Blog
August 12, 2019
Celebrate Victories — And Keep On Fighting!
The Golden Triangle and TARA Austin chapters meet this week. If you live in these areas, you will receive a separate email about the meeting.
DALLAS TARA CELEBRATES MEDICARE/SOCIAL SECURITY BIRTHDAYS
The Dallas TARA chapter celebrated the 54th Birthday of Medicare and the 84th Birthday of Social Security. President George Nolan presided at the meeting. Field Organizer Judy Bryant presented the Alliance for Retired Americans HERO Award to Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson for her 100% votes on retiree issues in 2018.
Cong. Johnsonshared updates on various issues and told members to make certain that they stayed aware of and participated in the 2020 Census in order for Texans to get all their entitled Congressional seats and funding for various programs. Those present enjoyed birthday cake before Dave Jones, of Clean Elections Texas, shared that August 6 was the 54th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, and thanked Cong. Johnson for her continued support of this vital legislation.
We also had a representative from Cong. Colin Allred’s office who told members that Cong. Allred strongly supports Medicare and Social Security and that he will send us a video message about this next week. Fernando Rojas and Gene Lantz gave a brief report about the recent Texas AFL-CIO Convention and the TARA Caucus held there.
Preston Strickland of UNITE HERE and Summer Lollie of the Texas AFL-CIO shared details of the nationwide protest by Sky Chef airline catering workers who are fighting low wages and unaffordable health care, plus face last minute mandatory overtime. TARA members have joined them for informational pickets at DFW and will be with them on August 13 at their big action at American Airlines. As Bryant says, “Workers who don’t have a living wage and affordable health care may never be able to retire and may not live to retirement age! TARA supports these workers!”
Ann Drumm from American Promise North Texas briefly shared information about programs to Get Big Money out of Politics. She will present a full program later on this issue.
Judy Bryant finished the packed program with information about the National Day of Action to Lower Prescription Drug Prices on August 20. TARA will plan a rally for that day. She concluded her report with the Storytelling Packet of ARA to gain personal stories of high RX drug price effects on people.
TARA HOUSTON CELEBRATES 54th MEDICARE BIRTHDAY
The TARA Houston Chapter celebrated Medicare’s 54th Birthday. President Cheryl Anderson and the members presented the ARA HERO AWARD to Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Congressman Al Green (accepted by District Manager of Administration, Crystal Webster) for their 100% voting record on Pro – Retiree legislation.
