Tea Party Protesters Return to Washington to Protest Health-Care Bill
PROTEST
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Jessica Leving
Boston University Washington News Service
Nov. 5, 2009
WASHINGTON—The Tea Party isn’t over.
Several thousand protestors marched on the Capitol Thursday in opposition to the Democratic health-care bill that the House of Representatives hopes to vote on by the end of the week. Less than two months ago tens of thousands of so-called Tea Party protesters marched on the capital to oppose “out-of-control” government spending and the Democratic health reform plan.
Richard Schofield, 46, a tractor-trailer driver from Uxbridge, was among the group at the Capitol Thursday.
“I’m against the health-care bill because the government has not run any program efficiently—Medicare, Medicaid, the Post Office, Amtrak,” said Mr. Schofield, who did not attend the September protest because of conflicting engagements. “The government has lied to us. They said illegal aliens wouldn’t be covered in this bill but they are. They said they would not spend money on abortion but they are. We’ve got to do something before this goes any further.”
“I’m here for my grandson, and his generation,” he continued. “My family has always stood up when this country is in need. Being here today is something I can do for my country.”
Mr. Schofield said he came down with over 100 protesters from Rhode Island, on two buses that left from Warwick at midnight on Wednesday.
A group of about 10 people from the Northborough area also drove down for the rally with the recently established Northborough Tea Party chapter, according to Ken Mandile, a leader of the Worcester Tea Party, who did not attend Thursday’s Washington event.
The spirited group of protesters from around the country carried signs declaring, “Vote No to Government Run Health Care”, “My Congressman is a Nut,” “Bankrupt America? Yes We Can,” and “I Already Have a Mommy, Thanks, I Don’t Need a Mommy State.”
Between loud renditions of the national anthem and the pledge of allegiance, they chanted “Kill the bill” and “Throw Nancy out” in reference to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The rally, which some called the “Hands Off Our Health Care” protest, came directly in response to a call earlier this week by U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., who welcomed protesters Thursday.
“You came!” she shouted to the cheering crowd. “You came to your house for an emergency house call! And are they going to listen? Oh, yeah, they’re going to listen.”
House Minority Leader Rep. John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, also spoke and called the health-care bill “the greatest threat to freedom that I have seen.”
A vote on the health care reform legislation has been scheduled for Saturday. On Thursday both the American Medical Association and the senior lobbying group the AARP promised to support and promote the health care overhaul.
President Obama planned to visit Capitol Hill Friday to meet with House Democrats in an effort to convince moderates to vote for the legislation and shore up the 218 votes needed for passage.
###
