'I'm on your side,' Rep. Gil Cisneros tells constituents after getting an earful at fiery town hall
EL MONTE, Calif. (KABC) -- Community members in Southern California and across the country have been packing town hall events, demanding answers from their elected leaders over recent government policy decisions, including proposed cuts to health care funding.
At one such meeting in El Monte on Tuesday night, hosted by Rep. Gil Cisneros, constituents' frustrations prompted the congressmen to assure them: "I'm on your side."
"I am so angry. I am so scared," said one woman in the audience. ""I'm scared about Social Security, I'm scare about Medicare, I'm appalled of (Elon) Musk. I can't even speak, I'm so mad!"
"Social security is so important to people like me that are retired," one man said.
Cisneros held the meeting on what House Democratic leaders billed as a "Medicaid Day of Action." People across California took part in rallies to oppose a potential $800 billion cut in the program that provides health care to 70 million low-income Americans. Many said they were upset that the Trump administration has Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency to fire thousands of federal workers and enact massive budget cuts.
"During my time in service, I mean, I never in a million years imagined I'd be witnessing the attacks on our nation that I'm witnessing," said a man who identified himself as a military veteran.
"I'm on your side. I am on your side," Cisneros told the audience. "Everything you said -- I do not disagree with anything that anybody said in here today."
Some who attended the meeting said citizens across the nation need to express their feelings about the .government's actions.
"We need to get this together and stop hollering at our Congress people and talking about what they're not doing," said Duarte resident Doris Anderson.
