Will It Be Catfood or Cake? How Will Seniors Survive if Social Security is Cut?

The Raging Grannies helped groups including California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) celebrate Social Security's 75th birthday with songs about the importance of assuring the program's survival. Other groups provided a cake, and a display of cat food tins. The tag line of the day, "Will seniors eat cake of cat food" refers to the fact that many senior citizens who can not afford fresh meat turn to a cheaper form of protein, a product that is not approved for human consumption.

Social Security and Medicare are under attack said celebrating organizers. When the Obama administration announced that a deficit reduction committee would be formed, politicians and media immediately started talking about exploring ways to reduce government spending.

At today's rally in San Jose, California, social justice activists expressed concern that this committee, and an increasingly right wing Congress, will try to cut Medicare and Social Security benefits. A large number of the participants at the rally were retirees or folks about to retire.

Speakers included political activist and organizer Steve Preminger, Jodi Reid of California Association for Retired Americans, and Sandy Perry of CHAM. The Federal Building in San Jose at the corner of San Carlos and 2nd Street was decorated with balloons to celebrate. Security guards for the building kept a watchful eye, but the demonstrators were not asked to move.