DEPARTMENTS
ANTI-WAR
DEATH PENALTY
ELECTIONS
ENVIRONMENT
GLBT ISSUES
HEMP
INTERNATIONAL
NATIONAL
REVIEWS
|
Departments Ohio Columbus rally demands health care now! There was a sense of real urgency in the hall, as speaker after speaker pounded on the point that, as Brian Rothenberg of Progress Ohio stated; "We now have 6 weeks to win the fight our people have been fighting since the Truman administration---Health Care for all!" Becky Williams, President of SEIU, 1199, was interrupted by loud cheers as she led off the rally, telling the crowd; "We have three things to tell the administration and the majority in congress; (1) we worked for and voted for change last year. That means actually changing what was there when you got there. (2) We need for you to lead with courage, not be intimidated by Fox News and Teabaggers, and (3) don’t be fooled by lies! If you do these things," she said, "we'll be with you, and the 66% of Americans who, according to polls are demanding that Health Care Reform be passed." She went on to point out that "pundits are talking about bipartisanship, but over 40% of that 66% supporting reform are Republicans. While the national media talks, 44,000 Americans lost health care last week and that many will be dropped next week, and every week until we win this fight,” she said. “421 of our friends, neighbors died last week for not having access to health care, and that will continue, as well." Besides SEIU and the Ohio AFL-CIO, a wide list of sponsors were announced for the rally, including the Alliance of Retired Americans (ARA), UFCW, Ohio Faith & Justice Collective, Health Care for America Now, Planned Parenthood, UHCAN, Jobs with Justice & Ohio Consumers for Health Care. Speakers included Ohio House Representatives Mary Harris and Ted Celeste, both Democrats, and, in a show of unity, both Democratic Senatorial candidates, Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and Lt. Governor Lee Fisher. Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown addressed the rally by video from D.C., stating, "We are fighting now at a time of great crisis. 800,000 Californians are facing massive rate increases this week from the profit-bloated insurance industry. Thousands of Americans are, literally, dying each year due to the continued inhuman rationing of Health Care in our nation. We can't give up and let others die because the fight is tough," he said. "If we keep up the fight, we'll win!" Tim Burga also slammed the insurance industry, stating that the health care system today is "corporate socialism!" "Instead of public monies going for the common good, this is socialism for the rich. Our tax money is going to support these wealthy companies, in the form of tax breaks, public aid for research and development, all the while our people are starved. They," he said, to loud cheers, "just have no shame!" "We've been horribly frustrated," said retired steelworker and SOAR member Ron Wharton, "but we have to push to win some type of health care reform or else it'll just get put off another 15-20 years. We can’t let that happen. That’s why we attended the rally," he said. That same point was made by Cathy Levine (UHCAN & Ohio Consumers for Health Care), as she told the crowd; "Don't believe those that tell you that its all OK and we'll just go back to the beginning and get a better bill if this one is defeated, it's just not true! If we don’t win now, it may very well be a long time before another congress has the courage to take this on!" Rev. Tim Ahrens, highly respected pastor of 1st Congregational Church in Columbus, closed the event with an emotional appeal to "stand together and don't give up the struggle." He spoke of now being the time of Lent, and how that is a time of renewal, for springtime and a better new time coming. He closed with the following quote; "I can feel the suffering of millions. Yet, if I look to the heavens, I think that it will all come out right, that the cruelty, too, will end and that peace, justice and tranquility will return again. In the meantime, I must uphold my ideals, for perhaps the time will come when I can carry them out." There were many moist eyes in the hall as he announced the author of the quote to be Anne Frank! |
|
Photos are more evidence that Attorney General woman's sexual harassment complaint was bogus No Child Left Behind scam: Purchase orders bypass Columbus School Board approval to funnel millions of federal dollars to questionable vendors Closed Council meetings = Better informed public: Absurd “less is more” rationale for Issue 12 from the Columbus Dispatch Ohioans Fight to Reform Factory Farms State officials used a flawed investigation report to force Attorney General Marc Dann from office Suburban Ohio man resists foreclosure with direct action The return of Ken Blackwell: Mad Hatter back with the Tea Party in Ohio Activist jailed at Sodexo rally Hypocrisy in the Dispatch's criticism of Eric Brown's appointment as Chief Justice Progressive blunt "Tea-Baggers" attack on Rep. Kilroy! Worthington school officials feel the heat: some community members oppose the teaching of global warming science The American Middle Class is being eroded by corporate greed Ohio jobs march hits Wall Street greed Columbus rally demands health care now! Ohio machinists fight to protect their pensions All Sides of the Story Needed in Judging Sexual-Harassment Complaints Read Ohio Articles by Year: |
FREE PRESS EMAIL UPDATE
Donate to the Free Press Election Protection Fund to help us investigate and monitor election fraud in this year's election.
FOLLOW US ON
twitter
facebook
SEARCH THE FREEPRESS
1021 E. Broad St. Columbus, OH 43205 | 614.253.2571 | truth@freepress.org
All content © 1970-2012 The Columbus Free Press
Disclaimer