Anger Fuels Anti-Health Care Rally
Angry about the state of the economy. Angry about the possibility of losing health care benefits under a wide-ranging, complex piece of legislation. Angry at the thought of losing control over their future.
Thousands of these angry people gathered at the Capitol building on Thursday to protest what they've dubbed as "Obama-care" or "Pelosi-care." They were encouraged in their effort by conservative legislators focused on killing Democrats' health care proposals.
The protesters on the National Mall revealed varying degrees of knowledge about the issue, as well as wide-ranging political perspectives on other issues. Nearly all, however, displayed simmering resentment towards the current leaders in Washington.
"Bring out Pelosi!" the crowd outside the Capitol Building chanted during today's hour-long rally, spearheaded by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), who is quickly becoming the face of the conservative branch of the Republican party. They furiously booed the mention of "Pelosi-care" and, prompted by the crisp notes of a bugle, yelled "Charge!"
"It is not Michele Bachmann's fault" the activists are angry, Bachmann reportedly said on a conference call Wednesday night. "It is [House] Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi's."
The protesters were fueled -- literally and figuratively -- by lobbying organizations like Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks, the groups behind the August town hall protests and "tea party" events. Freedomworks promoted this week's event on their Web site DontKillGrandma.com with recommendations for protest tactics. Americans for Prosperity brought protesters from areas like New Jersey and North Carolina to the rally on buses, free of charge. Once there, they were happily passing out donuts to the crowd.
"The Republicans don't have the votes to kill" the bill, Bachmann said. "We knew we were limited, but what was unlimited was the voice of persuasion of the American people."
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) told the crowd "Pelosi-care" represented "the greatest threat to freedom that I have seen in the 19 years I've been here in Washington." He said that Democrats aim on "taking away your freedom to choose your doctor, the freedom to buy health insurance on your own."
After the rally, protesters headed to the neighboring congressional offices to directly confront their representatives. A large crowd gathered outside the building in which Pelosi's office resides, chanting, "We want Pelosi!" About a dozen demonstrators in the building were arrested, according to U.S. Capitol Police.
"It's About Control"
The Democrats' bill is "not about health care, it's about control... controlling people's lives," said Ira Goldberg, an optometrist from Long Island, New York. Goldberg took the day off work to drive down for the protest. "Once you have your hands around someone's neck, they're stuck."
Goldberg was ready to defend his position with scores of facts about prescription prices in competing insurance plans, the workings of Medicaid coverage his state, and other topics. He lamented that "95 percent of the population knows nothing because they watch shows like CNN."
The government, Goldberg said, is "artificially increasing demand for health care" by getting involved, thereby raising prices for others. Yet when asked if is opposes Medicaid or Medicare, he said, "Of course not."
"There are people who really need it, but then again, there are people who don't need it as much, but they're getting it anyway," he said. The bottom line, Goldberg said, is "I don't like government spending what they don't have."
Tom Fishbeck of Greenbelt, Maryland said that "people support Medicare because their money's already gone, and they want it back in the form of services." As for the expansion of government programs or subsidies for health care, Fishbeck said, "Robbing my neighbor to help me is not right."
"Health care is not a right," said Deborah Douthett, who traveled to the rally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. "It's disingenuous to say people are dying in the street. They can walk into an emergency room."
Douthett and her fellow Bucks County resident Linda Mannherz said they would prefer to see legislation that tackles tort reform and allows for the purchase of health care across state lines, two of the main ideas touted by Republicans in Washington.
The Democrats' plan "is a total ruse," Mannherz said. "It will increase the deficit, and it is not going to help the uninsured."
Mannherz carried a petition with the names of 60 Bucks County residents opposed to the Democrats' plans, which she and Douthett brought to the office of their representative, Patrick Murphy, a member of the moderate Blue Dog Democrats. Murphy was not in his office, but the women were aware of that -- they called in ahead of time.
Once inside Murphy's office, they politely and thoroughly quizzed his staff, asking whether Murphy had read the bill -- even the most recent amendments. They asked whether he continued to insist that the bill must be deficit-neutral, and whether or not he has revealed how he will vote on it. He hasn't.
The two women were upbeat and cordial Thursday afternoon, invigorated by their civic participation, but they could not avoid exchanging words with a supporter of the Democrats' plans who ended up next to them in line to get into the halls of Congress.
There were other confrontations throughout the day as well. The group Billionaires for Wealthcare -- who made headlines by bursting into song at a health insurance industry conference last month -- showed up at the rally, keeping up their act as billionaire insurance executives.
"What part of the 2,000-page bill are you in favor of?" one genuine protester snidely asked the group.
"The ones we wrote!" one "billionaire" responded, cigar in hand.