Bloomington health care rally supports public option

A crowd of about 50 people gathered on the steps of City Hall on Saturday at a rally to support proposed health care reforms, particularly the public option that President Obama has advocated.

Participants met at the Monroe County Convention Center and walked down the B-Line Trail to the City Hall building chanting, “Health before wealth. Health care for all.”

Kimberly Glassman, a member of the board of directors of Democracy for Monroe County and lead organizer of the rally, said the purpose of the event was to spread awareness about the proposed reforms and to support a public option in the health care system.

The crowd heard from several speakers, including Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan, State Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, City Clerk Regina Moore, former Veteran’s Affairs Officer Col. John Tilford, County Council President Vic Kelson and a recorded message from founder of Democracy for America Howard Dean.

Glassman said the rally was a success.

“Each speaker made a great point,” Glassman said. “I think there was an overall theme of how important this issue is and that it’s an emotional issue for everyone.”

Several of the speakers echoed themes from the President’s speech Wednesday, calling the health care debate a question of national character.

Pierce said many people oppose the public option because “they don’t want to pay for other people’s health care.”

“I suspect that a lot of those people shouting ‘no reform’ are the same people that would tell you that we are the greatest nation on Earth and that America is a very special place,” Pierce said. “And yet they seem to be espousing what I think is a very un-American kind of position, which is ‘I’ve got mine, you get yours.’”

Other speakers acknowledged the fierce controversy the public option has generated and encouraged participants to speak out against opponents of reform.

“Doing nothing is the greatest threat to this nation’s future,” Kruzan said. “This health care system will literally collapse under its own weight if we continue to wait.” 

“I think there really is a silent majority out there of people who are suffering very much, and quite frankly, they are fighting every day of their lives just to survive,” Pierce said. “They don’t have time for the circus that this health debate has become. And because of that, their voices are not being heard.

Rep. Pierce also said the time for debate is finished.

“If those people would simply speak out, I’m convinced we’d overwhelm any opposition to reform that exists out there.”

Bloomington resident Patrick Siney said he came to the rally to get more information about the proposed reforms and the public option.

“It’s an important issue for families that can’t afford it,” Siney said of health insurance.

Siney is a graphic designer for a small company which recently cancelled its health insurance plan, substituting it for an optional group plan.

Siney said he pays out of his pocket for his and his 11-year-old daughter’s health expenses.

He added he is unsure of how he feels about the public option and is eager to learn more and sort through misinformation on the issue.  He thinks everyone else should do the same.

“We all need to be ambassadors of the message,” Kruzan said. “The public option is not only about health care. It’s about consumer protection, and it’s literally about our economic survival.”