Protest Stays At A Distance---Tampa Florida

[bluedog]

Protest Stays At A Distance


*******Tampa Florida....good job people......at least you made Bay News 9 and CBS channel 10............************

While Bush spoke and took about a dozen questions from his supporters, about 200 opponents rallied several blocks away at Curtis Hixon Park.

Phil Compton, an organizer for Florida Consumer Action Network, ridiculed Bush for saying Social Security is in ``crisis'' during his State of the Union speech Wednesday.

``Iraq, the tsunami, health care - now, those are crises,'' Compton told listeners, many of whom held signs saying, ``Hands Off My Social Security.''

Protesters marched down Ashley Drive toward the Tampa Convention Center but circled back when police stopped them at Brorein Street. Some passing motorists gave thumbs up to the marchers; others flashed the middle finger.
................. said Bush was ``risking our kids' future, and he's wrong.''

``I think was designed to avoid the stock market, and I think he's putting it back into a high-risk situation,'' she said.

Michelle Kenoyer, 35, of Riverview, called the president's plan redundant because many workers, including her and her husband, already have private retirement accounts such as 401(k)s.

Bush's plan ``takes away a safety net for people who can't afford to put money into private accounts,'' she said, calling that ``very immoral and reprehensible.''

Gary Broughman, 57, of New Smyrna Beach, said he opposed changing the system and ``felt like this was worth getting off my fanny to come out and stand up for.''

http://www.tampatrib.com/MGBMPJKCT4E.html