A crowd of more than 500 people lining Lewis Avenue for several blocks in front of the Social Security Administration office in Waukegan Saturday made one thing very clear with their signs and voices — Social Security is an “earned benefit” no different than a privately purchased annuity.
Demonstrators were unhappy about potential changes by the federal government, which could reduce the quality of services at the Social Security office and on the phone. They voiced their concerns with chants of “hands off Social Security” aimed at President Donald Trump.
Jane Ferry of Waukegan, who collects Social Security benefits, said her contribution to the program was deducted from every paycheck she received during her working life. It is now part of the income she uses to support her lifestyle.
“All I know is, I don’t want it to be cut,” Ferry said.
Charlotte Callahan Wozniak, a former member of the Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 Board of Education and part of a longstanding local printing business, said the money comes from employer contributions too, not just from the government.
“North Shore Printers has always matched the employee contributions,” Wozniak said. “We’re been around since 1933,” she added, pointing out the company started shortly before the Social Security Act became law.
Ferry and Wozniak were among the more than 500 people demonstrating against cutbacks in services offered by Social Security and the fear of cuts in the program Saturday in front of the Social Security Administration Office in Waukegan.
Demonstrators, many of them senior citizens, lined Lewis Avenue holding signs and chanting phrases in protest of the cutback of government services coming from executive orders. They also criticized Elon Musk’s cost-cutting as part of the Department of Government Efficiency.
Unlike other recent anti-Trump administration protests in Lake County, where the demonstrations consisted of chants and signs, this time there were speeches in an adjoining parking lot from union representatives, organizers and U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Highland Park.
Schneider emphasized that Social Security is an earned benefit. He said it not only provides a safety net for retired seniors who worked their entire lives, but also for children, widows, spouses and disabled workers.
In the 10th Congressional District he represents, Schneider said $262 million in monthly benefits are distributed. The payments go to 101,668 retirees, 5,468 children, 6,788 widows, 4,486 spouses and 9,629 disabled workers.
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk do not need to be collecting this,” Schneider said. “Keep up this fight. Tell them to stop this injustice to widows and children. When you do that, we can make a difference.”
Mark Shaw, the Republican state central committeeman for the 10th Congressional District, said neither Trump nor the Republican majority in Congress has proposed reducing Social Security benefits. He conceded that procedures are being modified.
“I believe people should get what they bargained for,” Shaw said. “However, we do need to increase the efficiency in the way those benefits are received. Donald Trump said he is going to bring efficiency to the federal government. I don’t see how anyone could disagree with that.”
While Schneider realizes the ability of the Democratic minority to impact the changes Trump is trying to implement is limited, he said after the meeting, he plans to push for what he can as part of the Committee on Ways and Means.
“We’ll keep emphasizing the numbers don’t work,” Schneider said. “The Democrats will work in committee to highlight what the Republicans are doing. They’re taking money away from hardworking families.”
David McDowell of Waukegan, one of the organizers of the demonstration, said he was at the office recently and received good service applying for Medicare Part B coverage. He is on Medicare and receives Social Security payments. He pointed out he had earned them.
“Those things were a promise made to me the minute I started to pay into FICA and Medicare in 1978,” McDowell said. “I had a small issue with my signup and I couldn’t find it online. It was a huge help to have an office to come to.”
While there, McDowell said he saw other workers in the office helping individuals needing help with forms and other problems. They all seemed to be getting the assistance they needed. Others had issues more complex than his.
Jill Hornick, an American Federal Government Employees official, who directs all Social Security offices in Illinois, said layoffs are likely coming because not enough people took voluntary buyouts.
