ENCINITAS, Calif. (KGTV) — Demonstrators gathered Saturday afternoon at the intersection of El Camino Real and Encinitas Boulevard to voice their opposition to President Donald Trump’s proposed cuts to various federal departments.
The "Stop the Cuts" rally drew hundreds of participants who gathered at the four corners of the busy intersection. Many were concerned about the potential impact of the planned funding reductions on essential programs like Social Security and Medicaid.
“I am very concerned that we're losing our democracy, that we are turning into an absolutely fascist state," protester Norelynn Pion-Goureau said.
Misty O’Healy, a leader of the grassroots political group Indivisible 49, organized the event. Her late husband was a veteran and she fears what will happen if the cuts make their way to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“I am personally working on filing for compensation that I'm eligible for through my husband's service, and these cuts mean that I may or may not be able to get the benefits I'm entitled to and deserve,” she said.
Rick Lesser, a Vietnam War veteran, also expressed his anxieties about the funding cuts.
“It would change drastically. I would be in a financial bind, a huge financial bind, and I know other people who would be in the same boat,” he noted.
While demonstrators fear the repercussions of the proposed cuts, the White House has stated that the administration does not intend to reduce Social Security, Medicaid or Medicare benefits.
This Encinitas protest was one of many held across the county and country, reflecting widespread concern over the Trump administration's budget proposals.
