Time for Elders to Protest!

As an increasingly marginalized group, elder citizens must take the lead in resisting the Trump regime’s efforts to destroy the social safety net that was built during the past 90 years. Here’s how.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

The Trump regime directly threatens the well-being of older folks (despite the fact that the president is 78 years old!). In carrying out Project 2025 and promoting long-standing Republican opposition to our so-called “social safety net,” the executive branch and Congress are poised to enact a terribly destructive budget that would go far toward completing the Musk-directed, illegal, chainsaw destruction of social service agencies.

Senior citizens who care about their own health and welfare and that of their fellow elders must join and even lead the resistance. The threat is dire. The time is now.

Attacks on Social Services

With cultural stereotypes of older people and unchecked ageism as backdrop, the current regime is proposing drastic cuts (up to $800 billion) in Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Medicaid budget along with onerous work requirements for some programs.

These cuts directly affect millions of children, disabled persons, and the elderly – the primary beneficiaries of Medicaid funding at federal and state levels. Similar cuts are proposed for other socially supportive programs.

In addition to funding cuts, new legislation will increase work requirements for beneficiaries under the age of 65. Such requirements are touted to be common sense since Americans are reluctant to provide financial support for anyone who has not “earned” it. But studies have shown that work requirements do not increase employment. Rather, they merely remove persons from the rolls of beneficiaries.[1]

Further, Medicaid budget cuts will threaten the program’s support for low-income seniors who must reside in assisted living facilities or receive in-home care. The Trump regime has also announced intent to shut down the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the Health and Human Services (HHS) program that funds Meals on Wheels according to the Older Americans Act.[2]

Despite court challenges, the attack on Social Security continues. The Trump regime is proceeding to close several SSA offices and drastically reduce the SSA workforce. These actions will make servicing new applicants for benefits – including SSI disability benefits – much more difficult and lengthy. Many people may not be able to receive benefits at all.

In addition, disruptions to established procedures and the workforce at SSA threaten to impede distribution of benefits to already enrolled and approved persons. Since 45 million seniors are financially insecure, any delay or failure to distribute SSA benefits would be devastating.[3] (My April SSA payment arrived on time, but I wonder how many more months that will continue to happen.)

The FY26 budget proposal reorganizes and cuts several other HHS support programs that benefit seniors.[4]

• Home-Delivered Nutrition and Nutrition Services Incentive Program – moved to Administration for Children and Families and level funded (despite growing need)

• Supportive Services and Senior Centers; National Family Caregiver Support Program – moved to Centers for Medicare and Medicate Services (CMS) and level funded

• Health Promotion and Disease Prevention – funding eliminated

• Falls Prevention; Prevention and Public Health Fund – funding eliminated (this eliminates funding also for healthy aging, substance abuse, and mental health services)

• Elder Rights (including long-term care ombudsman program, Adult Protective Services Program, and other programs regarding elder abuse and neglect – slashed to $5 million

• Aging and Disability Resource Centers – funding eliminated

• Medicare State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and Lifespan Respite Care – funding eliminated

• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program – funding eliminated

How to Protest

If you are a member of the Silent or Boomer Generations or if you care about someone who is, you need to speak out effectively against the above measures. Many elderly folks have the time and resources to oppose these actions on behalf of themselves and others who are unable to do so. Here are some suggestions:

1. Marches and other forms of public protest – several national organizations are coordinating such actions at the local level across the nation. Get in touch with them for details regarding time and place.
   Risks: If you have health issues that might require special care, be very cautious about joining public marches. I learned from personal experience during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s that marches can be difficult. You often go for long periods without eating or drinking, and that can lead to dehydration. Because I have special dietary needs, I no longer join marches.
   If you are detained by authorities or if you encounter delays in leaving the area, you might endanger your health.
   If you do decide to participate, scout out the area in advance. Know the exit points. Take food, water, medications, ID card(s), and some cash (no credit cards). Never go alone. Go with someone who can look out for you and help you leave the area in case of violence or disruption to transportation.

2. Phone calls to Congressional representatives – call local or DC offices to leave a message with a staff member (national Congressional number: 202-224-3121, they will direct your call). Be sure to give your name, address, phone number, and mention that you are a voting constituent of the Representative or Senator.

3. Emails, letters, and petitions – these can be written ahead of time and sent via an online form or directly. Try to focus on one or two issues and avoid insulting name-calling.

4. Town Hall meetings, including school board or library board meetings. Prepare remarks ahead of time using a question format so that the person(s) running the meeting can comment in response.

5. Boycotts – a large number of participants can be effective. Try to enlist family and friends in these efforts.

6. Social media – share news, opinions, and questions on social media that you use frequently: Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, Ghost, Substack (of course!), Tik-Tok, etc.

7. State and local officials – they need your support, especially if they reflect your views. If they do not, contact them anyway and let them know that you will hold them accountable during the next election.

8. Run for office – strike a blow against ageism! Age alone should not determine fitness for office. If you have passion and experience about issues facing your town, library, school board, county, or state, convince your fellow citizens to vote for you. If you’re unhappy with your Congressional representatives, do what you can to replace them. This is still a democracy!

9. Advocacy groups – contact local affiliates and collaborate with them; engage and work with younger people; organize groups or local affiliates yourself.

Here’s a list to get you started.

• AARP

• National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM)

• Social Security Works

• Protect Our Care

• Justice in Aging

• 50501 Movement

Conclusion and Takeaways

Along with our fellow Americans, we seniors face strong, unanticipated challenges to our well-being by our own government. We need to resist and overcome these challenges since they threaten us and all our fellow citizens.

Protesting the Trump attack on the social safety net is not a special-interest action. The Trump regime’s attack is fundamentally aimed at destroying American democracy and the structure of the federal government as a whole. By focusing on matters of direct concern to seniors, we should be mindful that the resistance must be total.

Most importantly, we must acknowledge that the courts and our representative institutions will not save us. At least for them to do their jobs, we need to bring pressure and let them know how we feel. This means taking public action.

Here’s what I think we should do.

Know and understand the issues. As you are able, inform and collaborate with family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances to generate collective action.

Engage in legal, nonviolent forms of protest (so long as they are still permitted). I’ve listed several actions above that could prove effective.

Work with others as much as possible. Collective action is usually more effective than isolated, individual efforts.

Take care of yourself. Listen to music, enjoy nature, meet with friends, pursue enjoyable activities, do whatever you can to refresh your spirit.

If you have other suggestions about what we should do or how to keep afloat, please mention them in a comment. The success of this newsletter and of the country depends on you.

I conduct research for these posts so you don’t have to.
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NOTES

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[1] Jessica Corbett, “As Trump Nominees Back SNAP and Medicaid Work Requirements, Report Shows Harms,” Commen Dreams, 24 January 2025, https://www.commondreams.org/news/snap-work-requirements.

[2] Meals on Wheels America, “Meals On Wheels America Reacts To The Planned Restructuring Of The U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services (HHS),” https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/learn-more/national/press-room/news/2025/03/27/meals-on-wheels-america-reacts-to-the-planned-restructuring-of-the-u.s.-department-of-health-and-human-services-(hhs).

[3] National Coalition to Preserve Social Security & Medicare (NCPSSM), “Don’t Be Fooled: Trump and Musk’s War on Social Security Continues,” 13 March 2025, https://www.ncpssm.org/documents/2025-opeds-and-letters/dont-be-fooled-trump-and-musks-war-on-social-security-continues/.

[4] Marci Phillips, “FY26 Budget Proposal Puts Aging Services at Risk,” National Council on Aging, 21 April 2025, https://www.ncoa.org/article/fy26-budget-proposal-puts-aging-services-at-risk/.