Voters' Viewpoints: Seniors in Austintown weigh in on concerns ahead of election
As we approach the 2024 Presidential Election, voters across the Mahoning Valley are eager to share their concerns and hopes for the future.
In another edition of our Voters' Viewpoints series, we visited the Austintown Senior Center during the daily Bingo session to chat with local seniors about the issues that matter most to them.
For Jim Kalbus, who had just enjoyed a win at Bingo, the future of social security looms large.
"The number one concern with me and people my age is why they are messing with the social security," Kalbus says. "I mean it is our money, the government didn't put that in the bank, yet they are taking it out for other things which isn't right."
Lou Mocheran, another Bingo player who snagged a $4 win that day, has a lot on her mind, concerned about healthcare for seniors and the skyrocketing costs of medicine.
"You've got a lot going on with your medical for the seniors," Moheran said. "Prices for medicine that they need and I just feel that it's going down the same road it's been on. So, anything that will turn it around, I'm all for it."
Moheran says she doesn't feel the candidates have expressed enough how they are going to solve our countries biggest problems.
"I'm looking for somebody that will tell me what they're what they're going to do about certain problems that we have, and so far, I have only heard a little bit like that, and I'll keep watching and see if they come up with it," Moheran said. "I think they need to quit finding fault, pointing their fingers, and get down to what the problems really are. Me and lot of my friends are waiting to hear what their results are going to be for these problems, you know, like the economy and the groceries being so high and different things, yeah, everybody's waiting on an answer."
Calling out the numbers during bingo is Uta Franks, a spirited regular at the center. She's looking for honesty, not empty promises.
"Honesty is number one, don't try to tell me something that you cannot do because, like I said, we got the House of Representatives and stuff," Franks says. "We're going to say yes and no on some of the things you say, you know, and just be honest. That's number one. Be honest about it. What you can do, what you might try to do."
Franks' caution stems from her own history, having lived through some of the most turbulent times of the 20th century.
"I grew up during Hitler time," Franks said. "I was born in 1944 I mean, I don't remember everything, but I seen what he did. My dad was in a concentration camp for five years. So, I don't want a dictator. I don't want somebody that tells me I'm going to do this and this. You can't just do that."
She's worried though the issues we have won't be solved quickly.
"In my opinion, anybody takes over in office, it's not going to happen in one year," Franks said. "It's going to take them a couple years to get where they want to be. And it looks like now we're finally seeing some of that."
Honesty is also important to Ann Tabak.
"I hope that when they are on TV, and they are promising this, everything they are saying, I hope they will do it," Tabak says.
Russ Warmouth, a frequent visitor at the senior center, says his concerns are over foreign conflicts.
"It's more foreign for me, Ukraine and Israel, I can't figure out why they can't settle that and get it over with because it has been going on forever and there is too much violence in our country at this time," Warmouth says.
The need for a strong leader resonates with Scott North, whose top concern is veterans' issues.
"I'm looking for a strong leader, someone that is going to keep this country safe for us," North said. "You don't have to actually be a politician, but you have to have some type of sense and mind bearing of what this country really needs."
Wendy DePalmo added her voice to the discussion, sharing concerns about both the economy and immigration.
"Somebody that's strong, somebody that loves their country, and that's going to fight for their country, and he has to love America with everything that he has in him, with his whole heart, because we need a leader that's going to look the economy over and look at, you know, people's what people's going through," DePalmo said.
In Austintown, these seniors aren't just playing Bingo, they're also betting on the future of the nation, determined to see real change and honest leadership.