Over 300 people from community and labor groups gathered at the Dudley Branch Library in Roxbury Thursday for a post-election rally in an effort to send a message to Congress in advance of lame-duck "fiscal cliff" negotiations.
Rally organizers said Massachusetts voters roundly rejected cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and other social programs at the polls Tuesday, and are now taking the first steps to hold their elected officials accountable.
John Bennett of the Mass Senior Action Council said the organization is not only worried about cuts that will affect seniors, but future generations, as well.
"We are concerned about what’s happening and what might happen to future generations," Bennett said. "They’re concerned about it and they’re worried about it and we want to let them know that we’re fighting to make sure that Social Security and Medicare are there when they need it."
Bennett also said he’s concerned that potential sequestration will have a devastating impact on domestic programs that will affect Massachusetts residents.
"I’m concerned that they will go back to dickering on cutting Social Security or changing it or privatizing Medicare, changing the age limits or decimating Medicaid, which is so important to so many of our members and which provides job for people in the healthcare industry," Bennett said.
