Dozens of People Picket U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert's Office Over Debt Limit Crisis

It seems a few constituents took President Barack Obama's call Monday night to contact their local members of Congress about raising the debt limit to heart.

About 75 people, including a Sammamish man, tried to enter 's office around noon Tuesday to urge him to avoid deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Many held signs stating "Don't Destroy the American Dream" and "Stop the Blame Game."

Mercer Island Police arrived a short time later to escort the protesters out of the building and allowing them to gather on the sidewalk on 78th Avenue Southeast. Reichert aide Tom Young — who said he was not authorized to speak on behalf of the congressman — listened to concerns from the crowd and said he would relay them to Reichert in Washington D.C. He tried to answer questions about what the congressman had said without speaking directly for him.

Protesters also delivered a petition asking Reichert to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid from cuts. The U.S. House of Representatives is debating a bill that would cut those programs as part of a deal to raise the debt limit ceiling for the U.S. government above $14.3 trillion.

That would help pay for programs and interest payments Congress had already approved in a budget earlier this year. If the limit is not raised, the U.S. government will run out of money and default on its obligations. Monday night, Obama and House Speaker John Boehner each laid out his position on how the issue had reached a crisis point.

Left-leaning political advocacy group Moveon.org called for the protest, which organizers say was then joined by other friends and neighbors who heard about the protest via email. Earlier this year, supporters of Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and NARAL Pro-Choice Washington .

Sammamish resident Bob McCoy, who joined in the protest, said cutting Social Security was short sighted and going back on promises made before he was born.

"I liken it to an investment in a major corporation," McCoy said. "If I had bought stock in it, I wouldn't see Social Security and Medicare as welfare."

Editor's note: This story is from Mercer Island Patch. It will be updated as new information becomes available.