More than 400 protest Bush Social Security plan (MD)

[struggle4progress]

Crowd gathers at Md. school where president touts proposal to supporters; Duncan, Van Hollen among critics

By Tom Stuckey
The Associated Press
Originally published June 23, 2005, 4:15 PM EDT

SILVER SPRING -- One week after her husband died, Joyce Benson stood outside Montgomery Blair High School today with a message for President Bush: "I don't want my Social Security messed up." <snip>

Benson was among more than 400 people who gathered outside the school where Bush was promoting his plan to partially privatize Social Security by allowing Americans to invest part of their Social Security taxes and manage those investments for their own benefit.

While the protesters were kept away from Bush, they left their assigned demonstration location and surged across University Boulevard to the sidewalk outside the school where their signs and their shouts could be seen and heard by supporters of Bush, who stood in a slow-moving line to clear security before disappearing into the school. <snip>

The atmosphere outside the school was festive, with a mixed crowd ranging from children to people old enough to collect Social Security waving signs, encouraging motorists driving past to honk their horns and shouting out slogans. With four drummers providing the beat, the crowd at one point chanted, "Hey Bush. Hey Cheney. Hands off my granny." <snip>

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-bush0623,1,227491.story?coll=bal-home-headlines

[skooooo]

1. wow!

that's alot of people for a small town...

[Cha]

2. "Hands off my granny"!!

Brilliant..they already have their hands on the youth who were in the military or the reserves(although some have been quite old). A veritible chokehold.

[NashVegas]

3. Awesome That They Left the Pens!

That's what people need to do.

[rodeodance]

4. good for them