Michiganders Rally to Protect Social Security as Part of Protect Our Checks Day of Action - Will Representative Tom Barrett Listen To The People?

Yesterday, Michigan Families for Fair Care and For Our Future partnered with Unrig our Economy and Social Security Works to host a Protect Our Checks rally in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District as part of a national day of action. The rally was attended by local elected leaders and constituents of Representative Tom Barrett, who gathered to voice their support for the protection of Social Security benefits. 

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities predicts that the tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy included in the Republican Tax Law will devastate Michigan families, and if no action is taken to protect Social Security, future generations will be crushed by increased costs.

“[Congressman Barrett] does not seem to care about the most vulnerable people in his community. He does not seem to care about seniors.” said Michigan State Representative Kara Hope. “There’s too much at stake. There’s too much uncertainty. There’s too much money going to billionaires. That’s not the America I grew up in and that’s not where we want our country to go.” 

Concerns voiced during the event included the rising cost of living and how working-class Michiganders worry about getting by, with the future of Social Security, food assistance, and health care at risk. Currently, over 2.3 million Michiganders rely on Social Security for their monthly budget and over 171,000 of those recipients live in Representative Barrett’s district alone.

The actions taken by Republicans in Congress this year are expected to impact hundreds of thousands of Michiganders. This includes hospitals that may be forced to deny patients who have Medicaid and the 1.5 million people that are likely to be affected by cuts to Michigan’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Despite repeated calls from his own constituents, Tom Barrett voted yes both times to the Republican Tax Bill, a piece of legislation, which is now law, that will cut funding for these programs. Now, retirees could face a massive cut to their Social Security benefits in the next few years on top of everything else. 

"Social Security is the thing that matters to me. I don’t have a plan B. There is nothing else for me to fall back on. I need my Social Security and I run a tight budget in my home," said MI-07 resident Sheila Kniffin.  "I don’t have a lot of wiggle room for any cuts. I hope [Congressman Tom Barrett] wakes up one morning and finds his heart and changes his attitude and stands with us."