Health care rallies attract lively crowds

By Craig Schneider, Shelia Poole
 and Jim Tharpe

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The heated national debate over health care reform turned downright civil in metro Atlanta on Saturday as two events representing opposing sides drew thousands who peacefully but passionately voiced their views.

The largest crowd turned out in Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta for a rally dubbed “America’s Health Care Town Hall” organized by opponents of health care reform. People said they braved the midday sun to send a message: The Democratic-led reform package makes them fearful that health care will suffer, and they are more than a little angry because they say politicians are overstepping the Constitution.

H. Marty Schelper of Smyrna held up a sign that read: “Bible-thumping, gun-toting, well-dressed mob of one.” On the other side, it read: “Nancy Pelosi, I’m not angry. I’m mad as hell. I want my freedom back.”

Atlanta police estimated the park crowd at about 3,000, although organizers said they gave out 12,500 wristbands to attendees.

In Jonesboro, U.S. Rep. David Scott, a supporter of President Barack Obama who backs health care reform, held a forum attended by more than 600 people at Mundy’s Mill High School. Scott said reform would drive down the cost of health insurance while at the same time expand coverage to all Americans. He said 147,000 people in his metro Atlanta district are without insurance.

“If we don’t do something to change the status quo, our country is headed not to the cliff, but over the cliff,” Scott said.

Passions at times ran high at Scott’s forum, held as part of an annual health fair, as supporters and detractors of the reform proposal occasionally shouted across the room at each other.

The metro Atlanta conversations took place against a backdrop of gatherings across the country Saturday to discuss the proposed overhaul of the nation’s health care system. Obama attended a town hall meeting in Colorado in a final public relations push on the issue before he goes on vacation.

Polls show Obama’s approval rating has dropped as the health care debate intensifies — a USA Today/Gallup poll showed 43 percent of Americans approve of the president’s handling of health care policy while 49 percent disapprove.

During his weekly Web address, Obama said TV cameras don’t show the thoughtful discussion most Americans are having about the issue. The president warned that if reform is not forthcoming, health care premiums will continue to soar.

Security was tight for both Atlanta gatherings, but there were no major incidents at either. With virtually no health care reform supporters in sight, the biggest problem at the downtown rally was the blazing sun. Police said several people needed aid for heat exhaustion.

Eric Gerritson, an organizer of the Wetumpka Tea Party out of Alabama, brought nearly two dozen people to the rally.

“We’re here to show solidarity,” Gerritson said. “We want others to know they’ve got support from us.”

James Newman of Lawrenceville dressed in a Colonial-era costume for the event. Newman brought more than a dozen hand-lettered signs protesting heath care reform, including one that read: “Congress you work for us, not the other way around.”

The Jonesboro gathering was more divided.

Scott, a Democrat whose 13th District encompasses parts of several metro counties including Clayton, Cobb and Fulton, was thrust into the health care fray earlier this month after a confrontation at a public meeting in Douglasville. After a doctor asked Scott whether he supported a government health insurance option, Scott angrily accused the man of “hijacking” the event, which was supposed to focus on transportation issues. He told participants he would be willing to meet with them later to discuss health care issues and scheduled Saturday’s forum to do just that.

A video of the heated exchange drew national attention and was heavily viewed on the Internet.

Spirited boos or applause rang out after several questions and Scott’s answers at Saturday’s forum.

Among those attending were Teresa and Richard Pfeil of Newnan, who moved from Texas to Georgia about a year ago. She’s “100 percent” for the public option for health insurance under the proposal.

“That’s why I’m here,” she said. “I want to show my face as a supporter.”

But her husband has concerns about how the plan would be financed.

“Our economy can’t keep taking on debt to the point it’s going to bankrupt the country,” he said.

Lavinia George of Lake City, a retired lawyer who works as a paralegal, supports health care reform.

“I believe that everybody should have health care,” she said. “Our law firm does a lot of work on Social Security and disability claims. We see a lot of people who come into our offices who would still be working if they had good health care insurance.”

For her trip to the Centennial Park rally, Jamie Hastings, 40, of Cumming dressed completely in black as the Grim Reaper. She fears that the care for her rheumatoid arthritis would fall apart under the plan. She currently receives a $1,200-a-month drug that her insurance pays for, but she worries that drug would no longer even be available. She believes the reforms would lead to equal pay for all doctors, which she said would drain the field of many experts.

The rally’s speakers included conservative activist Ralph Reed, local radio personality Herman Cain and former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, who had helped defeat Hillary Clinton’s earlier effort at health care reform. Cain got a big rise out of the crowd, attacking the notion that people against the plan are crazy.

“We’re going to show you some crazy,” Cain said. “We are crazy for our liberty. We are crazy for our freedom. We are crazy for the United States of America.”

Those in attendance said they wanted to send other messages: That they are not some organized group of shills put together by insurance companies, that they are not rude or un-American. The crowd — filled with people bearing anti-reform and anti-Obama signs and T-shirts — appeared willing to brave three or four hours under a blistering sun to make their point.

Some signs at the rally: “Not Paid to be Here.” “Don’t Tread on Me.” “Liberalism = Socialism. Resulting in Slavery.” A sign in the shape of a fish said, “Hey White House, Something Fishy Going on Here.”

Betty McCarty of Marietta came with several pages of notes on the proposed legislation. “I’m just concerned,” she said. “I read the bill.” Page 36 of one 1,000-page proposal worries her, she said, because it says details will be worked out after passage of the bill.

“You going to just trust [them]?” she said.