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Hundreds gathered in front of the Kenneth B. Keating Federal Building Saturday, brought together by opposition to President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
This rally was Rochester’s contribution to the nationwide “Families First” protest, organized to voice dissent against the sweeping measure. The act is expected to have a widespread impact, whether it is corporate tax reforms or adjustments to Pell Grant eligibility. For the individuals attending the Rochester division of the rally, this bill is more than a national policy—it strikes close to home.
Ra’Ann Feiock, a Rochester resident who uses both Medicare and Medicaid, needs several surgeries in her back and legs. Cuts to the programs will impact her health care, but Feiock is more concerned for others than for herself.
“I should be able to (make it work),” she says, “but not everybody will be as lucky.”
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act changes the eligibility standards for recipients of Medicaid and Medicare. It requires Medicaid recipients to work, volunteer, or be enrolled in an educational institution for at least 80 hours per month. It also reallocates the distribution of funds to organizations nationwide. One such adjustment, a provision that bars sending Medicaid funds to clinics that perform abortions, was blocked Monday by a federal judge who issued a preliminary injunction. The law also eliminates Medicare eligibility for many lawfully present immigrants.
Many of Trump’s other policies are still in play. For George Elkind—University of Rochester doctoral student, Metro Justice fundraising and membership coordinator, and Graduate Labor Union member—Trump’s labor policies, including workforce reductions at the National Labor Relations Board, are important.
Since Trump’s firing of a NLRB board member, the board has lacked a quorum and has been unable to issue decisions in representation and unfair labor practice cases. This has made it virtually impossible for organizations to pursue unionization through the board, leaving student workers such as Elkind stuck with little movement in a fight for higher pay and more protections.
Although the One Big Beautiful Bill Act does not directly address student workers or the NLRB, Elkind notes that the bill’s passage will still impact students and workers.
“It goes beyond our wages on campus or something, even though that’s a part of the picture,” Elkind says. “All of these attacks are intertwined. It’s all about dividing people.”
Mayor Malik Evans, who was present at the rally, also focused on unity during a speech that touched on the status of Rochester as a sanctuary city, the cuts to Medicaid, and the homeless encampment sweeps.
“We are all inextricably linked in this fight against this cruel, cruel, big, ugly bill,” Evans says. “Big, ugly, and bad for working Americans. That is exactly what it is.”
Natalie Opdahl is a member of the Oasis Project’s second cohort.
The Beacon welcomes comments and letters from readers who adhere to our comment policy including use of their full, real name. See “Leave a Reply” below to discuss on this post. Comments of a general nature may be submitted to the Letters page by emailing [email protected].
The leftists have the same old, boring misinformation and disinformation about Trump while ignoring the incompetence of the dementia laden Biden Harris administration. He solved the immigration invasion within months, the Justice department is pursuing the criminal investigation corrupt Obama Biden administration along with Leticia James, Adam Schiff, John Brennan, Hillary, James Comey, Liz Cheney, corrupt January 6th committee and many others. His administration is reversing the economic rip-off by our trading partners & NATO, no men in woman’s sports, stopping the mutilation of children, putting a stop to pro Hamas anti semetic violence, downsizing of big government and putting more resources in the more efficient private sector. Thank God for Donald J. Trump. The timing couldn’t be any better.
Donald J. Trump came along at the right time for the United States. His policies and vision will help extend our Republic for many more years.
Thanks for the funniest post I’ve read in years. His policies have resulted in 34 felony convictions, a finding of sexual abuse, a loss of several hundred million dollars in fines for shoddy business practices, a closed-for-fraud “university”, an attack on the US Capitol, a staring role on the Epstein list of perverts, 40+ court losses on laughable claims of a stolen election in 2020, a million dollar+ fine for corporate tax evasion, a forced closure of his fraudulent foundation, etc. So tell us how all that will help extend our Republic for many more years.
Setting aside that these protests are useless when the Republicans control all branches of the government and are likely to do so for years to come, it would be far better for the “progressive” Democrats to do a little soul-searching . You helped elect Trump in 2016 by first backing Crazy Old Bernie, the Self-Styled Socialist, thus doing the GIOP’s dirty work by attacking Clinton, and then staying home on Election Day, refusing to cast your votes for Hillary. You helped elect him again last year after your leaders like AOC spent four years pulling the Dems to the left when the electorate was clearly moving to the right. Then you whined that Harris shouldn’t pick Josh Shapiro, the result being that we ended up with that useless non-entity Walz as VP candidate. Stop thinking that being poltically “pure” is more important than getting elected. Less protest, less progressivism and and more pragmatism is the only way we’ll get control of at least part of the federal government.
Destruction of the NLRB with terminations, just like EEOC, leaves no quorum to hear cases.
Laws to establish the rights of workers, including laws against discrimination, in effect are suspended. With a captured Congress and a corrupt Supreme Court destroying the separation of powers/checks and balances, and rule of law the unthinkable has happened. Even free speech and what colleges may teach is being destroyed. The media, now owned by the one percent, is concerned only with shareholder profits. The only reason we have freedom of the press is to hold the rich and powerful accountable and they have given in to censorship. Trump and his supporters will claim it is all lies going into the midterms as the Project 2025 implementation has designed almost all cuts to healthcare to be effective AFTER the midterm elections. Some in Trump’s own base will not see it coming because they have no idea Razorback Health in Arkansas or Sooner Care in Oklahoma are Medicaid. This is a short list. The only hope is millions more marching in the streets and voting. Ebeneezer Scrooge is now a hero and God bless us everyone.
Thank you for talking about the protest that are happening here in Rochester. The D and C does not give nearly enough coverage of these events. It is very important for people to know that their fellow citizens are gathering and protesting against what is happening to our government.
Why is it only white people out there “rallying”?
Do the black folks of Rochester not care?
Do the Asians living in Rochester not care?
What about Rochester’s large Hispanic community?
Trying to figure this out but I am having a hard time…is this white guilt?
Hoping someone can clear this up for me.
This is an odd comment. I have been to protests and seen people of every race and ethnicity. Do you have any raw data, or are you just kicking a hornet’s nest to create division in our community?
Only white people don’t need to live in fear of deportation to a third country.
The Oasis Project interns are awesome this year.
They really represent The Rochester Beacon brand well.
Thanks to all of you for spending your time, energy and journalistic expertise here in Rochester!
Notify me when protests are planned, and I will try to participate.