This is from the San Francisco Gray Panthers:


Alliance for Retired Americans Action in Bakersfield

"NO PRIVATIZATION !!"    "STOP THE PHONY Rx PLAN !!"   "NO PLAN IS
BETTER THEN A BAD PLAN !!"   "CONGRESS, DO NOTHING NOW !!"   Loud
chanting and shrill whistles stopped the normal pace of work at the
office of U.S. Representative Bill Thomas last Friday, October 10.

200 angry seniors from the Alliance for Retired Americans had come to
Bakersfield and were picketing Bill Thomas' office. Thomas, one of the
most powerful figures in Washington, is leading the move in Congress
to privatize Medicare, and has worked to gut Medicare since the Newt
Gingrich days of the 1990s.  But when we got to the all-powerful
Congressman's office, the staff had disappeared, leaving the
secretaries with the job of talking with us!  When we started
picketing and chanting, there was no more business as usual.  You
wouldn't think "old" people could yell so loud; but because everyone
was doing it and we had years of practice, we made quite a stir.

Busses of retired unionists and other retired workers had come in from
San Jose, Los Angeles, and Fresno as well as a van from the Bay Area.
Bakersfield is not a union stronghold, but local retired teamsters
arranged for us to meet at a pizza place where we had lunch, went over
the plans for the demonstration, and got acquainted.  We were from all
walks of life: Teamsters, Food Workers, Teachers, Screen Actors,
County and State Workers, and many others.  Everyone was very
friendly, and the fact that we were coming in from so many places made
us feel this was a real movement.    By the end of the demonstration,
we felt like we'd always known each other.  Nobody wanted to leave,
people stayed around after, talking and exchanging phone numbers.

We all left looking forward to the Founding Convention for the
California affiliate of the Alliance for Retired Americans, which will
set up an on-going structure for ARA activities in California.  The
meeting is being held Friday and Saturday, November 7 and 8, in Los
Angeles at the Furama Hotel near LAX airport.

The San Francisco Gray Panthers' Board has voted to join ARA as an
organization, and three people are planning to attend the Convention.
More are welcome.  Please call the Gray Panther office at
415-552-8800.

Jodi Reid, who is well known to Gray Panthers and Senior Action
Network members, is the California organizer for Alliance for Retired
Americans, and she can provide much more information.  Jodi's number
is 415-550-0828.