Doug Hart is an active retiree in Tempe, Arizona and President of the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans.  Doug is an activist and a fighter and knows how much Social Security and Medicare mean to the livelihoods of hardworking Americans.

Like many people, Doug faced adversity in his life.  After his father died in World War II, Doug's mother went to work cleaning houses, waiting tables, and finding any work that she could to put food on the table.  His father's Social Security benefits are largely what kept the family afloat and allowed Doug to work hard and finish his schooling.

Bob Kirkner of King, North Carolina, is a proud father and grandfather.  He is 70 years old and gave 34 of those years as a mechanic to US Airways.  He retired with a good pension and an optimistic future.  But when US Airways declared bankruptcy, Bob had no idea that it would mean drastic cuts to his pension, and the end of his family's health and life insurance benefits.

When US Airways went bankrupt the first time, Bob's life began to change.  "We were paying $40/month for health insurance, and until my Medicare and VA benefits kicked in, our premiums jumped to $600. Now how are we supposed to afford that?" he reflects.  Even with Medicare and VA benefits, the Kirkners' healthcare costs them almost $400/month After the second bankruptcy filing, Bob's pension was drastically cut, and his social security check that used to be a supplement is now half of his income and pays for all of his utility and insurance bills.