Iowa Voters Take a Stand at Cedar Rapids Campaign Event

At a recent Trump campaign event at the DoubleTree Convention Complex in Cedar Rapids, voters on both sides of the aisle eagerly discussed the future of Social Security.

Twenty-five year AARP Iowa member Gary Heinick of Waterloo, a registered Republican, shared his experiences with Social Security as a retired civil engineer. "Social Security is where I get most, if not all of my income ... I can't imagine living without it." Gary supports updating Social Security,  not just for him, but for his kids and grandchildren. He says it needs to be updated in the coming years for future generations to be able to have it when they will need it.

Erika Miller of Mt. Vernon, a registered Democrat, came to the arena as a protester to voice concerns about various Trump policies. On subject of Social Security, she shares the same concerns about the future of the program as Mr. Heinick.  A member of AARP for 23 years, Erika is committed to working to demand the candidates discuss their plans for the future of Social Security in detail as they are campaigning across the state. "I have paid into the program for years and years, and now [Social Security] is where I receive most of my income." Erika, who was at the event with her daughter and her granddaughter, said the next generations are the reasons she cares about the future of Social Security. "If we don't act now it will not be there for them," she said.

Join Gary and Erika in urging the candidates to include Social Security in the public discourse on important issues during the 2016 campaign. Read more about AARP's work in Iowa in an Iowa Public News Service story here.  Get involved today.