Community Corner

Fiscal Cliff Carolers Serenade Mall Shoppers [VIDEO]

More than 20 carolers turned out to sing about the fiscal cliff at Tysons Corner Center on Monday.

Forget about chesnuts roasting, one-horse open sleighs and Baby Jesus.

A group of carolers assembled near Santa's Village in Tysons Corner Center at lunchtime Monday to sing about none other than the impending fiscal cliff.

"Vote for income tax equality/Fala lalala, la la la la/Cuts for milionaires are folly/Fala lalala, la la la la..."

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Mall management threw out the group after a song and a half. The carolers proceeded to march over to Sen. Mark Warner's (D-VA) office at Towers Crescent in Tysons Corner, where they met with Warner's Deputy State Director Ann Rust.

"My son's life depends on Medicaid," Julia Newton, 55, explained to Rust. Newton traveled from Norfolk to participate in the caroling event, organized by Virginia Organizing, Americans for Tax Fairness and Progress VA.

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Newton said her 29-year-old adult son Antoan takes 21 pills per day to treat his autism, seizures and other medical conditions. If Congress cannot solve the fiscal cliff crisis and prevent drastic cuts to federal programs like Medicaid, her family would be devastated, she said.

"This is very important to me and my family," she said.

Jalmeen Soni, 64, a McLean resident, told Rust several family members are unemployed because of economic uncertainity. "It's taking a toll on the family," she said.

Rust told the group she would take their concerns to Sen. Warner, who was not present at time of the event.

Anna Scholl, executive director of Progress VA, who helped organize the carolers on Monday, said the economy won't explode if no deal is reach by Jan. 1.

"We think that no deal is better than a bad deal," Scholl said. "Senators Warner and Webb and Congressman Wolf spend a lot of time in DC. They hear alot of from lobbyists and CEOs and middle class families don't have a lobbyist they can pay to get their voices heard, so events like this make sure we're out in the community, making sure Sen. Warner hears from his constituents is really how we make sure that middle class concerns are heard during the fiscal cliff negotiation."


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