An Interview with the Organizers Who Had the Handle on the Hands Off Rallies in Bishop and Mammoth Lakes

An Interview with the Organizers Who Had the Handle on the Hands Off Rallies in Bishop and Mammoth Lakes

Americans across the country join together to voice concerns over recent cuts to government funding for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid

On Saturday, April 5th, multiple rallies took place across the United States, including those of the Free Palestine and Sudan movements, Anti-Narendra Modi protests, and resistance to the Trump Administration and DOGE’s cuts — both those already in place and those predicted to come — in regards to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Notably, Social Security alone keeps two-thirds of America’s elderly out of poverty as well as Medicaid covering about 40% of births nationwide and up to 50% in rural areas.

Locally, any cuts to Medicare or Medicaid could be devastating to NIHD due to its already strained finances, as reported previously.

Streets across the country flooded with people, shutting down most of Washington D.C. and producing a measurable turnout in our neck of the woods.

According to a count on-site, 327 people attended in Bishop alone with Mammoth Lakes seeing roughly 100, which is large by Mammoth standards. The only rally that has ever had a bigger turnout was the George Floyd march that went from The Village to the park and it was significantly larger.

Organized at the state level by The Democratic Party of California, local volunteer efforts were lead by Edie Trimmer and Nancy Upham for Bishop with Chris Bubser and Dave Casselman for Mammoth Lakes.

I was able to reach out and ask them some questions.

—

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. First of all, do you mind introducing yourself?

Edie Trimmer
“I’m Edie Trimmer, living in Big Pine. My husband, Thomas Brill, and I have lived here since 2012 following our retirement from Utah State Government. We moved here because we wanted to live in a rural area with access to public lands and the great beauty of the Eastern Sierra. We both lived in cities during our careers. It’s important to us to preserve the natural and rural character of the Owens Valley.”

Nancy Upham
“I’m Nancy Upham, (a founding member of INYO350.)”

Chris Bubser
“My name is Chris Bubser from the Town of Mammoth Lakes.”

Dave Casselman
“I’m a retired 71-year-old who moved to northern Mono County two and a half years ago. I’m a current member of the Antelope Valley Regional Planning Advisory Committee (AV-RPAC). I’m involved in local issues I feel are important to the local community, state, federal, and world. I’m currently starting a grass roots effort to save the Cunningham Lane Bridge over the West Walker River in Coleville, Mono County, CA which Caltrans has identified for replacement in the future. Right now I’m spinning my wheels trying to drum up support.”

What do you feel is your relationship and responsibility to our community here on the Eastside?

Edie Trimmer
“I’ve educated myself on water issues since we moved here through membership in the Bristlecone Chapter of the Native Plant Society and the newly formed Friends of Fish Slough.”

Nancy Upham
“I have lived in the Eastern Sierra for 40 years, in both Mono Lake and Bishop and this place is definitely my home. I consider our community of the Eastside to run from Walker/Coleville down to Little Lake. We have much more in common along this stretch of US 395, than one could ever imagine.”

Chris Bubser
“I feel that every one of us who has the privilege of calling the Eastern Sierra home has an obligation to act as a steward for this unique and fragile ecosystem and all the people and wildlife that inhabit the area. And I personally feel responsible for the well-being of the entire community, since they have entrusted me with the role of serving on the Town Council.”

Dave Casselman
“To help assure that local, state and federal government provide their constituents with full access to their concerns and issues and address them in a impartial manner.”

I’m aware of some of your accomplishments and political history but would you take the time to let our readers know if you have volunteered your efforts here before, such as organizing demonstrations like the Hands Off rally or participating in local politics, in case they don’t already know?

Edie Trimmer
“I’ve been a long-time Democrat in my political views but recognize the value of the more conservative Republican Party. However, in the past several years, it seems as if the divide between the two major parties has become a huge gulf. Policies that I believe promote a fair and compassionate society are fraying—voting rights, alliances with other democratic countries, realistic immigration policies, programs the protect the young, elderly and disabled and much more.”

Nancy Upham
“I have been an activist most all of my life, standing up and showing up for things that I believe in and to protest injustices. I was a founding member of our local climate action group INYO350 in 2017. This organization works on local to global environmental issues and works for environmental and social justice as well. Our membership is surging at the moment. INYO350 participated in and supported the first two Women’s Marches and we organized  a number of marches and protests over the years, particularly during the first Trump Administration.”

Chris Bubser
“I have been active in community life in Mammoth for a couple of decades, from volunteering with DSES to participating in Earth Day events and protecting public lands from mining across the region. I have been an active member of the Mono County Democratic Central Committee for the past six years where we work to increase voter registration and voter engagement, along with supporting candidates who share our values. We also organize rallies around issues we care about, hoping to raise awareness among other members of the community.”

Dave Casselman
“The Hands Off Rally on 4/5 was the first rally I’ve hosted. I haven’t attended a protest/rally since an anti-Vietnam War [rally] in 1968-69.”

So, what drives you personally, as an individual, in terms of taking action like this in regards to national and state politics?

Edie Trimmer
“I love our democracy, its boldness as an experiment in the sovereign voice of citizens rather than a king or a privileged few. I’m afraid my children and grandchildren are losing rights I took for granted.”

Nancy Upham
“I have a passion to protect the things that I value and cherish and I have a strong need to be a voice for those who do not have one, and to protest social injustices wherever they may be occurring.”

Chris Bubser
“As our country’s political landscape has become increasingly polarized, I have felt more than ever that it is important to speak up about issues that impact our community. I understand the tendency to want to ignore politics, but we are in a perilous time where we have to protect the institutions that we all depend upon for our health and safety. It’s become popular to vilify our government, from local to national agencies. While there is always room for improvement in government, the careless cutting of staff and programs without an understanding of what they do is going to cause harm; in fact, it is already causing harm. When the federal government places a spending freeze on grant funds for wildfire mitigation programs that we scheduled and contracted, that results in direct harm: to the institution that plans and executes the work, to the business owner set to implement the work, to the workers whose jobs will disappear, and to the community that would be safer once the work is completed. When the federal government eliminates a significant number of Forest Service employees who are the stewards of public lands, local communities have no choice but to hire additional staff to fulfill their roles or risk significant impacts to their tourism economies and to public health and safety.”

Dave Casselman
“I’ve supported Ukraine since the Russian invasion which is one of [the] main issues. With regards to the Hands Off Rally I was fed up with the lack of support for Ukraine and protesting the Trump Admin., DOGE.”

You took precious time out of your life in order to speak and help give others a voice during a time when many fear the erosion of American institutions that have long stood as hallmarks of a healthy social contract. What are your specific concerns about what’s happening to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?

Edie Trimmer
“Among the rights and benefits slipping from us are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. A healthy citizenry has economic benefits as well as promoting a compassionate society. DOGE, led by an unelected billionaire, is slashing the workforce for these programs. Inability to properly administer these programs is inevitable. I believe the goal is to turn these programs over to private companies, claiming they can administer them more efficiently. But profits that drive private companies will always trump fair and efficient programs.”

Nancy Upham
“These particular institutions, or programs, have been the hallmark safety net of our country and our society since the Great Depression. There is a tremendous need to keep them funded. Gutting any of these programs so that the oligarchic billionaires can have their tax cuts would be a cruelty I’m not sure we could recover from.”

Chris Bubser
“I am concerned about protecting Social Security and Medicare because our seniors rely on these programs. Prior to their implementation, many seniors lived in poverty, and while many still do, the difference in quality of life for American seniors is dramatic. At this moment, I am particularly concerned about Medicaid, because based on the information in the early budget legislation, Medicaid looks to be the most likely program to be cut dramatically. This will impact the people who receive Medicaid which includes those who aren’t provided health insurance by their employer, many elderly in nursing homes, many children and people who qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act. In addition, Medicaid coverage provides for 20% of hospital budgets nationally, so having such an important part of the National Payer Mix cut will ripple across the healthcare system.”

Dave Casselman
“Monetary cuts that affects all but the wealthy.”

What are some of the things that Elon Musk has said in particular that worry you in regards to our social safety nets?

Edie Trimmer
“Elon Musk says he believes empathy is a weakness in western culture. He has been granted the power by the President to reduce programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid by searching for ‘waste, fraud and abuse.’ Many Americans believe in this careless framing of benefits for the elderly and disabled. Any reductions or modifications in these benefits should be determined by elected members of Congress who have abandoned their role as a co-equal branch of government. Among the first agencies to be dismantled were agencies who audited these programs.”

Nancy Upham
“It is just that he is so critical of programs that help people less fortunate than he is. He, like Trump, thinks that those who have less are not worthy. It is only the billionaires who have rights and this is just so morally wrong.”

Chris Bubser
“I heard an interview with Martin O’Malley, former Governor of Maryland and former head of the Social Security Administration, who expressed grave concern about the way Elon Musk is talking about Social Security as a ‘Ponzi Scheme.’ It appears Musk is trying to undermine confidence and public trust in Social Security. If he succeeds, then it will be easier to gut the program. That would be catastrophic.”

Dave Casselman
“My concerns about Musk include his wealth, ability to sway international events, and what now appears to be a mental breakdown.”

Dr. Mehmet Oz, a widely known television personality, has recently been confirmed by the Senate to head The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. What are your thoughts on how he may affect these organizations’ goals and outcomes going forward?

Edie Trimmer
“I don’t really know much about Dr. Oz. The nominations for cabinet positions has not focused on the most stellar and qualified of candidates.”

Chris Bubser
“It’s hard to know what Dr. Oz will do because he’s never really worked on health policy. However, it is known he is an advocate for Medicare Advantage, the managed care Medicare alternative that can be unpopular due to restrictive prior authorizations and other limitations.”

Dave Casselman
“Oz is not qualified for the position. Ditto for all of Trump’s cabinet heads and take over of federal government agencies.”

Trump has signed over 90 executive orders in the weeks since his inauguration compared to the 17 from his first presidency and the 37 Joe Biden signed during the same period of his. President Trump’s supporters broadly see this as decisive leadership while nationally he faces numerous legal battles, straining his relationship with the other branches of government. Which of these, including DOGE’s implementation, concern you the most?

Edie Trimmer
“President Trump’s executive orders often impinge upon the duties of the other two co-equal branches of government—Congress and the Judiciary. He also has issued executive orders that are the responsibility of state governments, such as the right of each state to administer elections. We are seeing his administration challenge court rulings and attempt to bully states into policies he and his cabinet promote. Our founding fathers forged a system to assure that government was of the people, for the people, by the people and not invested in a king or a privileged few. I believe we are seeing our democracy dismantled and with that the loss of our ability to address all other issues we face as a people.”

Nancy Upham
“I am a strong supporter of our federal government and our institutions and our democracy. I think that ‘firing’ all the federal employees that they have, stating poor performance and fraud, etc. is just so wrong. I think that they totally miss the point that most federal employees, whichever agency or department they work for, have a passion for being of service to people or to the land (public lands). This concept of serving others and protecting our public lands is so foreign to the likes of Trump and Musk that they do not see these hard working federal employees as having any value at all. The fears I have over everything that they are destroying could fill volumes.”

Chris Bubser
“There are too many to address, but the one that is top of mind for me right now is the EO Trump signed last month that orders national forests open for increased logging with an increase of 25% in timber production. This order will affect all 18 national forests in California.”

Dave Casselman
“All of trumps EO’s seem to be in the interest of the wealthy not the common citizen.”

What are your hopes and plans going forward in terms of organized resistance as displayed on April 5th, such as the upcoming Hands Off rally on the 19th?

Edie Trimmer
“On April 19th we are planning a rally for Hands Off Our Planet. We will rally at Bishop City Park from 10:00-11:00 AM. Climate change will not wait for us to take action. A dysfunctional government undoes the already inadequate progress we have made on this issue.”

Nancy Upham
“I am going to continue to ‘Stand Up. Speak Up. Show Up.’ If not now, when? Our democracy is in grave peril. We must be loud, we must be persistent. We must not back down due to exhaustion, which is exactly what they want us to do!”

Chris Bubser
“We will continue to use our voices to call out some of the most draconian cuts to the federal budget and to the programs that affect our community of the Eastern Sierra most directly. At the rallies, we will help people determine the best actions they can take such as writing letters to our member of Congress to call attention to the impact on our communities, and help people find others who care about the same issues so they can create their own rapid response teams.”

Dave Casselman
“After hosting the [April 5th Hands Off] rally and ‘planting the seeds’ for others to take action on scheduling future rallies I plan on attending future rallies.”

Do you have any advice for others interested in volunteering to help organize or participate in future rallies?

Edie Trimmer
“We definitely need volunteers. We urge people to sign up on the Indivisible sites we’re setting up or to connect with Inyo 350, local chapter of a national organization focused on the transition to an economy which honors our planet. We’d love people to organize sign making parties in advance of rallies like the one on April 19. We also need the energy of young people, because its their future that’s at risk.”

Nancy Upham
“Get on our INYO350 mailing list [https://inyo350action.org/join-our-email-list/] to stay abreast of what is happening. Stand Up.  Speak Up. Show Up.”

Chris Bubser
“Yes! Make sure to sign up on Mobilize [https://www.mobilize.us] and let the organizers know you’d like to help with future actions. There are so many areas of need right now, so start working on whatever issue feels most urgent to you. One thing they can do right away is to join CHIRLA – the Coalition for Humane Immigrants’ Rights (https://www.chirla.org/get-involved/membership/hazte-miembro/). We are trying to start an Eastern Sierra chapter. This would bring support and services to our community.”

Dave Casselman
“It only takes one person to take the first step – others will follow.”

Thank you for taking this time to speak with me today. Last question: Could you give one reading recommendation for people out there who you’d like to be inspired by someone you’ve learned from?

Edie Trimmer
“The one book I read that really brought home to me how people do not understand how their society is rapidly changing is All for Nothing by Walt Kempowski.”

Chris Bubser
“There are so many, but back in 2017 I met a man named Ady Barkan. He was in his early 30s, a new father, and had recently been diagnosed with ALS. He chose to spend the rest of his life defending the Affordable Care Act, the ACA, so that people who needed home health care through Medicaid would not lose their coverage. The title of his book is Eyes to The Wind: A Memoir of Love and Death, Hope and Resistance. Ady changed my life and I want as many people as possible to hear his story.”

Dave Casselman
“The Folly of Realism by Alexander Vindman.”

—

Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with those interviewed here I encourage you to reach out and continue these conversations with your friends, family, and neighbors.

We are all stronger united, not divided.

If you too would like to have your voice heard through the lens of these issues facing the nation and how they affect our communities here on the Eastside, please contact us at [email protected] with the email header “Rally Response” and we will reach out to you as soon as we can.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Eastern Sierra Now. Readers are encouraged to conduct further research and consult with relevant experts or professionals before making any decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this article.