Nearly 10,000 At Capital Hill Rally Demand A "Public Option"

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Thu Jun-25-09 04:04 PM
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Nearly 10,000 At Capital Hill Rally Demand A "Public Option"

Liberals Demand "Public Option" At Capitol Hill Rally
Stephanie Condon
CBS News
June 25, 2009

Health care reform advocates are taking direct aim at health insurance companies. In a rally on Capitol Hill today, some high profile politicians joined thousands of union workers, doctors and other health care reform supporters in a united front against the industry and demanded a government-sponsored health insurance option.

As conservatives have attempted to paint President Obama's call for a government-sponsored health insurance plan, or "public option," as a government takeover, liberals have responded with attacks that the health insurance industry is the real culprit when it comes to interferences in health care.

"Whose choice is it who will be your doctor?" asked Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), a senior member of one of the committees responsible for Medicare. "Yours or your insurance company's?"

"Do we want to let the insurance companies run the show?" Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) yelled, getting a fevered "No!" in response from the crowd. "Do we want a strong public option?"

Schumer and the other speakers stood before a sea of colors and acronyms, with different colored shirts representing different unions. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) wore purple, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) wore red, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) wore green, and so on.

"We're counting on you to go across the street and cajole� and do what you need to do to get a strong public option," said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who sits on one of the Senate committees drafting health care legislation. "Let me assure you, the health insurance industry will not hijack this process.�

Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean suggested that if a public option is not included in the final health care reform package, it will not just be Republicans who suffer the consequences. Democrats won the 2008 elections handily because Americans are looking for change, he said.

"If we don't get it, there's going to be more change," he said. "We want a public health insurance option now."

Please read the complete article at:

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/politics/politicalhotsheet/main503544.shtml?contributor=45916&tag=contentMain;contentBody

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Thousands Rally, Say We Can�t Wait for Health Care Reform
by Seth Michaels, Jun 25, 2009
AFL-CIO

Coming from unions, community organizations and all walks of life, nearly 10,000 supporters of health care reform gathered on Capitol Hill today to send a strong message: We demand affordable, high-quality health care for all, and we aren�t waiting any longer.

Every corner of the Upper Senate Park on Capitol Hill was filled this afternoon with union members, health care advocates and community activists from scross the country, and they heard from not only members of Congress and union leaders, but also from nurses, small business owners, workers and parents who told compelling stories about why we need health care reform.

Like all of the speakers, AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker expressed confidence that we can move from an unsustainable health care system to one that protects families and covers everyone:

Health care without cost control will not work. Health care without a quality public option to lower costs is totally unacceptable.

Please read the complete article at:

http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/06/25/thousands-rally-say-we-cant-wait-for-health-care-reform/