With the fiscal cliff looming, Congressmen Mike Capuano (D-Boston) and John Tierney (D-Salem) kicked off a major rally against potential cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security at Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall. The event, which drew a crowd of more than 500 Bay State seniors, workers and healthcare advocates, marked a nationwide day of action calling for new revenue and investments in job creation as key components of a potential deal on the fiscal cliff.



Following remarks from Capuano and Tierney, Massachusetts residents amongst the most likely to be impacted by cuts to vital federal programs spoke out at the hour-long event. Among them were local seniors, healthcare providers and unemployed workers.



“Medicaid funds the personal care attendant program. The PCA program is a growing cost effective program that not only saves money in long term care, but also creates jobs. Shame on corporations that have joined together to call on deficit reduction by cutting so-called entitlement programs. I am not an entitlement, I am a working mother, I am a contributor to society and a tax-paying mom,” said Susan Graham, a Boston personal care attendant.

“We will not stand idly by and allow the fiscal cliff to be exploited as a means for more corporate welfare,” said Veronica Turner, Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU. “Healthcare workers support a revenue first approach because the patients we care for rely on Medicare and Medicaid – and because investing in these services will create jobs and economic stability for the whole nation.”

The indoor rally was followed by an outdoor protest in which hundreds of local seniors, homecare workers and other participants linked hands and chanted “Jobs, not cuts!” The action brought visibility to their cause, reminding holiday shoppers at Quincy Market of the huge impact that could be felt by those who depend on earned benefit programs.



Check out media coverage of the event:

Boston Globe | Labor leaders organize anti-cliff protest at Faneuil Hall

http://www.boston.com/politicalintelligence/2012/12/10/labor-leaders-organize-anti-cliff-protest-faneuil-hall/OS0oUDldMhJz2hAK37VJXI/story.html



WUNI TV27 Univision | Protestas Abismo Fiscal

http://www.wunitv.com/noticia/2012/12/10/439254-protestas-abismo-fiscal.html



Springfield Republican/MassLive | Liberal groups - and Massachusetts Congressmen - work to protect Social Security and Medicare

http://mobile.masslive.com/advmasslive/pm_29257/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=ZkMc2chA



BNN | Unions, Elders, Advocates Oppose "Fiscal" Cliff Cuts

http://vimeo.com/m/55310156



NECN | Yes to taxes, no to cuts

http://www.necn.com/12/10/12/Yes-to-taxes-no-to-cuts/landing_mobile.html?blockID=812225&feedID=11126



World Journal: 守護聯邦福利麻州400人相挺 (Roughly: 400 rally to protect federal benefits in Massachusetts)

http://www.worldjournal.com/view/full_news/21090536/article-%E5%AE%88%E8%AD%B7%E8%81%AF%E9%82%A6%E7%A6%8F%E5%88%A9-%E9%BA%BB%E5%B7%9E400%E4%BA%BA%E7%9B%B8%E6%8C%BA?instance=news_pics



Open Media Boston | Video: US Rep Mike Capuano at National Fiscal Cliff Day of Action

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd27-48yIFA&sns=em



BlueMassGroup (blog) | Capuano, Tierney Join 500+ to Rally Against Fiscal Cliff Cuts

http://bluemassgroup.com/2012/12/capuano-tierney-join-500-to-rally-against-fiscal-cliff-cuts/