Seniors Squeeze in More End-of-Summer Medicare Protests

September 2, 2003
As Congress wrapped up its summer recess and members prepared to return to Washington, crowds of seniors demonstrated against the House and Senate Medicare bills at events in Bangor, Maine; Clayton, Missouri; and Cleveland, Ohio. The rallies targeted district offices of members of Congress who supported the bills.

The demonstrations were part of the "Blow the Whistle" grassroots campaign, sponsored by the Alliance for Retired Americans.

On Tuesday, Aug. 26, three dozen seniors crowded into the Cleveland office of Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH), seeking his commitment to vote against any legislation that would privatize Medicare. When the protesters discovered that Sen. DeWine was in Africa, they vowed to stay until he talked with them by telephone. The protesters finally left, an hour later, after the staff insisted they were unable to reach the Senator.

More than 200 retirees from Warren, Youngstown, Lorain and Ashtabula participated in the rally outside DeWine's office, blowing whistles and chanting "Hey, hey! Ho, ho! We don't want your HMOs!"

On Wednesday, Aug. 27, in Maine, John Carr, President of the Maine Alliance for Retired Americans, delivered a letter to the state's two Senators - Susan Collins (R) and Olympia Snowe (R) - outlining the Alliance's position on the issue.

Also on Wednesday, Alliance Executive Director Edward F. Coyle led 150 members of the Missouri Alliance for Retired Americans in a protest at the office of Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO).

"These protests are focusing lots of media attention on the issue," notes Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer. "As a result, we are beginning to see some movement by members of Congress."

"Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) has finally agreed to meet with the Alliance, after three protests and seven arrests at his Arizona offices," Burks said.