“People Have the Power” Benefit Concert:

On Saturday, May 31, Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst took to Instagram to double down on her dismissive remarks from the previous day, Friday, after constituents expressed concerns at a town hall about the ramifications of Medicaid cuts proposed by President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress. Video screen grab image credit: We Are Iowa.com.

After Iowa Republican (GOP) Senator Joni Ernst brushed off her constituents’ worries last week about federal Medicaid cuts by dismissively stating, “Well, we are all going to die,” it seems unlikely that voters will persuade GOP or Democratic congressional members to oppose President Donald Trump’s policy agenda vigorously.

It will take grassroots actions from ordinary constituents to stand against Mr. Trump, his GOP enablers, and ineffective congressional Democrats like Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), who are passively letting themselves be steamrolled by “MAGA” into political obscurity.

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At least there is a growing community of local progressives in Rochester, New York, who are trying innovative and creative methods to challenge Trump’s Project 2025-driven “MAGA” agenda.

On Sunday, June 1^st, a Rochester area activist named Bruce Handelman organized a fundraising concert for ten local non-profit organizations fighting back against President Trump, national Republicans, vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr., and Nazi-sympathizing billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Yesterday’s benefit concert was held from 2 PM until 8 PM at the Photo City Music Hall at 543 Atlantic Avenue in Rochester. “People Have the Power” raised money for ten different Greater Rochester metropolitan organizations:

• The Rochester National Organization of Women (NOW)

• The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU)

• The Rochester-Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation

• The Worker Justice Center of NY

• Alianza Agricola

• The Center for Community Alternatives

• Indivisible Rochester

• Metro Justice

• The Rochester Rainbow Union

• Vocal-NY

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A diverse lineup of ten solo musicians and bands from the Rochester area performed on Sunday afternoon, showcasing a rich assortment of left-wing protest songs, contemporary swing jams, Latin rhythms, Jazz Fusion, and various other musical genres.

The artist lineup included:

• Ah-Blivian

• Bob Sneider with Zahyia Rolle

• The Brian Lindsay Band

• The Deb Magone Band

• Indigo Breeze with Jess Burn

• Kelley’s Heroes with Don & Suzi Blair

• Los Pajaritos

• Papa Muse

• The Ryan Johnson Group

The event was officially promoted as an “event that brings together musicians inspired to help the people and families in our communities being targeted and harmed by the actions and policies of the Trump Administration.”

The Photo City Music Hall provided designated areas for these organizations to set up tables, offering information about their efforts to impact the communities they serve positively and suggesting ways for concert attendees to get involved and create change.