Opposition strengthens around Obama's health care plan
On Sept. 12, thousands of protesters marched in opposition to President Obama’s plan for health care reform. That same day, Obama met in Minneapolis with thousands of cheering fans as he campaigned for the upcoming bill.
This dichotomy represents the growing debate that has escalated this summer between those who want the government to have a bigger role in the nation's health care system and those who want to limit Congressional and Presidential involvement.
Obama at health care rally in Minneapolis on Sept. 12. Credit: Flickr user eefcee. Licensed under Creative Commons 2.0While Obama vowed to reform health care in his address to Congress on Sept. 9, conservatives known as “tea partiers”--for their opposition to Congressional taxation--geared up to counter his vision of change.
“Can you hear us now, Congress, can you hear us now?!” they chanted as they marched up Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol building from Freedom Plaza on 12th.
Many protesters dressed in colonial attire, claiming that they were there to stand up for their independence and freedom from government control, as the participants of the original Boston Tea Party did over 200 years ago.
"It's not a single issue, as you can tell, but the single fact is anger," said John Armor, who was dressed as Benjamin Franklin. Armor is a self-described author, lawyer, professor and student of American history.
Government-run health care was one of the major issues addressed this summer at "Tea Parties," townhall meetings and marches like the 9/12 rally. Many protesters see aspects of Obama's plan, specifically the so-called "public option," as a path towards "European-style socialism."
One protester, Dawn, who would not reveal her full name, traveled from Texas to speak out against big government.
"We are not an angry mob. But we would like to see, not a revolution, but a restoration of the constitution. This country is great because of the people, not the government," she said.
A driving argument that has swiftly grown within the debate deals with the constitutionality of the health care bill itself. Some say it will lead to government-controlled health care, while others believe it will fix the mounting injustices from insurance companies who deny Americans coverage every year.
"If you look at the histories of the framers, all of them believed in relatively small government," Armor said.
The Constitution doesn’t directly deal with the issue of health care, but many have used the Tenth Amendment to justify killing the bill. The amendment states, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
However, in the case of the Health Security Act of the early 1990s, which reflects similar reform, the U.S. Department of Justice noted on its Web site, “The proposed Health Security Act is well within the authority of the Congress under the Commerce Clause, and it does not violate Tenth Amendment or other principles of federalism.”
On Sept. 16, The Office of the Speaker of the House sent a press release stating, “As with Medicare and Medicaid, the federal government has the Constitutional power to reform our health care system.”
The statement goes on to say the Tenth Amendment gives states power over issues not handled by Congress, but that the Constitution also gives “Congress broader power to regulate activities that have an effect on interstate commerce.”
Whether or not the health care reform bill violates the constitution, the tea partiers want to see a shift in Congress in light of the 2010 election.
"I hope that everybody watching will go and vote so we can make the changes that we want," said protester Laura Long, who travelled with her family from North Carolina.
Although spirits were high in light of their renewed view of patriotism, many protesters felt that their opinions will be ignored by Congress when it comes time to passing legislation.
"I don't think that Obama or his administration really care at all about the people that are here today. But I think that over time, maybe, something good can come of this. But it's going to take a lot of time," said Jim Roster, from New Jersey.
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