100s of Seniors Join Occupy Chicago, Protest Cuts to Medicare, Social Security (47 Arrests)

[Hissyspit]

Source: HuffingtonPost

Seniors Join Occupy Chicago, Protest Cuts To Medicare, Social Security (PHOTOS, LIVE BLOG)

First Posted: 11/7/11 10:51 AM ET Updated: 11/7/11 01:24 PM ET

Hundreds of senior citizens gathered in Chicago's Federal Plaza Monday morning to let Congress know how they feel about cutting Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. The group ultimately blocked traffic at a downtown intersection -- leading to 47 arrests.

Members of the Jane Addams Senior Caucus were joined by other grassroots organizations, including Occupy Chicago, in a rally outside of Sen. Mark Kirk and Sen. Dick Durbin's office, followed by a march.

- snip -

Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Danny Davis appeared at the protest, and were eventually joined by Rep. Mike Quigley and Sen. Durbin himself. The seniors want the federal budget to strengthen social programs for elderly Americans and low-income families as well as funding for housing and urban development programs.

"Many older women, especially older women of color, would suffer the brunt of these cuts," Mary Burns, leader of the Jane Addams Senior Caucus, in a statement, according to NBC Chicago. “Senator Durbin and Senator Kirk need to hear that seniors are the members of the 99% and have something to say about this issue and these programs.”

Read more: http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publicatio...

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1:11 PM – Today
47 Arrested
From HuffPost's Lizzie Schiffman:

"Very polite" police officers have arrested 47 people participating in the Senior Caucus march for refusing to get out of the street near Jackson and Clark. Four people in wheelchairs were in custody.

[Uncle Joe]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Hissyspit.

[Hissyspit]

22. CORRECT LINK:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/07/seniors-join-o...

[Hissyspit]

28. PHOTO:

[xchrom]

2. Recommend

[SoapBox]

3. Thank you Seniors!!!!!

Hey Police Militia/1%er's...you can NOT stop the Occupy Movement.

You pushed TOO far and we, the 99%, have had it.

I want OUR tax dollars to stop funding the Militia, that arrests American senior citizens.

[Sportsguy]

18. Thank You From Me Too!

Damn, we've got a long road ahead, but we're gonna get there! Senior power!!!

[andlor]

55. +1

[Hubert Flottz]

4. K&R

Cuts to Social Security and Medicare would be a "death panel" for many elderly Americans, who already choose each month between food and shelter or medications they require to survive. Make the drug companies pay windfall taxes!

[redwhiteblue]

6. Socialism with a Harry S. Truman quote.

A Quote from Harry S. Truman.
" The Republicans will try to tell you that everything the government does for the country is socialism.They will go to the people and say:"Did you see that social security check you got the other day-you thought that was good for you didn't you? That's just too bad!That's nothing in the world but Socialism.Did you see that new flood control dam the government is building over there for the protection of your property? Sorry,-that's awful socialism.That new hospital that they are building is socialism. Price supports, more socialism for the farmers.Minimum wage laws? Socialism for labor.Socialism is bad for you my friend.Everybody knows that. And here you are with your new car, and your home and better opportunities for the kids and a television set__You are just surrounded by socialism.Now the Republicans say."That's a terrible thing my friend and the only way out of this sinkhole of socialism is to vote for the Republican ticket."

[Hubert Flottz]

7. He really did give them "hell"...

The plain truth Is hell, to the GOP. It was in Harry's day and it still is today. They even believe their own lies.

I'd call them bat shit crazy.

[coalition_unwilling]

64. HST didn't give them hell. He only told the truth, but they thought it

was hell

[Bozita]

14. Great quote needs only one additional word to be updated: flatscreen

[truedelphi]

23. And meanwhile, the dams the nation was building, and the hospitals,

And the community colleges, all those allowed for a very low unemployment rate.

All during the Truman and Eisenhower years, the nation was keeping people employed.

And the more people that were working, the more people were needed. Folks were tired of living in cramped apartments, so neighborhoods with single homes were developed.

If the nation had followed some "No more than twenty percent of GDP can be spent in any given year" mandate, we would be speaking German or Japanese now. As our budget for either 1943 or '44 was 144% of the GDP. (One hundred forty four percent, in case someone thinks this figure is one of my usual typos.)

But that's what it takes sometimes.

[Enthusiast]

49. Don't worry. All that information is now carefully kept

from the public eye. Every TV channel sounds like Fox.

[midnight]

25. Wonderful quote...

[pacalo]

38. That's worth keeping in order to be reminded how "awful" socialism is.

When did social concern for all become demonized?! Weird-o-rama.

[Hanks]

46. It's amazing

how the right wing mantra never seems to change and always spouts the same bs. Those words Truman uttered are so applicable today just like back in his time. I bet you can go back to FDR and find similar comments.

[Enthusiast]

48. Too bad we can't vote for Harry in the 2012 election.

Instead we have this fucking fake assed corporate Democrat that doesn't deserve re-election.

[freshwest]

63. They haven't changed their tune, have they? Thanks and Welcome to DU.

[rosesaylavee]

5. Wow. Have some friends down there today...

and they are retired - not sure they would welcome 'elderly' as an adjective but I wonder if they were arrested...

[PatrynXX]

17. well hell thats such a generic term though

if I looked up role play porn and had Elderly incest... I'm probably getting women in their 40's-60's.

and of course Seniors is generic. if I have a Senior moment does that mean I'm 60 or 18? oh high school seniors

Was george carlin ever elderly?

[woo me with science]

8. K&R Shame on Obama and every backer of these cuts

who would put seniors in this position.

[Enthusiast]

50. It was all a set-up.

The entire debt crisis was pure theater from the start. But because Obama is a "Democrat" they believe they can carry it off. They are probably right. But Obama deserves to lose the election for his part in the ruse. But TPTB are making certain that Obama's opponents are so objectionable that he will be re-elected. Sorry if I have offended anyone but this is just the way I see it.

[coalition_unwilling]

65. I agree with your take. Obama is being primaried by OWS, is getting

shellacked by OWS and deservedly so.

[woo me with science]

70. +10000

OWS IS Obama's primary.

[woo me with science]

68. ABSOLUTELY you are correct,

The debt charade was a con from the start, as was this "Democratic" administration.

Anyone who would claim offense at what you just wrote either has not been paying attention, or is complicit.

[SammyWinstonJack]

60. Yep. Obama owns this. His cat food commission got the ball rolling.

So Obama, you okay with seniors in wheel chairs being arrested for protesting your cuts to their lifeline?

Disgusting!


And yes, Shame on you!

[woo me with science]

69. +10000 I really think these wonderful seniors should mass at the White House and at Congress.

It would make a tremendous statement, as well as some powerful photographs to broadcast and underscore that richly deserved shame.

[Bozita]

9. Bigtime K&R

[jwirr]

10. Poor Rahm. Now he has to fight seniors. LOL.

[Sportsguy]

19. I'm Thinking I Don't Like That Guy

[999998th word]

42. Rham sucks.

[Enthusiast]

51. Hey! He was part of the Obama Administration!

Show some fucking respect!

[mpgalloway]

11. Please I want pictures..

I must see pictures. If we have seniors that is
a very big deal! Unbelievable!

[cate94]

12. K & R

[Matariki]

13. That is incredibly brave, considering it is no longer illegal to run down protesters in the street.

If the light is green.

[Moosepoop]

15. I believe the OP contains the wrong link ...

Here's the link to the article with photos and video:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/07/seniors-join-o...

ETA ... K&R!!

[Hissyspit]

21. Thanks.

[tsuki]

16. Yep, Diane Sawyer, "people" sure are getting bored with the OWS movement.

And don't worry, Diane, no one is expecting you to go out to Wall Street and interview anyone. You might chip a nail.

[lib2DaBone]

20. Cops in Military Riot Gear... what are they gonna do? Beat Senior Citizens to death?

Don't answer that....

[Paper Roses]

24. If I wasn't so old and had some $$ to get to Chicago, I'd be there in a flash.

Sometimes I wonder why I get up in the morning! Senior existence is not fun...especially when you think the government gives a damn.
I always thought I would have my SS check to help. I am now scared to death they will cut it or take it away. If they do, I might as well jump off a bridge. There is no way I can survive on less than the
$951.00 a month I get now after a lifetime of paying into the system. I pay over $4,000 a year on Real Estate taxes alone out of that allotment. We all know about the rest of the bills we pay.

I am so afraid for my kids. What have we come to?
Bomb the heck out of the Middle East, support all kinds of foreign causes for billions of dollars a year, keep the military in about 100 countries. Let the rest of us shrink into oblivion.

I never would have believed we'd come to this.

[Hanks]

45. Don't worry because

You are there with them in spirit. There are millions of us not there physically but are still there by doing various things to fight this corrupt system. And I think that things are not going to be the same again after OWS because now the political corporatists know that once our backs are to the wall we will fight back!

[Sarah Ibarruri]

26. THANK YOU, SENIORS!!!! nt

[red dog 1]

27. I Wonder How the Cops in Oakland Would Treat Senior Protesters?

[jtuck004]

30. Tear gas with Calcium. /nt

[defendandprotect]

29. KR -- and hope they are creating an even more VAST data base of 99%'ers !!!

[MrMickeysMom]

31. Let's see you shoot a rubber bullet into the geriatric set, bubba...

They'll fucking KILL your ass!

[unkachuck]

32. "Hundreds of senior citizens gathered in Chicago's Federal Plaza Monday..."

"Jane Addams Senior Caucus were joined by other grassroots organizations, including Occupy Chicago,..."

....damn, I gotta oil up my wheelchair and grab my cane, then head downtown to whoop some ass....

[progressoid]

33. GET A JOB HIPPIES!

[Charlemagne]

37. I loled

Ill admit.

[stubtoe]

62. That's "Get a job you DAMNED Hippies"

Good one

[femrap]

34. This is just the

beginning.

Why would the cops arrest old, poor women? I guess to keep their jobs. What a f*cking waste of their time and energy.

If $ is so damn tight, spend your efforts on VIOLENT CRIMINALS.

[Fire Walk With Me]

35. Police gotta stop. This is more important than the letter of the law.

And arresting seniors...SHAME on them.

[Tunkamerica]

44. playas gonna play

[Charlemagne]

36. K&R

[lovuian]

39. I have been waiting for the Seniors who have nothing to lose

except their Medicare and Social security benefits
of which all we hear from Washington is they want to cut

They will rise up

[999998th word]

41. Waiting until after the Wi recall petitions-and I'm in.

[Le Taz Hot]

54. The seniors have been out there all along

so you've been waiting for something that has existed from the First Day of OWS. I know our local Occupy group is probably 25% to 35% old farts (I can say that 'cause I are one). We've already risin up, it's just that this is the first organized senior group that have officially joined in.

[brentspeak]

40. Please fix the link n/t

[Hissyspit]

43. It's in post #22 above.

Can't edit OP after one hour.

[Enthusiast]

47. When we consider the obscene level of wasteful

military spending there is simply no excuse for cuts to programs that actually are essential security for millions of Americans. I mean real SECURITY, not some fucking faked up security like danger from terrorists. If you don't want terrorists get the fuck out of their countries.

Hey, we invaded countries to the East and West of Iran. But what do we hear on the MSM? "Oh, that awful Iran is going to make a nuclear weapon, we better attack them." Have you ever considered how fucking ridiculous this is?

[a la izquierda]

52. I just posted on FB...

to counter a terrible picture that my sister-in-law posted yesterday. It was a split image, kids serving in WWII and "kids" protesting at an OWS site. I don't remember what the words said, but I'm sure some of you have viewed it.

[Enthusiast]

67. The nation wasn't strictly ruled by Banks during WWII.

Huge difference. Our corporations didn't act like enemies moving the entire manufacturing sector overseas in the name of profit.

[malaise]

53. Love you Seniors

[Mosaic]

56. The more Patriots they arrest

The stronger the Movement becomes. Keep up the good work!

[tropicanarose]

57. YES! I am so proud of our Chicago Senior Citizens! K&R

[BigD_95]

58. I hope more and more

Seniors realize what is happening in this country.

I live in a area that Seniors just vote for Republicans even though its against their own interest.

If Seniors get behind this movement in a big way and start getting the word out then there is no stopping it.

[SammyWinstonJack]

61. Remember those seniors on medicare who were joining the teabaggers

in protest again single payer health care? I do.


Think any of them were among the seniors now protesting cuts to medicare/medicade and SS?


Opps.

[geardaddy]

59. Kicked and recommended

[onecent]

66. I'm a senior citizen...GO SENIORS!!!! K & R

[woo me with science]

71. Kick. nt