The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents April 2025 GiveBIG Challenge 2025 Robby Stern Our goal for the GiveBIG campaign this year is $35,000. PSARA faces some significant new financial chal- lenges in 2025. The demands of the work we do have grown and will re- quire greater financial resources. We are organizing to resist the at- tacks on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, programs essential to the lives of seniors, people with disabilities, children, and low-income adults. We will also assist other organizations in fighting the racist, sexist, homophobic, autocratic, and cruel actions amount- ing to the fascist policies of the Musk/ Trump administration and the national Republican Party. When fighting for a decent future for our communities and future generations, education and organizing are essential. We will continue to advocate positive, progressive policies that lead to a much greater degree of economic and social justice for all people. While we oppose fascism, our policies also describe what we are fighting for. PSARA is growing. Our ability to make a significant contribution to the broader resistance battle is increasing. We now have an effective and expanding PSARA chapter in Pierce County, joining King County and Clallam County as a powerful voice in the broader struggle for economic and social justice. Most recently, for the very first time, PSARA is the lead organization for a piece of legislation in the 2025 legislative session in Washington State. At the suggestion, and with the encouragement, and support of Sen. Bob Hasegawa, PSARA decided to help draft and lead advocacy for SJM (Senate Joint Memorial) 8002. Sen. Hasegawa, a PSARA member, is the prime sponsor of the legislation. The PSARA Education Fund has provided critical educational material as SJM 8002 goes through the legislative process. Most recently, the WA State Senate, by a 30-19 vote, passed the legislation, going on record supporting leveling the playing field between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. SJM 8002 now goes to the House. We will work to educate House members to take a stand against the total privatization of Medicare. Our goal is to give Medicare beneficiaries a genuine choice of which program they want to enroll in without suffering the necessity to purchase supplemental insurance or a prescription drug policy from private insurers. Social Security is under attack by the Musk/Trump regime in a way we have not seen in our lifetimes. The former Commissioner of Social Security, Martin O’Malley, warned of a system collapse in the months ahead because of reduc- tions in work force by various means and the vicious attacks by Musk/Trump, with Musk claiming Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. They say that there is fraud in Social Security of $500 to $700 billion. Both of these assertions are lies. They are looking for ways to steal our benefits to finance their tax breaks and at the same time privatize this vital social insurance program. We must have the resources to respond to these attacks. The PSARA Education Fund donations help to cover the costs of creating and distributing The Retiree Advocate. Your contributions also support the development of new educational and advocacy materials and in-person pro- grams on why Congress should Scrap the Cap on Social Security and expand benefits; on stopping the privatization of Social Security and Medicare and making significant improvements to the public Medicare system; and on defending Medicaid, a healthcare program critical to seniors who need long term care, children, people with disabilities, and very low income adults. The Board members of the PSARA Education Fund and PSARA will be asked to generously donate to the PSARA Education Fund, and our members will be asked to collectively match the Board’s donation for the 2025 Give- BIG campaign. In the coming year the Education Fund will sponsor educational pro- grams in different parts of the region, state, and nationally that will focus on how we can best resist Musk/Trump/ Vance attacks. We will highlight how we can create a better and more humane alternative to the dangerous direction the President’s administration and the national Republican Party and their al- lies want to take our country. We need your generous financial assistance now more than ever. GiveBIG days are May 6 and 7. Early online giving for GiveBIG starts on April 22. Donations can be made from April 22 through May 7 by going to wagives.org/donate/Psara-Education-Fund . For members who prefer not to donate online or want the Education Fund to receive the full amount of your donation, send a check to the PSARA Education Fund any time between now and May 7. Write “GiveBIG” in the memo line, so we know your donation is in response to the GiveBIG campaign. Mail your check to the PSARA Education Fund, 321 16th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98144. Choosing this option saves the PSARA Education Fund a small percentage processing fee that PSARA pays for online donations. Please contribute as generously as you can. Thank you. Robby Stern is President of the PSARA Education Fund and serves on the PSARA Executive Board. < Back to Table of Contents

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents February 2025 PSARA 2025 Legislative Agenda PSARA Board PSARA is a multi-generational grass roots organization advocating for all people, and seniors in particular, to be able to live their lives with economic security, dignity, and respect. Health Care 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 Protect against healthcare program cuts and advance immigrant health equity Support efforts to advance universal healthcare SJM 8004 Ensure quality affordable health care for nursing home workers (WA Essential Worker Healthcare Program) Strengthen and protect WA Cares 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 Invest $500 million in the Housing Trust Fund RA 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 Extend unemployment benefits to striking workers and undocumented workers Build economic security for low-income families by creating the Washington Future Fund Program (Baby bonds) 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) Add a Green Amendment to the Washington State Constitution Improve solid waste management outcomes by reducing use of plastic wrap and containers 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 < Back to Table of Contents

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents January 2026 US House Returns to the 1950s with “Anti-Socialist” Resolution 86 Dems join GOP to Condemn the “Horrors of Socialism” Mike Andrew On November 21, the US House of Representatives voted 285-98 to pass a resolution titled “Denouncing the Horrors of Socialism.” The text starts off with lurid – and historically inaccurate – charges of death, devastation, and ruin allegedly flowing from socialism, and ends with the declaration that “Congress denounces socialism in all its forms, and opposes the implementation of socialist policies in the United States.” It’s as if Congress went to sleep on November 20, 2025, and woke up on November 21, 1950. The resolution was introduced by Maria Salazar, representing a district including parts of Miami and surrounding suburbs, and cosponsored by 63 other Republicans. Rep. Salazar is the daughter of Gusanos who fled Cuba after the revolution. Given her family’s origins, it’s easy to see where this passage comes from: “[T]he Castro regime in Cuba expropriated the land of Cuban farmers and the businesses of Cuban entrepreneurs, stealing their possessions and their livelihoods, and exiling millions with nothing but the clothes on their backs…” In simple language, “the Cuban revolution took away my family’s property and wealth, therefore I hate socialism.” But that happened 66 years ago. Why this resolution, and why now? Rep. Mike Simpson, Republican from Idaho, offers a clue. "Now more than ever, with newly elected leaders like Zohran Mamdani in New York, it is crucial we remain vigilant against this failed ideology,” he said in a press release after the vote. “America has always been the guiding light of freedom, and socialism is far from that founding principle.” Beyond smearing popular democratic socialists like Mamdani, it’s clear that the Trump administration is preparing for war against Venezuela – which was specifically condemned in the resolution – and ratcheting up tensions with China. So this document also serves to justify future US military actions against those “horrible socialists.” The House roll call indicates that 86 Democrats teamed up with Republicans to vote Yes on this measure. Among them were senior leaders like Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark, and Jim Clyburn, along with a long list of pro-business suburban Democrats such as Pete Aguilar, Ami Bera, Gil Cisneros, and Josh Gottheimer. In the Washington State delegation, both Republicans voted Yes. They were joined by three Democrats – Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Kim Schrier, and Marilyn Strickland. Three Democrats voted No – Pramila Jayapal, Emily Randall, and Adam Smith. Two more Democrats – Suzan DelBene and Rick Larsen – did not vote, along with 52 other Representatives. Many of the most senior House Democrats are apparently still hostile to bold, progressive young candidates like Mamdani, and Seattle’s Katie Wilson, and still afraid of their rising popularity. At the same time, many Democrats seem to agree – at least tacitly – with Trump’s “America First” foreign policy. That means that we have some work to do. Our elected representatives should understand that it’s not acceptable to join with the far right and vote for right-wing propaganda pieces like this resolution. And if they don’t understand it now, they should be made to understand. They should also understand that candidates like Mamdani and Wilson didn’t win their races because they tricked the voters into casting ballots for sinister socialist schemes. They won because they offered practical ways to make people’s lives better – free bus service, publicly-owned grocery stores, more social housing. Most people think Hakeem Jeffries will become Speaker after the 2026 Congressional elections. Let him make people’s lives better. Then he can condemn socialism all he wants. < Back to Table of Contents

In the Advocate July 2025: Steve Bauck The Long-Term War on Social Security Steve Bauck In last month’s Retiree Advocate, Steve Kofahl described the devastating impact of staffing cuts and rules changes on Social Security beneficiaries. While newly implemented, they are part of long-term attack on Social Security. In 1983 the Cato Institute produced an article titled “Achieving a Leninist Strategy”. It called for “guerrilla warfare against both the current Social Security system and the coalition that supports it.” The long-term goal was to shift the $1.5 trillion we pay into Social Security each year out of Social Security and into IRA or similar private accounts. Their strategy has had considerable success in reducing confidence in the fiscal soundness of Social Security. An April 2025 poll by the AP and University of Chicago found that 52% of those surveyed were not confident that Social Security benefits would be available when they need them. The Social Security staffing cuts have nothing to do with reducing the federal deficit or debt. Social Security is completely self-funded. Administrative costs, including staffing, come from the contributions we make into Social Security. Currently administrative expenses for Social Security amount to a miniscule 0.9%. Were administrative expenses to be raised back to 1.26% where they have historically been, SSA could have the full staffing it needs to adequately serve the public and it wouldn’t impact the federal budget at all. But the cuts do serve the purpose of eroding confidence in Social Security’s ability to deliver benefits to those who have earned them. They are also likely to cut costs by deterring deserving beneficiaries from accessing their benefits. Similarly, the DOGE theft of Social Security personal data in the name of rooting out fraud has nothing to do with saving billions in fraudulent Social Security payments. DOGE has not been able to demonstrate that there is fraud because it is almost nonexistent in Social Security. A recent Social Security oversight report found an “improper payments” rate of 0.3%. They noted that only a sliver of that low rate is due to fraud. The focus on fraud reinforces the idea that Social Security is an entitlement program giving benefits to undeserving beneficiaries who haven’t earned them and that the federal government isn’t competent to administer the program. The data is also being used as a weapon by declaring people to be dead and thus denying them access to employment, banking and virtually all economic activity in the country. When we first start working, we don’t know when we are going to retire, how long we will be retired or what financial resources we will have. We also do not know if we are going to become disabled and unable to work (only a third of workers have disability insurance be- side Social Security Disability) or if we will die young and leave dependents without a source of income. Social Security is not a retirement savings program, it is an insurance program. Our contributions are pooled to ensure that all covered workers have a monthly benefit in all these situations. Although by law Social Security can never go bankrupt, there is a future funding issue. In 1983 the stagflation of the 1970s caused a funding crisis for Social Security. It was solved primarily by benefit cuts. Projections indicated that the changes would take care of all future needs. What was not anticipated at the time was the theft of wages over the past 40 years. Almost none of the gains in productivity have gone to workers. Currently the Social Security Trust Fund surplus built up to provide for the surge of baby boomer retirement is projected to be depleted in 2033. This is not a new issue. It has been known for over 30 years. There will need to be either a 21% cut in benefits or an increase in revenue. Overwhelming majorities of Americans favor increasing revenue over benefit cuts. The most obvious source of additional revenue is to “Scrap the Cap” and make those who have received most of the gain in productivity pay their fare share. Currently wages above $176,100 are not taxed for Social Security. Had the cap been eliminated 30 years ago when the looming funding issue was first identified it would have solved the entire problem. It would still solve a large portion of the problem and is essential to any realistic plan to avert benefit cuts. We need to counter the assault on Social Security by exposing the lies that have eroded confidence in Social Security’s future and insist that the rich pay their fair share by scrapping the cap. Steve Bauck is Co-Chair of PSARA's Social security Task Force and a member of PSARA's Executive Board. BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

In the Advocate May 2025: Steve Kofahl Social Security Attacks Continue Steve Kofahl It seems that nearly every day we learn about a disturbing new aspect of the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on Social Security, the Social Security Administration (SSA), and SSA employees. I write this on May 12, with a Washington Post piece (“The hidden ways Trump and DOGE are shutting down parts of the government”) in today’s Seattle Times. The article reveals that some SSA employees are running out of pens, paper, and printer toner because the US DOGE Service, on February 26, placed a $1 spending limit on each government-issue credit card that managers use to make purchases and pay for services. They cannot pay their phone bills, or for translation services, for example. Less than a dozen people at SSA, an agency with 1,300 work locations, are now authorized to make decisions on any purchase requests, causing lengthy backlogs and delays. How’s that for making government more efficient? Less than a week ago, Wall Street billionaire Frank Bisignano was confirmed 53-47 by the Senate to serve until January 2031 as SSA Commissioner. A self- described “DOGE person,” he was called out by the usually mild-mannered Oregon Senator Ron Wyden for lying to the Senate Finance Committee, when he denied having worked with DOGE and Trump’s Acting SSA Commissioner, Leland Dudek, for months before his confirmation. It was during this time that the SSA website crashed 3 times in 10 days, in March. Bisignano, who comes with a reputation for slashing jobs and treating workers disrespect- fully, has said that he intends to replace SSA 800-number agents with Artificial Intelligence (AI). Speaking of AI, SSA has already been utilizing it to some extent in the disability determination process. The National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) has formed a task force that issued a report last month citing a number of concerns. One is the presence of bias in medical care and in medical record-keeping. How do we identify and mitigate it? NASI believes it imperative that hu- mans make the adjudicative decisions, including whether to obtain additional existing medical evidence or request a consultative exam paid for by SSA. SSA had more than 84,000 employ- ees in 1980, compared to about 50,000 today, with half as many Americans receiving benefits compared with today. Each of 1,200+ field offices had at least one SSA field representative to reach those who lived far from an office and needed a home visit, or to be served at one of the Agency’s hundreds of con- tact stations (sites like courthouses and social service agencies, most at no cost to SSA). They also made presentations to educate people about SSA programs. There are no more contact stations, and no more field representatives. With SSA having largely withdrawn from communities across our nation, it shouldn’t surprise us that lies about Social Security are believed by too many Americans. Why else would anyone agree with Elon Musk that Social Security is a 90-year Ponzi scheme, that benefits are being paid on the records of 150-year-olds, or that undocumented workers are receiving payments (they’re not!)? Incorrect payments, which include underpayments as well as overpayments, are about 1 percent of total benefits paid. Incorrect payments (which could be greatly reduced by restoring staff) and fraudulent payments are not the same thing, and there is, in fact, very little fraud. Reports of changes that affect eligibility or payment amount are received by SSA, but often go unworked for many months due to job cuts. Implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act, which restored benefits for public retirees who had been subject to Government Pension Offset or the Windfall Elimination Provision, is also being slowed by staffing losses. Nearly three mil- lion records require adjustment, but some won’t be processed for a year. Of 182,000 new applications filed by those who hadn’t applied previously because no payments were due before the law was changed, 15 percent have not been processed. The Trump administration intends to strip all civil service and union rights from about 20 percent of the SSA workforce, including the Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) who conduct dis- ability hearings and render decisions. That would make it easy to intimidate or remove ALJs who allegedly approve too many cases. Thankfully, we have been getting some help from the courts and others. In April, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction to block DOGE from accessing the sensitive personal information in SSA records. On May 7, 15 House Republicans (none from Washington) wrote to Bisignano to express concerns about staff cuts and office closures. Two days later, another judge issued a two-week temporary restraining order blocking implementation of a February 11 executive order directing major “reorganizations” at SSA and 19 other agencies. The Administration appealed to the 9th Circuit within hours. H.R. 2550, the Protecting Ameri- ca’s Workforce Act, which would restore federal employee rights that have been stripped away, already has 220 House co-sponsors. We have a long and difficult fight on our hands, but we can and must win it. We have to pull back the curtain and reveal what’s really going on in the other Washington, reach out wherever possible to tell the story to others, and take action by attending rallies and/or calling members of Congress from both parties. Steve Kofahl is a former President of AFGE 3937, representing Social Security workers, a member of PSARA's Executive Board, and Co-Chair of PSARA's Social Security Task Force. BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

Ann Widger, Director, AFSCME Retirees Letter to Retired Federal Employees I have been working to protect Social Security for almost 30 years and I’ve never seen so many attacks against the Social Security system and the people who depend on it. They’re hoping you’ll stay quiet while they trample over many seniors' only source of income after retirement. Do you still trust them to protect the benefits you earned? Tell us where you stand. Just look at what they’ve done to Social Security — and it’s only June. Project 2025 architect Russell Vought — who admitted he wants to slash Social Security — is now running the federal budget. DOGE, under Elon Musk, demanded access to private Social Security data — and forced the acting Commissioner to resign when she said no. The SSA announced office cuts that guarantee longer wait times, delayed benefits, and total chaos for retirees and disabled workers. Musk went on national TV, called Social Security a “Ponzi scheme”, and declared it “the big one to eliminate.” Social Security is YOUR money and you are entitled to it. When a federal judge blocked DOGE from accessing your personal data, Commissioner Leland Dudek threw a tantrum and threatened to shut the whole program down. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick publicly mocked seniors, saying his 94-year-old mother-in-law wouldn’t miss a Social Security check — and that only “fraudsters” complain. Reports surfaced that wait times for benefits are projected to skyrocket — from 236 days to 412. Deaths while waiting for disability could more than double, reaching 67,000 people a year. DOGE falsely declared living Americans dead or undocumented, cutting off their benefits without warning and putting their ability to pay their rent and buy groceries at risk. The Senate confirmed Frank Bisignano, a billionaire known for gutting jobs and services, to run the SSA. The White House announced plans to defund the Social Security Advisory Board — eliminating oversight just as the attacks ramp up. And that new commissioner? Bisignano admitted he had to Google the job. He didn’t even know what the SSA did — and now he controls benefits for 70 million Americans. And just last week, the Supreme Court ruled to give DOGE access to your personal Social Security information, even though many DOGE staffers are not properly training on accessing personal data and are not qualified to have access to such sensitive information. This isn’t politics. It’s sabotage. What This Means for You: Reports indicate a surge in early retirement claims, as individuals fear benefit reductions or disruptions to what is their main source of income. Social Security recipients have started noticing changes. Longer drives to reach the nearest office. Longer wait times on the phone. No response. One AFSCME Retiree — Louisa Pedraza — was told she would hear back soon about her Social Security. She heard nothing. The attacks not only strained the SSA's resources but the misinformation and lies spread by Elon Musk and his minions have also eroded trust in the system — paving the way for even more cuts. They said they wouldn’t touch Social Security. Instead, they infiltrated it, accessed private information, fired the staff, closed the offices, spread lies about fraud and threatened to shut the entire program down. Did they think you wouldn’t notice? Do you trust them with your Social Security? Tell us what you think here. In Solidarity, Ann Widger P.S. Social Security is more than just a program; it's a promise made to every American. It’s food on the table and a roof over the heads of millions of Americans. Let's ensure that promise is kept and that we’re not cheated out of everything we’ve worked for. Contributions or gifts to the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees PEOPLE (AFSCME PEOPLE) are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. All contributions to AFSCME PEOPLE are voluntary and will be used to support pro-worker candidates in federal, state and local elections. Contributions are not a condition of membership or employment and refusal to contribute is free of reprisal. Any contribution guideline is only a suggestion, and you may contribute more or less than that amount or nothing at all, and you will not be favored or disadvantaged because of your contribution amount or decision not to contribute. In accordance with federal law, AFSCME PEOPLE accepts contributions only from AFSCME members, executive and administrative personnel, and their families. Contributions from other persons will be returned. If you would prefer to donate to AFSCME PEOPLE offline, please click here . All content © 2025 AFSCME Retirees Privacy Policy

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.

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 ’ s Office (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/

PSARA Lobby Day Training Thank you for participating in PSARA’s Lobby Day! To assist you in preparing for your day at the Washington State Legislature, we have put together the following training materials for you below. Bill status is ever changing and we will have the most up to date information on Lobby Day: Training Video: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (see below) Legislator Meeting Prep w/District Lead and To Dos (see below) 10 Advocacy Tips for Meeting w/your legislator (see below) PSARA’s 2025 Legislative Agenda and Bill Status Washington State Capitol Campus Map (click here for the map) Priority Talking Points (click here for talking points) 2025 Lobby Day Agenda (see below) Lobbying: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Legislator Meeting Prep w/District Lead and To Dos Your district lead will contact you with a zoom link, date and time to prep for the legislator meetings. Please attend that zoom pre-meeting. Please be flexible as legislators’ schedules change. Be on time. Please bring a boxed lunch including water. Follow the lead of your district lead during the legislator meetings. ·Stay on topic and PSARA legislative priorities. Meeting schedules will be tight. When you get to the Labor Council Office the morning of March 18, please find you District lead and stay with your group as much as possible. We will have coffee and a light breakfast/snack. 10 Advocacy Tips for Meeting w/your legislator Identify yourself – State your name and identify yourself as a constituent, if you are one. Be specific – Include the name and number of the relevant bill. Clearly describe the issue/problem and why the bill is necessary. Make it personal – Speak in your own words about why the issue is important to you, your family, friends, etc. Tell a personal story. Do your homework – Review your “talking points.” Learn something about your legislator. See below for legislative website links. Be confident – Your legislator’s job is to represent you. You may also know more about the issue than your legislator. Offer yourself as a source of information. Keep the door open for future conversations – Be passionate, but not rude. Be brief – Get to the point quickly and be specific about why you are contacting them. Limit your written documents to one page. Be factual – Make sure the information you provide is accurate. If you don’t know the answer to a question, say so and follow up later. Make “the ask” – Ask the legislator to support your position on the issue. If the legislator will not make that commitment, ask them to read your issue paper, meet with you again, keep an open mind, if opposed. Show appreciation – Thank them for their time and follow up with a written thank you and send any materials you have promised. Helpful websites www.leg.wa.gov , https://leg.wa.gov/legislature/Pages/MemberInformation.aspx https://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/ PSARA Lobby Day Agenda 9:00 a.m. Meet at the WSLC for Lobby Day Overview Coffee/tea, breakfast rolls and fruit 906 Columbia St SW #330, Olympia 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. All Day Legislator Meetings 11:00-11:30 a.m. OIC Commissioner Patty Kuderer meeting at the OIC Building (Room TBD) 12:00-12:15 p.m. Speaker Jinkins meeting at the Legislative Building (Room TBD) Lunch on your own 1:00 p.m. Legislator Meetings Continued 2:30 p.m. Debrief at the WSLC 3:00 p.m. Head home Pam’s Cell for Support 206-650-0020

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents October 2025 Local Seniors Oppose WISeR Aljoya Community Sends Letter to Elected Representatives This letter will go to Senators Cantwell and Murray; Representative Jayapal; Insurance Commissioner Kudurer; 46th District Senator Valdez and Representatives Pollet and Farivar. Backgound of the letter: PSARA members Robby Stern and Anne Watanabe gave an excellent presentation to Aljoya Residents on the background and current threats to Medicare. The residents wanted a method to express their opposition to WISeR. One suggestion was for everyone to send a letter in opposition to their elected officials. Someone else suggested we all sign on to one letter and send it as a group of residents. Elaine Berman (AFT-NY Re- tired) and Susan Levy (AFT-WA Retired) drafted the letter and collected statements of agreement. And with the help of many other residents we were able to move forward and send this letter: We are some of the over 170 residents at Aljoya Thornton Place a senior living community located in the Northgate Area of Seattle (450 NE 100 St). We are all on Medicare and are deeply concerned about the rising costs and limited availability of our health care. Specifically, we want to keep and improve Medicare for us, our children, and our grandchildren. We have recently learned about a trial project by CMMS to expand prior authorization requirements for Traditional Medicare through their newly proposed “Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model" be- ginning next year. Washington will be one of the pilot states. We are strongly opposed to this potential erosion of Medicare benefits, the addition of private for-profit firms to our basic Medicare program, the possible increase in pre-authorization denials of medically necessary services in the interest of profits and possible increased cost to us and the Medicare Trust Fund. We urge you to oppose this pilot program right now. Medicare works well and we don’t want to turn it over to more for profit businesses. Money should go, as it was intended, to provide health care for seniors...not to business profits. Will you support us and let everyone in your political orbit know that you are opposed to WISeR and ask them to join in the opposition to WISeR? We at Aljoya are a politically active community and have been picketing at the corner of NE 100 and 5th Ave NE. almost every Friday afternoon against a lot of the new administration’s anti- humane policies. This newest WISeR program is an immediate threat to our health and ability to live an active life. Please work to get the trial program cancelled BE- FORE it is started. Thanks for your consideration. Do come and join us some Friday at our 3:30 demonstration. Signed by over 90 residents of the Aljoya community. < Back to Table of Contents

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents June 2026 Washington State Bridging the Care Gap Special to the Retiree Advocate from We Care For WA Cares Coalition A life-changing new benefit is days away from being available for people who need long-term care in Washington State. Decades in the making, and with PSARA’s strong support from inception, the WA Cares Fund is a first-of-its-kind public long-term care insurance program. More than 4 million Washingtonians are already enrolled. Benefits are available starting July 1. Close to half a million Washingtonians will need long-term care service or support within the next ten years. WA Cares Fund will help pay for services not covered by private insurance or Medicare – in-home caregivers, safety features like grab bars, ramps, equipment, care supplies, meals and transportation – support that helps us stay in our homes when we need assistance with daily living tasks because of a serious injury, debilitating disease, stroke, or the normal challenges of aging. WA Cares works like insurance. If you or a loved one needs help with at least three activities of daily living - moving around, bathing, toileting, eating, and taking medication - you can now apply for your WA Cares benefits. Once assessed, if you are eligible, you can start using your benefits as soon as July. Says Christina Keys, a spokesperson for We Care for WA Cares, “Affording long-term care is a struggle for most of us. I know because I’ve been there. Like so many women in mid-life, when they are at the height of their career, my world was turned upside down financially, emotionally, and physically when my mother had a stroke at the age of 62 that left her unable to care for herself. Washingtonians now have a benefit we can use to help pay for all the things my mother needed.” WA Cares benefits aren’t only going to help older adults. The need for long-term care can happen at any age. Even someone in their 20s, who has a debilitating motor vehicle accident, can use their WA Cares Fund benefit to pay for a home care aide, wheelchair ramp, and in-home meal delivery. Now, people like Christina have choices. They can either be paid as a family caregiver with their parent’s WA Cares benefit, or they can keep working and their mother’s WA Cares benefit can go to pay for a homecare aide, help with meals, and transportation. Even Washingtonians nearing retirement have lifetime access to a pro-rated portion of the full benefit (10% for every year they contributed while working), should they need to tap it to help cover care costs in the years ahead. For those living with a degenerative disease like MS or Parkinson’s, WA Cares will be a lifeline when they experience challenges with daily living tasks in the years ahead. Folks who have private long-term care insurance can use WA Cares benefits to help bridge the gaps left by most corporate policies that have 90-day waiting periods and daily caps on how many hours of care insurance will cover. They can use the WA Cares benefit to pay for more hours of help than is covered by their private policy. And unlike private long-term care insurance that usually requires policy holders to keep paying expensive premiums even after they retire, Washingtonians stop making contributions when they stop working and have lifetime access to their benefits. Retirees who continue working, even very part-time (at least 10 hours a week on average, or 500 hours a year), can keep building their benefits. Any Washingtonian who has been paying into the program for three of the prior six years at the time they apply for benefits can receive the full $36,500. Starting in 2030, even people who moved out of state can still apply for their benefits if they continued paying into the program. Less than 3% of Americans, 65+, have a private long-term care insurance policy, and few have enough personal savings to pay out of pocket for long-term care support and services. For middle and lower income families, WA Cares benefits are going to be a huge help. A worker earning about $50,000 a year, for example, pays an annual contribution of about $290. This year, the WA Cares benefit amount is $36,500. It will be adjusted annually to grow with inflation. If inflation rises an average of 2.5% per year, the benefit amount is projected to increase to $43,387.03 by 2033. Cathy Knight, Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging (W4A) director, explained the big difference even a modest long-term care benefit can make: “Unless you are extremely wealthy and have savings set aside to pay for long-term care, the WA Cares benefit is going to make a difference for the majority of Washingtonians. $36,500 is enough to get you through a crisis or help you prepare for the tough decisions you're going to have to make to access and afford long-term care.” If you or a loved one wants help with accessing WA Cares benefits, contact a local Area Agency on Aging representative, who can help with the process. To learn more and join our community of WA Cares advocates, visit www.wecareforwacares.org Key Dates July 1, 2023, 4.1 million WA workers were enrolled and began making contributions to their WA Cares benefit. July 1, 2026, Benefits become available to applicants who meet eligibility criteria. July 1, 2030, out-of-state contributors can begin applying for benefits. July 1, 2033, An estimated 4 million Washingtonians will be fully vested and have lifetime access to their WA Cares benefit. We Care for WA Cares is a coalition of Washington health care and worker organizations supporting WA Cares, including Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action, National MS Society, < Back to Table of Contents

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents March 2025 Mexico: Unequal Trade and Trump’s Nonsense Michael Righi What is Trump thinking with all this back-and-forthing on tariffs? Is it really linked to fentanyl labs and immigrants? Is there a hidden agenda? The idea of Trump “thinking,” rather than just blustering and bullying, may be a bit of a stretch. But let’s try to figure some things out. Trump has, of course, threatened 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada. As he often does, he claimed victory whenMexico moved some troops toward the border, which they were always planning to do. So the tariffs are on pause. Trump backed off. Trump’s justifications for higher tariffs wander all over the place. Besides using them to supposedly stop the flow of drugsand migrants, he claims countries are selling us too much stuff, stuff that could be made in the US. The US does have a trade deficit with Mexico, which has resulted from the signing of the North American Free TradeAgreement in 1994. This allowed US corporations, ever in search of cheaper resources, less regulation, and cheaper labor in particular, to produce in Mexico and export back to the US with minimal tariffs. We know the effects of NAFTA on jobs in US manufacturing towns. What is perhaps less discussed are the effects in Mexico. US agri corporations, subsidized by the US government, dumped tons of corn and wheat into Mexican markets at prices 15% to 30% below the cost of production. This drives down prices and drives millions of small Mexican farmers into poverty and off their land. Mexico now imports 40% of its grain, whereas before NAFTA it was 7%. Folks went north, to the maquiladoras, low-wage component and parts factories supplying US corporations. Or across theborder. Sin Maiz No Hay Paiz Trade and trade rules reflect relative economic and military power. NAFTA and the World Trade Organization (WTO) are agreements that privilege the free movement of goods and capital and profit. Under existing trade rules, workers and small farmers lose. For the last three decades, the global 1% captured over half of all increases in income. That’s not only because of trade, ofcourse, but trade played a part. Neoliberalism and its promise of “all boats rising” has failed. The WTO has a “trade court” that interprets trade rules. Over the last several years, Mexico, under President Lopez Obradorand now Claudia Sheinbaum, has adopted policies to support Mexican farmers, and move to healthier food. Corn is themain grain: “Without corn there is no country.” Part of agricultural policy has been to restrict and eventually phase out the import of US genetically-engineered corn. GM corn in the US is grown with the chemical glyphosate, a known carcinogen. Any trade restriction, no matter how reasonable,according to WTO rules, is banned. Mexico produced a brilliant synthesis of the evidence on the harms caused by glyphosate. They argued they have a right toprotect their people, their farm- ers, their indigenous food practices. The WTO trade court ruled for the US, and this was under the Biden administration. Might makes right. Bringing Jobs Back? Trump claims to want to bring back jobs to the US and punish Mexico for the trade imbalance. But it is not about Mexico and the US. Workers here and in Mexico have similar interests in not being thrown in competition with each other, and having wages driven down. Food producers (not Big Ag) and consumers in both countries need high quality standards and climate-sustain- ing production. Does Trump really think 25% tariffs will bring manufacturers back to the US? Does he care? Car manufacturers bring parts and components across the border several times per car in their supply chain strategies. Are they willing to refashion supply chains? Mainly what Trump is doing is introducing a whole lot of uncertainty into corporate decision making. Would some strategic tariffs and an industrial policy that fostered research and development and targeted loans to clean energy firms, and training for skilled workers make sense? Absolutely. But if you think that’s the path Trump is on, I have a bridge I could sell you. Trump’s tariffs and threats of tariffs are going to cause problems. They are a tax, so they will raise prices. Costs will go up, so firms might respond by cutting jobs. Trading partners will retaliate with their own tariffs. If prices rise, the Fed will keep interest rates high. As usual, all that hurts working families. So, what is Trump going on about? Part of it is a show of dominance, playing to his base. But perhaps the main point? Republicans want more tax cuts for the wealthy, and they are going to have to find some ways to fund those cuts. Tariffs do raise some revenue, so that may be the point. The 1% need more. Michael Righi is a retired economics professor and a member of the Retiree Advocate editorial board. < Back to Table of Contents