TOLEDO, Ohio – Sandy Coutcher spent her career helping people with disabilities in Lucas County, Ohio, live with the support and dignity they deserve. As an AFSCME retiree, she hasn’t given up fighting for what’s right.
On Tuesday, she joined other activists and U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur at an event to protect Social Security from cuts and layoffs by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by the richest man in the world, Elon Musk.
With the White House and Musk targeting Social Security (and lying about what they're doing), millions of Americans are in danger of losing retirement, and survivor and disability benefits.
Coutcher, a member of Ohio-West Virginia AFSCME Retiree Chapter 1184, and other AFSCME members recently helped pass a law that eliminated restrictions on Social Security payments to public service workers. They know the importance of fighting to protect the program.
Coutcher said billionaire Musk and his allies in the administration “are spreading lies about Social Security” and are “trying to defund and dismantle a program that keeps people like me afloat.”
Kaptur spoke about the importance of protecting Social Security from the relentless attacks of billionaires looking to fund tax breaks for themselves.
“For more than 7 million Americans over the age of 65, at least 90% of their income comes from Social Security,” said Kaptur. “Of those 7 million, almost half would not be able to afford the costs of food, housing or clothing without their hard-earned Social Security benefits."
Coutcher is part of a wave of working and retired AFSCME members who are rising up across the country to protect Social Security and public services this month.
As Congress takes a two-week recess, AFSCME members — through our union’s Get Organized campaign — are fighting tax cuts and changes to Social Security being pushed by this administration, anti-union extremists in Congress and their billionaire buddies like Musk.