SAUGERTIES – Weary and worried that Republicans will cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and veteran’s benefits, residents and activists gathered Wednesday at the Frank D. Greco Community Center in Saugerties to voice their concerns and displeasure with these potential threats to our social safety net.
The gathering was also part of the Courage for America bus tour, which is stopping en route to Washington D.C., arriving by April 17, for Kevin McCarthy’s 100th day as Speaker of the House, and to pressure Congressman Marcus Molinaro (R, NY-19) and other Republicans to thwart MAGA extremism within the GOP.
“As a veteran, my VA benefits are on the line,” said Moises Montalvo, a U.S. Army veteran, and organizer for Common Defense, a grassroots veterans’ organization, and spokesman for Courage for America. “Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security that supports my family, my dad, that’s on the line. And I want to call attention that politicians are playing political games, political brinksmanship with the default crisis.”
Molinaro told Mid-Hudson News Wednesday that he has made his stance well known.
“This is a red line for me. We must protect Social Security and Medicare. We certainly have to protect veterans’ benefits, and rather than manufacturing outrage against people that agree with them, I encourage they work with me and members like me to ensure long-term solvency of these programs,” he said.
The bus tour started in Bakersfield, CA., about two weeks ago, and it has been making its way around the country before it ends in the nation’s capital early next week.
“We will be delivering the petition, that we’ve been collecting signatures for along the way,” said Montalvo, “directly and personally to McCarthy’s office.”
Once in the nation’s capital, Montalvo expects a rally to be held to celebrate the bus tour and efforts to stop any erosion to America’s social safety net.
“We are looking for quite a few people to attend and have some attention,” he said.
