“Hands off our health care,” they chanted, waving fans bearing that slogan to stave off the July heat.
The Lexington rally was put together by Americans for Prosperity as part of the Patients First tour across the state. Speakers urged those in attendance to contact their legislators voicing their opposition to Obama’s plan.
Jeff Mixon, a legislative analyst for the John W. Pope Civitas Institute, said that recent polls of likely voters in North Carolina showed that the majority is opposed to the Obama administration’s health care plan. When asked if they would be willing to pay higher taxes to provide health insurance for all Americans, 56 percent said “no.”
“We asked them, given your knowledge of Medicaid and other government-sponsored health care programs, would you entrust your health or your family’s health to a government plan over a private insurance option?” Mixon said.
The crowd shouted, “no,” and Mixon said that 57 percent of those polled agreed with them. Dr. Michael Sanera, research director and local government policy analyst with the John Locke Foundation, said that citizens should ask their representatives the same question.
“Ask them, ‘Will you, as a congressman or senator, have your family and staff enrolled in the public plan?’” he said. “They won’t, of course. Their health care system is not like yours and not like mine. They have a list of 283 choices ... that they won’t give you.”
Sanera was quick to point out that those who oppose a public plan don’t necessarily oppose changes to the health care industry.
“President Obama wants you to think that it’s either his plan or no plan,” Sanera said. “No, we agree that the health care system needs reform. It needs major reform, but not his plan for the government to get more involved. It’s to give you more freedom and more choice.”
Fred McClure, chairman of the Davidson County Board of Commissioners, said that he had two successful knee replacements last year, and he doesn’t trust the federal government to keep up the same level of care.
“This is not something that we need to let go,” McClure said. “In September, when these guys go back up there, they need to know that the people out here in America are serious. This is not the right plan.”
Lexington resident Rex Foster said after the rally that he knows that the current health care system has its problems. The 50-year-old is insured through COBRA since being laid off from his job, and he knows the frustration that it can bring. A good plan is needed to correct those issues, and Foster doesn’t think Obama has found it.
“I just don’t want this one,” he said. “This is the wrong direction.”
Foster said that he is suspicious about the lack of complaints from insurance companies, because that may mean the plan benefits them most. He also does not like the projected cost of nearly $1 billion over 10 years.
“There’s no way in the world they’re going to be able to pay for this and provide any kind of level of service,” Foster said. “They’ve already started cutting back Medicare services, and they keep robbing Social Security to pay for everything else, so where’s the money going to come from?”
Filomena Verniero, another Lexington resident, said that she came the rally mainly to sign a petition against Obama’s health care reform bill.
“I don’t want the government deciding what I can and can’t get done,” Verniero said. “It’s bad enough that my insurance company decides that. What I need is the cost of my insurance to go down. We need cost control, not government control.”
Staff Writer Karissa Minn can be reached at 888-3576 or newsdesk@tvilletimes.com.
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