On Wednesday, a few dozen activists and staff paid a visit to Republican Rep. Paul Ryan’s office to deliver a message on behalf of over 700,000 petition signers—“No grand bargain in exchange for cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits.”
Head below the fold for the full story, including more video.
Ryan’s political agenda includes gutting the social safety net that is vital to so many Americans in order to preserve tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. That trade-off is just not acceptable to Americans who have earned these benefits.
The activists who visited Ryan’s office depend on these earned benefits and went to present their stories and the signatures of 708,000 supporters who oppose any cuts to the safety net in a budget deal.
As the crowd reached Ryan’s office, a chant rang through the corridor—“What does America want?” “No cuts!” resonated off the concrete walls.
Ryan’s staff were opposed to our camera’s entering the office for the delivery and tried to close the doors to the office—all while a few shuffling activists stood in the doorway to keep a line of sight for the cameras. Shortly after, one of his staff stepped into the hallway to hear what we had to say.
Activist Ellie Irby, a self-proclaimed “new kid on the block,” presented a binder full of signatures—along with a digital copy of the petition and signatures on a flash drive to provide Ryan’s office with proof that the public is against bargaining away the social safety net.
Irby, a natural activist, tells the story of her motivation in the video–as a beneficiary of these programs, cuts are unacceptable.
Watch the video above to hear from a few of the dedicated activists.
Our friends at Campaign For America’s Future made a video report you can view here.
Thanks to all of the organizations participating in America Wants No Cuts:
Alliance for Retired Americans, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Campaign for America's Future, Center for Community Change, DailyKos, Democracy for America, Other 98%, Progressives United, Social Security Works and USAction.