Maryland Democratic leaders were pressed on two fronts at a rollicking town hall in Woodlawn Thursday night: do something to save Social Security and find a way forward for the Democratic party.
Hundreds braved a thunderstorm and poured into Woodlawn High School’s auditorium, which is a little more than a mile away from the Social Security Administration's headquarters. They told U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, and Rep. Kweisi Mfume to protect Social Security from the Trump administration.
Karen Lewis said the American people have paid into it and they own it.
“There’s $2.7 trillion dollars in the trust fund,” Lewis said. “They want that money. They want that money to be invested in Wall Street and that is the last thing that we need.”
Billionaire Elon Musk, who is leading the Trump administration’s effort to slash the federal budget, reposted a meme that called people who benefit from programs the parasite class. Amara Griffin called that disgusting and demoralizing.
“I called my friends to see if they would be here tonight because I know that they work in the federal services,” Griffin said. “And many of them said they’re so demoralized, they’re so worn down, they couldn’t even leave the house.”
President Trump has said he will not cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits. But according to the Associated Press, the Social Security Administration is preparing to lay off at least 7,000 employees from its workforce of 60,000. Advocates warn that plans to cut jobs and close field offices will lead to long wait times and risk making benefits inaccessible for some.
More than 72.5 million people receive retirement and disability benefits through the agency.
Rep. Mfume told the town hall that Maryland’s Democratic lawmakers are with them.
Mfume said, “We are Black, we are white, we are Jew, we are Christian, we are Muslim. We’re uptown, downtown, city and county. This is America. This is America. And this is not Donald Trump’s version of America.”
Raquel Smith, a retired teacher, said while she wants Democratic leaders to fight, she’s doing her part too. Every day she said she calls three or four Republican Congressmen and leaves messages.
Smith said, “I also call the White House four times a day. 202-456-1111, and leave a public comment. We have to do those things that we can do to help ourselves and save ourselves.”
Maryland’s lone Republican Congressman, Andy Harris, chair of the conservative Freedom Caucus, was name-dropped by Sen. Alsobrooks. She urged people to give him a call.
“We need some of these Republicans on the other side who have a conscience, who understand how wrong this is,” Alsobrooks said. “Reach out to Andy Harris. Reach out to these others and make sure that they are also doing what is necessary to stand up in this moment.”
Anna Adamian, Rep. Harris’s communications director, said he does not want Social Security touched.
“Democrats say a lot of things about Andy Harris,” Adamian said.
Baltimore County Councilman Pat Young organized the town hall. The Social Security Administration is in his district. According to his office, Social Security and the nearby Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services employ 15,000 people and together are the largest employer in Baltimore County.
Thursday night’s town hall was also a soul searching, perhaps cathartic experience for local Democrats. They challenged their leaders to find a way forward.
Kate O’Malley, not the former governor’s wife, told the Congressional Democrats that the party has no message and needs to change tactics.
O’Malley said, “So I’m begging you to get a message, be nasty, be mean, they’re mean, don’t be nice anymore. When they lie, say they lie.”
Many of them, like Ian Miller, want Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to step aside from leadership after he voted with Republicans to avoid a government shutdown.
Miller said, “I think the people in this room deserve a yes or no answer from all three of you. Do we need new Senate leadership?”
None of the elected leaders agreed with Miller about Schumer.
Sen. Van Hollen said, “I can assure you we are going to have tough conversations in the Senate Democratic caucus, not about personality but about the direction we’re going to take.”
Mfume called for unity saying, “We have got to find a way to recognize the real enemy and the enemy is not us.”
