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In the Advocate July 2025: 4,000 Attend No Kings Event at People’s Park, Tacoma! John Alessio Our Vote, Our Choice, Our Power, Our Voice!” “Power to the People, We Insist-Billionaires Should Not Exist!” “Say it Once,Say it Twice, We Will Not Put Up With ICE!” These are just a few of the chants heard at People’s Park Saturday, June 14th. PSARA joined Indivisible Tacoma and many other organizations to create an informative, riveting, and festive event on “No Kings Day”. Other participating groups were: 350 Tacoma; AF- SCME Council 28; Evergreen Resistance Tacoma; Black Panther Party, The TSM Shop; Jewish Voice for Peace Tacoma; La Resistencia; Rainbow Center; The Tacoma Urban League; LD27, LD28, and LD29 Democrats; Oscar’s Enemies; Pierce County Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO; Pierce County Immigration Alliance; Tacoma Democratic Socialists of America; Tacoma Fellowship of Reconciliation; Tacoma for All; Tacoma Veterans for Peace; The Conversation 253; Washington Wildlife First; and United Food & Commercial Workers Local 367. Careful planning included meetings and continuous communication between the leaders of many of these organizations to assure a safe and meaningful protest of the Trump administration’s immoral and unconstitutional activities. Preparation included de-escalation training sessions that resulted in a roaming Safety Team during the event. A First Aid Sation was created, with drinking water, snacks, and other relevant supplies. Various groups had their own information booths, plus a booth for sign-making, and even a face painting booth. People’s Park was humming with excitement and enthusiasm. Four thousand people, peacefully demonstrating, were completely rapt for two and a half hours listening to inspiring speeches about what is being done, and what still needs to be done, to stop Trump and his minions from destroying our democracy and inflicting more grievous harm on large segments of our population. The event started and ended with lively protest music, and there were clever chants interspersed throughout. The importance of local elections was emphasized, and people were encouraged to get involved by door-knocking, providing support to progressive candidates, and especially voting in the upcoming 2025 Primary on August 5 and again in the General on November 4th! Action events were announced, such as a June 18th “Door-Knocking for Introverts” to help people become effective doorknockers. On July 9th Indivisible Tacoma endorsed candidates will participate in a Candidate Forum at 6:30PM at Tahoma Unitarian Universalist Church, 1115 So. 56th, Tacoma. La Resistencia and others will continue to strategize and call for united actions against the activities of ICE and the Northwest Detention Center - a critical court hearing is set for September. Some people may want to attend the “Breakfast With the Sheriff” meetings to remind Pierce county Sheriff Keith Swank that Washington state laws protect people from unconstitutional harassment and arrest. The next scheduled breakfast is 7-9AM Saturday, June 21st. We know he would love to see us. A Facebook message to a friend read: “I was at People’s Park with my brother who is blind and paralyzed on his left side. We had the best day. He felt part of society.” That statement captures the mood and inclusive spirit of the Tacoma “No Kings Day”. Let’s keep it going! John Alessio is a member of PSARA and Indivisible Tacoma. BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

Local and National Resources for Seniors Resources Labor Organizations Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO Statewide coalition of labor unions for political action and education on workers’ issues Seattle: (206) 281-8901, Olympia: (360) 943-0608 http://www.wslc.org/ County Labor Councils County coalitions of labor unions for collective political and job action: Martin Luther King County Labor Council (206) 441-8510 http://www.mlklabor.org/ Snohomish County Labor Council (425) 259-7922 http://www.snolabor.org/ Pierce County Labor Council (253) 473-3810 http://www.wa.aflcio.org/pcclc/ AFL-CIO America’s Union Movement, national coalition of labor unions http://www.aflcio.org/ Labor Constituency Groups Worker advocates within the labor movement: Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) http://www.apala.org/ A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) http://apri.org/ Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) http://www.cbtu.org/ Labor Alliance for Latin American Advancement (LACLA) https://www.lclaa.org/ Legacy of Equality, Leadership and Organizing (LELO) http://www.lelo.org/ , 206-860-1400 PRIDE at Work http://www.prideatwork.org/ Labor Archives of Washington State Funded by the Washington State Labor Council, the ILWU Longshore Division, the Harry Bridges Labor Center at the University of Washington, and many more labor unions and and individuals. http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcollections/laws/ Senior Services and Information Advisory Council on Aging and Disability Services King County (206) 448-3110 or 1-(888) 435-3377 http://www.agingkingcounty.org/advisory-council/ Pierce County (253) 798-4600 or 1-(800) 562-0332 Snohomish County (425) 513-1900 or 1-(800) 422-2024 https://snohomishcountywa.gov/961/Council-on-Aging Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging http://www.agingwashington.org/ National Alliance for the Mentally Ill 1-(800) 950-6264 http://www.nami.org/ National Council on Aging (NCOA) Nonprofit service and advocacy organization and a voice for older Americans – especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged 1-(800) 950-6264 http://www.ncoa.org/ Alzheimers Association Patricia.Hunter@alz.org http://www.alz.org/alzwa/ Crisis Clinic (206) 461-3222 http://www.crisisclinic.org/ Home Doctor Visits Tacoma-based doctors provide home visits in Tacoma and Seattle for homebound patients. Take Medicare allotments. (253) 589-6484 National Advocates Social Security Works National Organization that PSARA works with in the areas of Social Security and Mediare https://socialsecurityworks.org/about/ Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) PSARA works with PNHP on a range of Healthcare issues including Medicare, Medicaid and working for a single payer solution for all. PNHP has a local Chapter. National: https://pnhp.org/ Seattle: www.pnhpwashington.org Community Advocates Washington Community Action Network https://www.washingtoncan.org/ Transit Riders Union https://transitriders.org/ Washington Senior Lobby http://www.waseniorlobby.org/ Tenants Union Support for renters in housing justice (206) 723-0500 http://www.tenantsunion.org/ Government Washington State Toll-free Legislative Hotline Messages to Governor and Legislators 1-(800) 562-6000 Governor Jay Inslee (360) 902-4111 http://www.governor.wa.gov/ Washington State Insurance Commissioner (SHIBA), State Health Insurance Benefits Advisor and Consumer Advocacy 1-(800) 562-6900 cad@oic.wa.gov Washington State Attorney General, Consumer Protection 1-(800) 551-4636 http://www.atg.wa.gov/ City of Seattle Mayor’s Office for Senior Citizens (206) 684-0500 Senior Information and Assistance (206) 448-3110 or 1-(888) 324-2277 Federal Senator Maria Cantwell 511 Dirksen Senate Office Building: (202) 224-3441 Local phone: (206) 220-6400 Maria_cantwell@cantwell.senate.gov http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/ Senator Patty Murray 173 Russell Senate Office Building: (202) 224-2721 Local phone (206) 553-5545 http://murray.senate.gov United States Representatives Susan DelBene - District 1 (202) 225-6311 www.house.gov/delbene Pramila Jayapal - District 7 (202) 225-3106 https://jayapal.house.gov/ Kim Schrier - District 8 Phone: (509) 850-5340 http://schrier.house.gov/ Adam Smith - District 9 (253) -896-3775 www.house.gov/adamsmith Marilyn Strickland - District 10 Phone: (360) 459-8514 For other Representatives, search by zip code at http://www.congress.org/news/ Regional Offices King County Information http://metro.kingcounty.gov/ Puget Sound Regional Council http://www.psrc.org/ Sound Transit Information http://www.soundtransit.org/ Port of Seattle Information http://www.portseattle.org/ Medicare 1-(800) 522-31177 Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.gov/ Social Security Online http://www.ssa.gov/ Senior Centers Central Area Senior Center (206) 726-4926 North Shore Senior Center (206) 487-24411 Ballard NW Senior Center (206) 297-0403 Senior Center of West Seattle (206) 932-4044 Shoreline Senior Center (206) 365-1536 Southeast Senior Center (206) 722-2768 Other Useful Resources Seattle Housing Authority (206) 615-3300 http://www.seattlehousing.org/ Seattle Senior Housing Program (SSHP) Judith Anderson; Senior Property Manager (206) 615-3347 janderson@seattlehousing.org Noel House Programs (206) 441-3210 http://www.ccsww.org/ New Beginnings (206) 783-4520 or (206) 522-9472 (Crisis Line) http://www.newbegin.org/ WomenHeart http://www.womenheart.org/ Black Women’s Health Imperative http://www.bwhi.org “They Represent You” A nonpartisan resource published by The League of Women Voters http://www.lwv.org/

“If anyone here tries to cut Social Security or Medicare… I will stop them!” President Joe Biden, 2024 State of the Union Address, March 7, 2024 (This is a reprint from PSARA’s April 2024 Advocate) By Jeff Johnson Jeff Johnson and Floyd Since 2021, PSARA has launched a full-court press against attacks on Traditional Medicare and now against House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Fiscal Commission to undermine the health and retirement income security of seniors. “Over the past several years there has been a gold rush to privatize Medicare…. If we don’t ‘level the playing field’ between Traditional Medicare and privatized Medicare, healthcare decisions for seniors will be completely at the mercy of corporations…by the end of the decade.” (Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, from the forward to Give Us a Real Choice! Level the Playing Field Between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage, PSARA 2024). Congresswoman Jayapal’s warning and President Biden’s declaration could not have come at a more important moment in history for protecting and strengthening the quality of life for seniors. As the leader of the Democratic party, we need President Biden to do everything he can, and by all means necessary, to provide seniors with a level playing field, a fair choice, in choosing between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage/ACO REACH for their healthcare needs. Traditional Medicare is a legacy democratic issue that is being systemically dismantled by private industry. If Trump and MAGA Republicans prevail at the ballot box in November, Traditional Medicare and Social Security as we know it will end. And so too will an important part of our democratic and social justice legacy. To level the playing field, President Biden needs to lead the effort to jettison the need for Medigap insurance policies (which were part of a historically racist policy to keep as many Black people out of the doctors’ offices and hospitals that primarily served white people); place a cap on out-of-pocket expenditures; equalize the benefits between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage (e.g., hearing, dental, vision, transportation, home visits, etc.); and put an end to the overpayments to private industry for managing Medicare claims, and the fraudulent practices private industry uses to bilk the Medicare Trust Fund out of tens of billions of dollars a year. Returning this money to the Medicare Trust Fund will pay for leveling the playing field. How is President Biden supposed to do this? Direct the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to incentivize Traditional Medicare; create pilot programs with cost parity for beneficiaries choosing Traditional Medicare Plans; claw back overpayments to, and fraudulent charges from Medicare Advantage and ACO REACH Programs; and put an end to fraudulent charges going forward. Lead on legislative and budgetary proposals. Use the power of executive orders where possible, in the face of Congressional resistance. Use the courts where necessary (Equal Protection Clause, e.g.). Educate the public through a concerted and strategic communications and organizing campaign. What can PSARA members and allies do? PSARA has drafted a letter to President Biden as well as a Resolution that outlines the need for and the consequences of not “Leveling the Playing Field” between Traditional Medicare and privatized Medicare. We are asking leaders and organizations to sign on to the letter with PSARA as well as to pass the resolution, in the case of organizations. We hope to demonstrate to President Biden the need for, and urgency of, creating a fair choice for seniors over their health care and the quality of their lives. We hope you will sign on to the letter. We hope you will also take the letter and resolution to organizations that you belong to and community leaders that you know for their endorsements. This is a national effort, so please reach out to relatives, friends, and organizations across the country. PSARA has also published a Medicare primer on making the case for “Leveling the Playing Field.” The primer, the letter to President Biden, and the Resolution can all be found on the PSARA website at PSARA.org. In this hyper-political environment we find ourselves in, Democrats need basic issues that will unite the majority of voters. Fulfilling the original promise of Medicare – to provide the health care seniors need when they most need it – is one of those fundamental issues. Jeff Johnson is Co-President of PSARA and a retired President of the WashingtonState Labor Council.

The Dash Shuttle runs on 10 - 15 minute headways between the Labor Council and the State Capitol. It is a free shuttle service. You should allow at least a half hour to 45 minutes to get to your meetings at the State Capitol.

Frieda Takamura

Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied PSARA Oral Histories Project: Frank Irigon Return to Oral Histories Main Page Frank Irigon Biography PSARA Advocate Archives July 2022 Page 5 (Part I) August 2022 Page 10 (Part II) Mud on Their Hands, An Interview With Frank Irigon By Angie Bartels It never ceases to amaze me how much newly arrived immigrants know about and give to our country. They work hard for the ideal of democracy and to improve their lives and the general welfare of the US. People like Frank Irigon have taught me more about the US than I had learned in school. His knowledge goes back generations and I believe is innate. Frank’s grandfather and father served in the Philippine Scouts, a military unit and remnant of colonialism. Frank was born on a US military base in the Philippines in 1947. His father was captured by the Japanese and spent time as a prisoner of war. After WWII, his father took advantage of an offer to join the US Army and shipped off to the USA. He sent for the family in 1950, when Frank, his mother, and two siblings boarded a ship bound for San Francisco. Frank’s mother did not speak English, and she didn’t realize that the fare for the voyage included meals. She brought what food she could carry, along with the children and their belongings, but then ran out of food mid-voyage. A Filipino passenger in a nearby berth heard the cries of the hungry children and asked if she could help. The friendly passenger led the family to the ship’s cafeteria where there was bounty. When they reached San Francisco, once again they relied on the kindness of strangers to help them find the train to Fort Riley, Kansas, where Frank’s dad was stationed. Frank was raised on US military bases and learned the signs of racism early on. He remembers growing up in North Ft. Lewis where there was an old military hospital that was converted into family housing. Most of the families living in that complex were Latino or Filipino. Newer complexes were built, but those were occupied mostly by white families. His fourth-grade teacher was African American, and her husband was a military pilot. She and her family were not permitted to live with the white officers, so they lived in an area set off by themselves. Frank himself enlisted in the US Army before high school graduation. He remembers training in Baltimore in the summer of 1965 and the civil unrest in that city. His sergeant called the soldiers of color into one room and began his lecture, “I know we got a lot of n------ troops.” Stunned, the Black soldiers stared at one another. The sergeant went on, “But we’ve got only one color here and that’s green.” But everyone in the room knew that he had made a grave error as soon as he said the N word. The soldiers stared at the sergeant as he too realized the mistake he had made. Per Frank, “It really lost its effect when he tried to tell us we were all one color, green, our military fatigues. He already knew that we were different because of our race.” Frank went on, “And I saw other things – an African American lieutenant not being given the respect that he deserved because of his rank, white soldiers talking behind his back, things like that. This wasn’t the first time I heard the word racism, but I remember we had a Black clerk and he wanted to go on leave. But he was denied it while many other soldiers were granted leave. The clerk claimed it was because of racism.” Frank spoke for some time with the clerk about the incident. The saving grace during Frank’s military years was his thirst for knowledge, which he quenched through reading. While stationed in Heidelberg, Germany, he happened upon an anti-Vietnam War protest where the marchers had occupied the streets. He then began reading about US involvement in Vietnam and its tragic effects. But for Frank, it was deeper and more complex than that. His mother wrote to him of his childhood friend, Eddie Caceres, who died in battle in Vietnam. Frank considered putting in a form 1049, a request to go to Vietnam, so that he could get revenge for Eddie’s death. But the more he thought and read about it, the more he felt that he really didn’t want to do that. And since he had less than a year left in the service, he wouldn’t be sent. The military had the draft to replenish troops that were discharged, or who deserted, or died. After discharge, Frank came to Seattle and attended Seattle Central Community College, and later, the University of Washington, majoring in history. His wife, Felicita, was working with the Asian Counseling and Referral Services as a social worker, and he was envious of her work and skill at helping people. Frank had been working for DSHS and was offered the opportunity to study for a master’s degree, along with a stipend, all while continuing employment and accrual of benefits. He decided to become a social worker and eventually earned his master’s degree. Frank became increasingly aware of the issues facing Asian and other families of color in the CID (Chinatown- International District) of Seattle. He remembers the fire at the Ozark Hotel, located near Westlake and Lenora, in 1970. The Ozark was six floors of low-rate rooms and SRO (single room occupancy) units, inhabited by low-income, disabled, and elderly residents. The hotel was not retrofitted with sprinklers, and twenty-one people died, some while trying to jump to safety from windows. As a result, a huge displacement of low-income residents citywide took place as the City closed down 6,000 low-rate rooms and SROs for failure to meet fire safety codes. Frank says the homeless problem in Seattle began at that point. Frank was working with the Asian Student Coalition at the UW in 1972, when it was announced that the King Dome would be built south of King Street Station. This sent shock waves through the CID, as affordable housing and businesses would be impacted by displacement and gentrification. Frank had co-founded the Asian Family Affair, the first pan-Asian community newspaper in Seattle, and they reported about the negative impact of the proposed King Dome on the community. He and Felicita were driving north on I-5 in their “hippie wagon,” a VW camper, when they heard an announcement on the radio about a groundbreaking ceremony. Frank felt like enough was enough as he looked at Felicita and said, “Fuck that shit!” His anger mounted as he started thinking about ways to demonstrate, to disrupt the ceremony, to show that “they” weren’t going to get the King Dome without a fight. Al Sugiyama noticed the sign Frank had placed on his office door at the HUB (UW Student Union building) stating “I will be going to the King Dome site to protest the groundbreaking ceremony.” Al called Frank and asked how many people would be going with him. Frank replied, “You, me, and Felicita.” Al laughed, but set himself in motion. He was a former president of the Oriental Student Union at Seattle Central and had a history of activism, lots of contacts, and years of organizing experience. By the day of the groundbreaking ceremony, when Al, Frank, and Felicita met up at the International District Drop-In Center, 50-75 people had joined them. The group marched from the CID to the King Dome site, a muddy rain-soaked field south of King Street Station. No presentation was planned; the protesters were there to disrupt. The former NFL great, Hugh McElhenny, was standing beside John Spellman, then King County Executive, and the group heard him say, “Just give me a football and I can run through that crowd.” A lively chant went up amongst the protestors. “We dare you! We dare you!!” A group of protesters then tried to occupy the dais that was set up on a stage. A King County sheriff’s deputy turned pleadingly to Frank and said, “Can you stop this?” Frank was reluctant but also concerned about the safety of the protesters, so he began herding people together and asked everyone to leave the stage. Then a friend from the School of Social Work picked up a piece of mud and threw it at the groundbreaking plaque. In a split second, other protestors began throwing mud at the plaque. About this time the Seattle Police Dept. (SPD) arrived, “. . . looking like Roman soldiers with their shields and combat gear,” and marched towards the protesters. Frank said, “We decided it was time to go!” Al felt that they needed to leave all together as a group. Al, Frank, Nemesio Domingo, and a few others picked up the rear to ensure that no one was left behind. Nemesio had been appointed to ensure that no one in the group was arrested. But the SPD intended to arrest anyone with mud on their hands because, according to their thinking, they were guilty of throwing mud balls. Frank said, “This made no sense because the site was very muddy, and if anyone slipped or touched anything, such as a football, there would be mud on their hands.” As the protesters left the site, two officers followed them. Nemesio turned to the officers and said, “Why are you following us? We’re leaving!” The officer unzipped his jacket, placed his hand on his gun, and said to Nemesio, “What are you going to do about it?” Nemesio, looked him straight in the eye, flipped him the bird, and said, “Fuck you!” Suddenly, a sister protester yelled, “Run Nemesio, run!” Nemesio took off running with the police officers right behind him. The chase lasted only a block or two when the officers caught up with Nemesio. One of the protesters was a law student, and he convinced the police to release Nemesio on the spot, without charges. The demo was over, and the officers decided it wasn’t worth their while to arrest anyone. If this incident had happened today, it’s frightening to think of the consequences. Over the next few days and weeks, it became apparent that the protest wasn’t merely a mud fight. It had put the City and County on notice that the people of the CID were ready to stand up for their homes and livelihoods. Frank and the group used this as an opportunity to get a meeting with King County Executive John Spellman and present a list of demands, one of which was a community health center for the CID. It wasn’t a novel idea, since other community clinics were starting up as well. Frank and his group had learned that the Filipino and Chinese elderly were using the Pioneer Square Health Station (PSHS) for medical care. PSHS was there to treat the homeless and Indigenous people who lived in the area. A doctor there told them that it wasn’t a good mix, Filipino and Chinese elderly waiting for care alongside people being treated for drug and alcohol addiction and problems related to homelessness. Also, PSHS was not culturally or language accessible for these Asian patients. When Frank presented the demand for a culturally appropriate clinic for the Asian elderly, Spellman responded, “Why should I fund a community health center that is in the city of Seattle and not serving all of King County? How do I know that you guys even need this? Frank responded that the health care center would be open to anyone who wanted to use it and added, “Prove to us that we don’t need it.” Spellman assigned a nursing student working on her master’s degree to do a community assessment. She worked with activist and journalist Doug Chin on an epidemiological study to assess the health care needs of the elderly living in the CID. She came to Frank and Doug and said, “You guys have a problem with your elderly. They’ve got diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and a myriad of health problems, so they need good primary care. This will help you prove that you do need a clinic.” The study findings were presented to Spellman and he, along with King County Councilwoman and restaurateur Ruby Chow, got the International District Community Health Center funded as a brick-and-mortar facility, not the mobile unit that was originally proposed by the County. Frank became Executive Director of the IDCHC in 1980 and served in that capacity for about two years. Frank is modest when talking about this achievement, as well as his many others. He credits the hundreds of people he’s worked with, from all walks of life, for the contributions they made in the struggle for racial equality and health and social equity. I did volunteer work at the ID Clinic in the late 1980’s as a prerequisite for nursing school. Back then, it was a small clinic on the second floor of an old building on Maynard Street. It was impressive then and even more so today, with new buildings in multiple locations and services for its mostly Asian American clientele. Before speaking with Frank, I did not know that the IDCHC grew out of a mud-splattered disruption of the commemoration of the first of several sports facilities built in Seattle, facilities that continue to disrupt and displace residents of the CID. Nor did I know of the tremendous contribution that Frank had made. Frank spends less time looking back over the many years of service he has given to us, our city, state, and country, and more time on the challenges that lie ahead. City planners and developers continue to draw up plans for more building and development in the CID, completely overlooking the impact on the community, its character, its residents, and its viability. But now, just like then, Frank will tell you, “They’re not getting it without a fight and without consideration for the people affected.” Angie Bartels is PSARA's Membership VP. This story is one of a series of interviews she's doing with PSARA members.

In the Advocate July 2025: Tim Wheeler Tim Wheeler Rural Protestors Urge Senate to Kill Trump Medicaid Cuts Tim Wheeler Senior citizens stood near Clallam County’s only full service public hospital, June 7, holding signs proclaiming “85% of OMC Patients on Medicaid, Medicare” and chanting “No Cuts to Medicaid or Medicare.” The vigil, initiated by PSARA, attracted 18 participants who lined First Street a couple of blocks south of the Olympic Medical Center (OMC), a public hospital that serves 111,000 on the isolated, rural Olympic Peninsula. The protesters held up their signs and waved as passing motorists honked and gave thumbs-up salutes. In the crowd were two candidates for the OMC Board of Commissioners constantly struggling with millions of dollars in debt due to the low reimbursement rates for Medicare and Medicaid. The vigil was in protest against President Trump’s “Big Beautiful” budget bill passed by the House and now pending in the US Senate. The bill would inflict $715 billion in cuts to Medicaid and $300 billion in cuts to the SNAP nutrition programs to defray the trillion dollar tax cut for billionaires and millionaires. Laurie Force, a retired nurse and a candidate in the August primary for the OMC Board, was holding a sign as was her husband, Larry, whose hand-lettered message was “Stop the Steal.” Her campaign slogan is “A Force For OMC.” The other candidate for the OMC Board, Dr. Gerry Stephanz, Medical Director of the Olympic Peninsula Community Clinic, pointed out that Trump’s budget bill is a grave risk to rural hospitals across the nation, including the OMC, that are totally dependent on Medicare and Medicaid payments to stay afloat financially. OMC, he said, should file to be designated a “Rural Health” provider, like the hospital in Port Townsend. If recognized as a rural hospital that provides life and death services to more than 100,000 people, OMC would enjoy far higher reimbursement rates for the 85% of its patients now covered by Medicaid and Medicare. The vigil took place one week after a “town hall” meeting, also organized by PSARA at the senior Shipley Center in nearby Sequim. Speaking at the Shipley Center in Sequim on May 24, PSARA leaders Robby Stern and Anne Watanabe urged fightback against President Trump’s so-called budget “reconciliation” bill that will inflict hundreds of billions in cutbacks to Medicaid, the SNAP food stamp program and other human needs benefits while handing trillions in tax cuts to themselves and their billionaire cronies. Said Watanabe, “The GOP ‘big, beautiful bill’ means that by 2034, 8.6 million lose health insurance because of cuts. Another 5.1 million lose health insurance through loss of tax credits….13.7 million total will lose healthcare insurance.” She cited the disastrous impact the cuts would inflict in Clallam County where 20,866 children, 38 percent of youngsters, are protected by Medicaid and 21 percent of those 55 years or older. In neighboring Jefferson County 7,641 people, over 29 percent of children and 27 percent of those 55 years are older are enrolled in Medicaid. Rural hospitals, she said, like the Olympic Medical Center (OMC) in Port Angeles that serves 111,000 people, are at grave risk of closing or losing their public status, being privatized through merger with private for-profit hospitals like Providence, a Catholic hospital chain that bans abortions and other reproductive health care. These hospitals, she charged, are being forced into bankruptcy due to ruinously low reimbursement rates for their Medicaid and Medicare patients. In the past twenty years, 200 rural hospitals across the nation have been forced to close due to this crisis in rural America. OMC is the only full service hospital in an isolated region two hours drive from Silverdale or Tacoma and a long ferry ride from Seattle. Treatment for a heart attack or delivery of a baby is care needed instantly not after a two hour drive. Enactment of the Trump-MAGA budget bill will be a death sentence for tens of thousands of low income people, children, immigrant and native-born alike. Already approved by the House, Stern and Watanabe urged the crowd to bombard the U.S. Senate with mes- sages demanding the Senators vote down the budget scam, the most sweeping attack on federal human needs programs ever. Both Stern and Watanabe addressed the issue of defending traditional Medi- care from privatization by so-called “Medicare Advantage.” Stern described in detail the life-threatening struggles by PSARA member Richard Timmins, of Whidbey Island, who was forced to undergo intense treatment for skin cancer because his so-called Medicare Advantage (MA) provider refused to approve in time treatment by a dermatologist despite his physician’s recommendation. By the time the MA provider reversed course and approved examination, the tumor had metastasized into cancer. Stern told of his own family forced to file multiple appeals against a Medicare Advantage provider to win skilled nursing coverage for a parent/ grandparent in a nursing home. Medicare Advantage was authorized in 1982 said Watanabe. “The intention was to lower the cost of Medicare and improve outcomes for patients. So what happened?” Corporate insurers paid a per patient capitation fee, seek to inflate their profits through massive overcharges, false claims, "upcoding" in which patients are over-diagnosed to allow MA providers to receive higher capitated payments from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The total overcharges by MA is estimated to be $80 billion to $140 billion annually. Much of this corrupt profiteering has been exposed by the MEDPAC, a commission that oversees Medicare and Medicaid. PSARA is part of a nationwide coalition seeking to preserve Medicare against privatization by “leveling the playing field,” enacting reforms that allow traditional Medicare to offer the same extra benefits offered by MA like dental, vision, and hearing, and capping out-of-pocket costs for traditional Medicare enrollees. PSARA also supports “Medicare For All” or universal publicly paid healthcare for every person in the U.S. native born and immigrant, said Watanabe. Ellen Menshew, a member of PSARA and also Chair of the Clallam County Democratic Party (CCD), and Lisa Dekker, an Outreach Vice President of PSARA from Clallam County, introduced the guest speakers from Seattle. Dekker told the crowd that PSARA members and other volunteers are standing in front of the Federal Building in Port Angeles every Friday at 1 p.m. to protest the Trump-Musk attacks on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid focused now on demanding that the U.S. Senate reject the MAGA-Trump budget bill. It was Memorial Day weekend and many in the crowd came directly from a “Hands Off Our Veterans” protest by hundreds at the main intersection in Sequim denouncing cuts by Trump and unelected Elon Musk to the Veterans Administration, and sharp reductions in healthcare and other benefits for war veterans and their families. In the audience were members of PSARA from Sequim, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Gig Harbor, and Tacoma. US Army vets, and active union members were present. Tim Wheeler is a veteran activist, journalist, and a leader of PSARA's Clal- lam County organizing committee. BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA) Legislative Priorities List and Status for the Washington State Legislature 25/26 Biennium. Final Status of 2025 PSARA Washington State Legislative Agenda (updated 04/29/2025 ) PSARA is a multi-generational grass roots organization advocating for all people and seniors, in particular, being able to live their lives with economic security, dignity, and respect. With the close of the session we have updated the bill status. For those bills that have passed we have included a link for more information on the bill. We will make one more update later in May to confirm the Governor’s acceptance or rejection of each of the bills passed through the WA State Legislature. All of this work has been carried out by PSARA’s Government Relations Committee, click here for more information on the Committee. Healthcare PSARA believes that comprehensive, affordable, accessible, and culturally appropriate health care is a fundamental human right. Promote Leveling the Playing Field in Medicare SJM 8002 Status: Passed Senate 30-19. Did not pass the House. Will be reintroduced next year. Protect against healthcare program cuts and advance immigrant health equity Status: Budget Support efforts to advance universal healthcare SJM 8004 Status: Passed the House and the Senate and filed with Secretary of State. Ensure quality affordable healthcare for nursing home workers (WA Essential Worker Healthcare Program) HB 1523/SB 5344 Status: Dead 2025 Strengthen and protect WA Cares SB 5291 Status : Passed Senate & House awaiting Governor ’ s signature Housing and Homelessness PSARA supports keeping people housed, building more low-income housing, and preventing homelessness in the first place. Ensure reasonable and more predictable rent increases by passing rent stabilization HB 1217 /SB 5222 Status: 1217 Passed Senate & House awaiting Governor ’ s signature Invest $500 million in the Housing Trust Fund Status: Budget Preserve supportive services and prevent cuts to homelessness programs Status: Budget Create affordable housing close to transit HB 1491 Status: Passed Senate & House awaiting Governor ’ s signature The final rent stabilization bill passed the legislature on Sunday, April 27. The conference budget, unfortunately, did not cap residential rent increases at 7%. That is a disappointment, but housing advocates still count the final bill as a win and are urging Governor Ferguson to sign the bill. Caps rent increases for manufactured homeowners at 5% per year; Caps residential rent increases at 7% plus the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 10% per year, whichever is lower; Covers apartments and single-family homes; with some exceptions (including subsidized housing owned by nonprofits or public housing authorities; homes developed with low-income Housing Tax Credits regulated by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, and duplexes through fourplexes when the owner lives on site); Exempts newly-built homes for the first 12 years; Ends the caps for residential tenants after 15 years. The manufactured housing cap does not expire. The agreed upon capital budget includes $605 million for the Housing Trust Fund. Workers Rights and Economic Justice PSARA supports legislation that promotes healthy families and workplaces. Extend job protection in the Family & Medical Leave Program to ensure low wage earners can return to their jobs after leave to care for themselves or family members HB 1213 /SB 5539 Status: 1213 Passed Senate & House awaiting Governor ’ s signature Extend unemployment benefits to striking workers SB 5041 Status: Passed Senate & House awaiting Governor ’ s signature Extend unemployment benefits to undocumented workers SB 5626 Status: Dead 2025. Build economic security for low-income families by creating the Washington Future Fund Pilot Program (Baby bonds) HB 1661/SB 5541 Status: SB 5541 Dead 2025. Working Families Tax Credit HB 1214/SB 5768 Status: SB 5768 Dead 2025. Climate and Environmental Justice PSARA supports the right of all people to live and work in a clean and healthy environment. Divest Washington State Investment Board (“WSIB”) funds from fossil fuels (No Coal Act) SB 5439 Status: Dead 2025. Add a Green Amendment to the Washington State Constitution Status: No Action Improve solid waste management outcomes by reducing use of plastic wrap and containers HB 1150/SB 5284 Status: 5284 Passed Senate & House awaiting Governor ’ s signature Curb Act Increasing environmental justice by improving government decisions HB 1303 Status: Dead 2025 . Fiscal Reform and Revenue PSARA supports a state budget that is transparent, pays a living wage to state workers, and provides services that help our people, economy, and environment thrive. Prevent devastating budget cuts by providing new progressive revenues such as a wealth tax that taxes extraordinary financial assets Current Status: The final legislative operating budget includes nearly $6 billion in cuts and close to $9 billion in new revenue over the four-year outlook — significantly less revenue than legislative Democrats had initially sought. Governor Ferguson previously rejected each version of the revenue plan, citing concerns that the proposals were “too risky.” Governor Ferguson has partial and line item veto power. The final signed budget must be balanced. The Governor can’t add items or move money around. If his vetos are significant, a special session could be needed to produce a balanced final budget.

GENIUSes at Work: Crypto Buys the Government, Michael Righi In the Advocate August 2025: Michael Righi GENIUSes at Work: Crypto Buys the Government Michael Righi The Big Beautiful Bill has been voted into law. Now we have the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, passed by the Senate, with the help of 18 Democrats. If this is genius, what are the idiots up to? Other than thinking up ridiculous names, that is. What is a “stablecoin”? It is a type of cryptocurrency. Crypto coins or tokens are privately created assets based on computer blockchain technologies (don’t ask). Boosters want them to be actual money to buy and sell stuff, but they aren’t. They are pure speculation, created out of thin air. Crypto is great for money launderers, illegal arms traders, drug dealers and anyone engaged in fraud or bribery, since it is anonymous, with no traceable bank account. It has no use for anyone with a bank card or a payment app. Yes, those have fees that go to tech firms or bloated banks, but they are a lot more efficient than trading crypto, which takes huge amounts of computer power, and uses outsized amounts of fuel and water. Cryptocurrencies are great for those companies that issue them and rake in fees from trading. Unregulated predatory operators pump up the value of their coins and then sell, leaving smaller purchasers with the losses. Crypto also works well for corrupt politicians like Trump. Used to be you had to furtively hand a bag of cash to the politician you needed a favor from. Now, Trump and family have issued a whole array of crypto assets that tycoons buy, pump up their value, then announce on X that they have put $100,000 into $TRUMP. (That’s an actual case, not a hypothetical. In return, the SEC pauses your fraud case.) They’re Stable, Right? But back to stablecoins. Stablecoins are supposedly backed up one-to-one by liquid dollar assets like government bonds. So they are stable and safe, right? And then traditional financial institutions like banks and insurance companies can lend money to them, and pools of pension and government funds can “invest” in them. Which gives the crypto industry legitimacy. To achieve that legitimacy, crypto super PACs put hundreds of millions into the 2024 election, nearly half of all corporate spending for political candidates that year. They defeated crypto skeptics and elected boosters. They brought in the Trump crime family. They bought the government. The result? The GENIUS Act. Which very lightly “regulates” stablecoin- issuing companies. It will allow banks to issue coins, and lend money to firms who do. It requires minimal reporting of reserve assets of stablecoin issuers, with weak oversight. What could go wrong? Does anyone remember the 2008 financial crisis? The GENIUS Act removes the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from regulating or bringing fraud charges. It basically allows private issuers to create their own money, without any customer protections, such as deposit insurance. Maybe it is OK to allow speculative trading in crypto, although many unaware folks are being fleeced of their money. But if that fraud and manipulation finds its way into the banking system, it threatens a financial crisis that affects all of us. And then the GENIUS Act will ensure that crypto speculators get bailed out by the government. Socialism for the rich. Supporting an industry whose main contribution to the economy is to scam people. Monopoly Money The GENIUS Act would also allow big tech firms – Apple, Meta, X – to issue their own stablecoins/currency. Musk, Zuckerberg, and others would have their own private currencies, locking you into their platforms and having access to your data. The rich get richer, and more powerful and in control. We have had laws for 200 years separating commerce and finance; this begins to break that separation down. The huge surge in inequality at the very top (the 0.1%) we have experienced since the 1980’s has occurred in a couple of waves. The first was the rise of hedge funds and private equity. These are predators who buy and sell and break up productive firms, producing nothing themselves but accumulating wealth in fewer and fewer hands. This has come at the expense of jobs and wages, and you would think there’s a limit. But now, notice that private equity firms have moved hard into health care, housing, and even kids’ sports leagues. The second wave of tycoons is our tech overlords, who already control our data and our attention. Now they want a piece of crypto profits as well. This is privatization run amok: from private schools and health care and privately held firms, and now to private weather forecasts and private currencies like crypto. It’s clear who benefits from all this privatization; it’s where our greedy billionaires come from. Michael Righi is a retired economics professor and a member of the Retiree Advocate editorial board. BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid Are Under Attack Source documents: Overall: FACT SHEET: Senator Murray Outlines How Trump’s Attempt to Shutter Federal Agencies’ Offices Across WA State Will Hurt Taxpayers, Rip Away Services: https://www.murray.senate.gov/fact-sheet-senator-murray-outlines-how-trumps-attempt-to-shutter-federal-agencies-offices-across-wa-state-will-hurt-taxpayers-rip-away-services/ Medicaid: Click here to see what the impacts to Medicaid will be for the State of Washington. Letter to U.S. Senate leadership from The Leadership Council of Aging Organizations outlining the Damage that President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” will do to millions of Medicaid recipients: https://www.lcao.org/article/lcao-june-2025-reconciliation-letter-to-senate/ “Unprecedented” Medicaid Cuts Could Cripple Health Program, BU Experts Warn: https://www.bu.edu/articles/2025/medicaid-cuts-could-cripple-health-program/ House Republican Attacks on Medicaid Expansion Would Threaten Coverage for 20 Million People: https://www.cbpp.org/blog/house-republican-attacks-on-medicaid-expansion-would-threaten-coverage-for-20-million-people Republicans consider cuts and work requirements for Medicaid, jeopardizing care for millions: https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-work-requirements-congress-republicans-90ec1119f1d95de067c76f79eec7fa87 A Cut to Medicaid is a Cut to Medicare: 5 Key Facts About Medicaid Coverage for People with Medicare: https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/5-key-facts-about-medicaid-coverage-for-people-with-medicare/ Medicare: Threats to the Social Security Administration and to Benefits Continue to Raise Alarm: https://www.medicarerights.org/medicare-watch/2025/03/20/threats-to-the-social-security-administration-and-to-benefits-continue-to-raise-alarm Will the Trump Administration Fast Track the Privatization of Medicare?: https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/will-the-trump-administration-fast-track-the-privatization-of-medicare/ Social Security: Ann Widger, Director, AFSCME Retirees Letter to Retired Federal Employees asking for their experiences with Social Security. Ball Award Recipients Letter concerning alarm over current actions of DOGE that threaten the viability of Social Security benefits for current beneficiaries and workers. Social Security ends phone ID verification, a change opposed by advocates and retirees alike: https://www.wusf.org/politics-issues/2025-03-21/social-security-ends-phone-id-verification-a-change-opposed-by-advocates-and-retirees-alike Trump and Musk’s Plot to Make It Harder for Americans to Get Their Social Security Benefits: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/minority/fact-sheet-trump-and-musks-plot-to-make-it-harder-for-americans-to-get-their-social-security-benefits#:~:text=SSA%20staff%20ensure%2073%20million,lowest%20level%20in%2050%20years. Donald Trump and Elon Musk Are Making Their Social Security Lies a Reality — By Punishing Maine Families: https://socialsecurityworks.org/2025/03/07/trump-musk-social-security-lies-punish-maine-families/ Regurn to Social Security Page

Thank you for Completing PSARA ’ s 2024 Washington State Legislive Survey.

Seattle’s 42nd Annual MLK Celebration: We Rise Against Project 2025 Seattle’s MLK Jr. Organizing Coalition invites PSARA members to Seattle’s 42nd Annual MLK Day Celebration. The election underscores the need to mobilize against broad and sustained assaults on human and civil rights under the incoming administration, as outlined in Project 2025. We expect a robust turnout for the Career and Opportunity Fair, Community Workshop Series, rally, and march on January 20, and the community discussions taking place in the preceding week. The day begins with the MLK Career and Opportunity Fair, where job seekers take steps toward exciting career opportunities and meaningful connections. Over 50 vendors include companies ready to hire, apprenticeship programs, and organizations focused on career exploration. Attendees can polish their resumes with coaching, attend career workshops, or simply explore opportunities. We’re creating an inclusive, welcoming space with multilingual support and accommodations for all attendees, plus snacks and hospitality. The Fair kicks off at 8 a.m. on January 20 at Garfield High School. We’ll build pathways to success while honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ’ s legacy of equity and economic justice. This year’s MLK Community Workshop Series builds bridges between movements and communities to build solidarity and resist threats to democracy and justice. We’ll offer 15 workshops on the morning of MLK Day (January 20 from 9:15 - 10:40 a.m.) at Garfield High School. We’ll also host standalone workshops on Thursday, January 16 and Saturday, January 18 to support deeper presentations and community discussions on critical topics. Workshop information will be posted on the MLK Coalition website. Please look for detailed information on the site starting in early January, and be sure to check back for any changes and additions. A printed workshop brochure will be available on site at Garfield. Our Monday workshops will focus on strategies and resources for effective movement building. Among the offerings are: Choosing Your Cause Well-Being for Activists Support for Immigrant Justice While the Movement Is Under Threat Keeping Us Safe in Seattle’s Surveillance City Creating Community-Centered Housing and Economic Systems Climate Justice Panel: People of Color on the Frontlines Strategies for Countering Right-Wing Movements Building Solidarity in Opposition to Project 2025 Healing Together: A Community Event for Violence Prevention Cultural Reconnection: Return to the African Homeland Building Support for African American Reparations Reclaiming Education: BIPOC Youth Leading the Way to Transformation For the past two years, we’ve piloted more extended community discussions on urgent community issues in the week preceding MLK Day. This year, we’ll hold two. JR to 25 : We Cannot Turn Back centers on the state’s troubling juvenile rehabilitation plan, including new facility construction, which doesn’t address the paucity of therapeutic services and staff’s inability to control violence at its facilities. Sponsored by Team Child and Kids Are Kids, the event begins at 5:30 with a community meal followed by discussion from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. The event takes place at Washington Hall on Thursday, January 16. A community discussion on youth gun violence will be held on Saturday, January 18 from 1 - 3 p.m. at the Northwest African American Museum. Please join community leaders, activists, and families as we learn about causes and dynamics of youth gun violence, who perpetrates it, how we are affected by it, and strategies to mobilize against it. The event will be followed by a community meal at 3 p.m. and a program organized by the MLK Coalition’s Young Leaders program at 4 p.m. Following the Monday morning workshops, the rally will begin at 11 a.m. in the Garfield gym. Our focus this year will be on Project 2025 and youth gun violence. We will honor the legacy of the late Dr. Maxine Mimms, the visionary founder of the Evergreen State College’s Tacoma campus. The Reverend Dr. Kelle Brown will be among our speakers. The march will leave Garfield High School at 12:30 p.m. Please dress warmly and come with your signs, banners, bullhorns, and whatever else you need to make your presence visible and powerful. Please check the MLK Coalition website for final details on transportation, food, and other details. This is the time to stand in solidarity for our rights! Let’s flex our political muscle. Please join us, and bring 10 of your friends and allies.