Public option rallies mixed responses

Holding a peace sign made of multihued feathers in one hand and a handmade sign that read “Corporate Corruption Opposes Our Public Option” in the other, Julian Ward stood outside Sen. John Cornyn’s office at noon Wednesday.

Ward, who has been unemployed for six years because of his disability, was there to urge the senator to support the public health care option proposal.

“I have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems and arthritis,” Ward said. “I don’t even have health care.”

About 15 other Austinites joined Ward with their own signs in hand to urge Cornyn and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison to support health care reform that is currently being debated in Congress. Some, including Ward, were members of MoveOn.org, a nonprofit progressive advocacy group. Other people not officially affiliated with any organization gathered in opposition.

The date was chosen to mark the one-year anniversary of the election of President Barack Obama, said Stephanie Hamm, the Central Texas regional coordinator for MoveOn.org.

Hamm made an appointment with four other MoveOn.org members to speak with Katharine McAdin, Cornyn’s deputy regional director, about the public option proposal and to give the office two buckets filled with 6,000 statements in favor of the proposal. The statements were printed on folded pieces of paper from Bell County, Travis County and other Texas residents.

“It was very, very cordial,” Hamm said. “Mainly everything Katharine said was in support of Sen. Cornyn.”

In a statement from Cornyn’s office, spokeswoman Jessica Sandlin said the senator remains opposed to the public option proposal and will continue to push for reforms “that lower costs, increase access and do not add to our national debt.”

Bill Hamm, Stephanie’s husband and the council coordinator in Austin for MoveOn.org, said the meeting was only symbolic.

“We want to show the media that there are a lot of people from Bell County and Travis County who want the public option, regardless of what senators think,” Bill Hamm said.

“The public option won’t benefit me. I’m concerned about kids and people who will have no jobs if we don’t do anything.”

Stephanie Hamm also went to Hutchison’s office but was not allowed in because she left her identification in her car. She said the two MoveOn.org members who went into the office gave two buckets of stories to Hutchison’s staff, who accepted the buckets and told them that they should have made an appointment.

“While we agree on the need for additional access to health care, the government takeover of the health care system would hurt the Texas economy and Texas health care, while doing nothing to improve access for Texans,” Hutchison spokesman Jeff Sadosky said.

“Government interfering in decisions made by doctors and patients is bad policy that Hutchison will continue to fight as long as Democrats push for this legislation.”

Former health insurance agent Alan Daves formed part of the opposing party at the rally, waving around a large white flag emblazoned with a gun and the words “Come and take it” and wearing a shirt that said “You lie!”

“We’re the people against all the socialist, fascist government tactics that are coming down from the Chicago thug-in-chief,” Daves said. “People can afford health insurance if they give up their cell phones and gold teeth.”

Nurse and Iraq veteran Laura Kendall also came out Wednesday to oppose the public option proposal.

“I’m all for helping Americans when they’re down, but it’s about having the resources and the fortitude to do it yourself,” Kendall said. “Just like me — if I don’t have insurance, I have a bill. And I’m responsible for it.”

4 comments

Stephanie Dillon Hamm

Fri Nov 6 2009 00:34

There are so many aspects of this debate that should be highlighted in future articles on this topic: the numbers of people who die each year from normal illnesses because they have no access to health care (45,000); the fact that preventative care from infancy on and lifetime access to medical care is the surest way to cut costs; the numbers of children who are not covered by any kind of health insurance and have no access to medical care; the impact of this stress on families - that leads to lower productivity and loss of revenue; the fact that major illness is one of the major causes of bankruptcies and foreclosures; and the fact that it is the insurance companies and big Pharma that stand between us and our doctors now more than any threat of government doing so.

One of the people representing the opposition on Wednesday asked us why we were for health care reform if we already had health insurance. It is not about us. Good governance is about doing well through government for others who are in a more vulnerable position. I am for good government and good governance. Health care for all is good governance. Government that only protects corporate interests is the antithesis of good government.

Stephanie Dillon Hamm
Regional Coordinator (Volunteer) for MoveOn.Org
Central Texas

Julian Ward

Thu Nov 5 2009 22:18

PS Someone who is diabled is not unemployed just ill. Just because I believe in Health Care and Justice doesn't make me a Marxist. What a joke always the people with low IQ's label people with names because they can't understand the truth. This happens when you watch FOX News. I've supported the Consittution all my life. I paid into Social Security for all that time. These tea baggers were yelling raciest statements against Mexicans and then had a picture right out of the KKK of our President.
What does this make of jdude to be? Not an American! You really need to get a life! Hate just doesn't cover it.

Julian Ward

Thu Nov 5 2009 21:31

This comment sounds like someone who hates heath care until he needs it. I don't eat fast food but have to eat food high in starch because the small amouts of money the government gives to the federaly disabled.(SSI) Those raciiest that were at the protest were full of hate like jdude ( who is afraid to use his name now that's a coward, not someone who goes and protest for other people's health eventhought he was ill himself.
Julian Ward Austin Texas

jdude

Thu Nov 5 2009 14:50

Sounds like this unemployed loser should have the cheeseburger knocked right out of his marxist little hand.. Sure, all the fat people are going to want the public option to pay for their disgusting habits!

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