PHOTOS: Republicans rally against health care reform bill

On the eve of President Barack Obama’s visit to the city, the dreary weather didn’t stop hundreds of people from coming out to listen to local republicans protest the passing of the health care reform bill.

Wednesday evening brought out a crowd that tossed around words like tyranny, socialism, and unconstitutional to describe their disapproval of the bill some claimed was against people’s wishes.

“Tonight isn’t about Democrats, or Republicans, or Independents. It’s about all Americans,” Matt Strawn, Republican Party of Iowa chairman, said during the “Stand up For Freedom” rally. “We have to show America this is not freedom.”

Despite the boos from the crowd when Obama’s name was said, one woman voiced her support by yelling outside the large group.

“Health care for everyone,” shouted Coralville resident Kate Coyle. “It’s a basic right.”

David Smithers said he voted for Obama, but said he doesn’t support the current health care bill because he thinks the politics of the it have been overtaken by “corporate businesses.”

Congressman Mike Pence, the third ranking Republican in the U.S. House from Indiana, spoke via Skype over a large television screen.

“Everyone tonight is doing America’s work. This fight is not over” he said. “Some say we made history Sunday night, but I say we broke history,” he said.

“Everyone deserves health care. It’s pretty basic,” she said. “I don’t get why people are against it.”

In response to the bill, Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan sent out a news release claiming the rally wasn’t more about politics than Iowans.

“It’s clear from this rally- the Republican Party of Iowa is interested in rallying their base and boosting their campaign coffers. They are not interested in freedom or how this historic legislation will better the lives of thousands of Iowans,” Kiernan said.

But fears about the uncertain costs resonated with 57-year-old John Bloom of Des Moines who said, “I can’t see the selfishness of my generation go onto my and your generations.”

The president speaks Thursday at 1 p.m. at the University of Iowa Field House amid an expected crowd over 3,000 with an even larger crowd anticipated outside.

http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20100325/NEWS01/3250332/1079
“”Hundreds go downtown to protest health care reform”

Emotions ran high on the eve of President Obama’s visit today, as more than 200 people attended a rally protesting the approved health care legislation.

Obama is scheduled to speak this afternoon to a capacity crowd of 3,000 people at the Field House on the University of Iowa campus in his first visit to Iowa since being elected president.

Emotions will be high for supporters, too, as a group of health care reform supporters plan to meet at 10 a.m. today for a rally at the pedestrian mall and march together to the event. Protesters also are expected to gather today either inside or outside the event.

Obama first announced his health care plan as a presidential candidate in May 2007 in Iowa City, according to the White House. The heavily Democratic Iowa City area served as a frequent campaign stop for Obama from late 2006 to early 2008 during his march to the presidency.

Signs outnumbered umbrellas at Wednesday night’s cloudy and rainy rally, as Republicans hoping to run for state and national political office and Republican group leaders addressed the crowd.

“This is not democracy. This is tyranny,” said Dane Nealson, state chairman of the Iowa Federation of College Republicans.

“I don’t expect the government to pay my way though life,” Nealson said. “I don’t expect the government to tell me the way to live my life.”

Roger Barr of Newton said he came out to Iowa City for Wednesday night’s rally to show his support for the candidates and fellow protesters.

“They’re not alone in this. We’re all in this fight together,” Barr said.

“The whole idea of socialized medicine is completely contrary to what our country was founded on,” he said. “We need to go back to less government. Where we’re all responsible for things and each other.”

Christopher Reed, one of the four Republicans hoping to challenge Rep. Dave Loebsack for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, said he thinks this bill was never really about health care.

“Our health was never a concern,” he said.

Local authorities said they are ramping up staffing to prepare for Obama’s speech.

Iowa City Police Chief Sam Hargadine said he’ll bring in additional officers on overtime, though he doesn’t know the exact number.

“I don’t think we’re to the point of all hands on deck,” he said.

Hargadine said his department primarily will be responsible for the president’s route from the Eastern Iowa Airport to the Field House.

“Likewise, if UI needs help, we’re supplying manpower for that,” he said.

Hargadine said that essentially every jurisdiction that the motorcade passes through will have a presence in the convoy. The idea is that someone from each department will be familiar with each phase of the trip from the airport to campus.

Although police departments have been known to request reimbursement for the costs associated with supplying manpower for presidential visits, Hargadine said he’s not planning on taking that step.

The president’s visit likely will lead to road closures and the police department also is planning on keeping an eye on protesters and others to make sure no one gets out of line. Hargadine said protesters have generally been civil in the past, however.

“That’s part of our job to ensure it stays that way.”

UI Director of Public Safety Chuck Green said in an e-mail his department was “very cautious,” about the presidential visit.

“Our entire department stands ready to assist the Secret Service in any way we can and, of course, we are working closely with them and will be assisting with security arrangements,” Green wrote.””

“healthcare is a right”

I wonder what will happen to all the nurses who have been unable to find jobs in spite of the declared “nurse shortage” for years. There’s been a hiring freeze at hospitals around the country for at least 3 years.

Here in south Florida, the nursing programs at our community college keeps churning out graduates twice a year with no jobs. It must be part of the progressive’s plan. It doesn’t make sense otherwise.

SEIU plants and progressive nurses post on allnurses.com boldly.

If healthcare is a right, and hospitals really don’t have the cash to pay for nurses, won’t it be required for nurses to provide their healthcare service even if the pay isn’t adequate for them? If care is a right, someone has to be providing care.

There is government money to be had by community colleges for certain programs. Just off the top of my head, besides nursing, they continue to churn out physical therapists and massage therapists who cannot find jobs unless they move to somewhere that is *underserved*. Our nearest massage program (DH is on their advisory board) is lucky to graduate 25% of those who start the program and 10% _may_ be working in the field 2 years later, usually at a spa or a chiropractor’s office at low wages. But, still, grants are readily available to anyone who fits the parameters for these favored programs. It is how they can say they are supporting improved health care.

Several years ago, my physician was still in his rural private practice, barely hanging on (Today, he has been absorbed into the area medical center practice, which is another sad story). He had an old X-ray machine, he and one of the RNs were capable of using it and a registered x-ray tech came in 2x/week. I think they used the machine 3x/week. The state, in its wisdom, mandated that every medical office have a modern X-ray machine and a full-time tech, even if all they did was sit there until someone needed an image. This provided sales to medical device companies and jobs for graduates. Of course, the physician paid the freight. It also drove small private practices to the point where they had to join the larger groups in order to continue working. Private pension funds were then somehow absorbed into the new group pensions and RNs who had worked for 24 years found their pensions would be reduced.

Last year in Wisconsin, every massage therapist was mandated to take a course in using a defibrillator (now to be taxed so as to make it even more expensive). However, they haven't yet mandated that every practice buy one of these, but that, of course is coming. They are expensive. In 15 years of practice, not one massage therapist we know has had anyone suffer a cardiac event on their table. The one heart attack in the practice of a shamanistic alternative practitioner, who is outside the mandates and all licensing, was rushed to the ER and survived. The ER staff was *impressed* by the shaman's *clinical skills*. No one would answer when I asked them to detail these so-called *skills*. He was caring and may have had EMT training, but it isn't clear.

It is a giant game with our money, driving up costs along the way and forcing business to dance to the government's tune. The results are spun to make it look as though the state is helping everyone, one way or another. Mostly, it drives up taxes, keeps community colleges open and keeps their Federal grants flowing.

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