and region to speak out and share their concerns at the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre, 270 Tremont Street, Boston, MA.
Following the program at the Wang Theatre at approximately 12:45 p.m., the group is organizing a rolling rally towards the offices of Sen. John Kerry and Sen. Scott Brown to again raise their voices in defense of retirement security and jobs.
Who is involved? 2,000+ seniors, workers from across Massachusetts, 500+ seniors, workers from Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Leaders from AARP Massachusetts, Mass Senior Action, AFL-CIO, 1199 SEIU, National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare, and 50+ organizations representing seniors, and workers.
Deadline looming - The Super-Committee is due to report recommendations on Nov. 23. Now on the table: potential cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security that would harm today's seniors and workers. Social Security has not contributed one dime to the federal deficit, and cutting Medicare alone will not address the skyrocketing costs crippling the entire health care system. These proposals will, however, hurt today's seniors, today's workers and tomorrow's retirees. Seniors and workers say: don't cut our hard-earned benefits; focus attention on creating jobs, not hurting constituents.
Today, about one million Massachusetts residents rely on Social Security and Medicare. The average Social Security benefit for middle- and low- income Bay State Seniors is $13,900, while their average out-of-pocket cost for health care is $6,800.
