Public meetings were held this past Saturday morning at the Oregon Convention Center organized by "America Speaks."
The group says it is gathering ideas about how to reduce the nation's future budget deficits.
Similar meetings were held across the country to discuss America's financial future like the one here in Portland on Saturday.
Organizers of "America Speaks" say they don't want to dwell on the current recession in these town meetings.
Instead, their goal is to gather ideas for what to do about the looming fiscal crises predicted for ten or twenty years down the road.
The "America Speaks" organization says it is nonpartisan, although it has been criticized for its backing from well-known political conservatives.
We spoke with Chris Lowe, a local member of the national organization Healthcare-NOW.
Lowe discusses some of the problems with America Speaks and how people can get educated on the issues with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and orther human needs programs.
That was Chris Lowe, a local member of the national organization Healthcare-NOW, discussing the demonstrations to defend Social Security and Medicare.
- KBOO