Protesters say no to 'Obamacare'

Mar 11, 2010 — Belleville News-Democrat

Mar. 11, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- A group of about 35 people gathered in front of U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello's Belleville office, then later along Illinois 161, to protest the current federal healthcare bill.

Laura Anderson of Coulterville organized the Seeing Red Rally to get people to pay attention to the bill they refer to as "Obamacare."

"We're doing this just to get some attention to this issue," Anderson said. Anderson has been a nurse for 30 years. "I believe the administration feels that if it keeps hammering at the public long enough it will give up. I will never give up and I want them to know that."

Costello supports the healthcare bill.

"For over a year now they've been debating basically the same concept," she said. "The core of the legislation has always been federal control of healthcare, including control by the federal government of what kind of healthcare you get and requiring that all people be forced to have health insurance. I oppose all of that. This is going to bankrupt American. I have a child who has kids and I want to be able to pass America on to them. I don't want them to be beholden to another nation because of debt. We have a debt that is astronomical and this would make it even worse."

Congress is expected to hold a final vote on the health care reform bill by March 18.

The Seeing Red Rally is a grassroots effort organized by the national organization "As A Mom ... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots, Inc." The group encouraged like-minded members to stage Seeing Red rallies in front of the home offices of congressmen and congresswomen nationwide Thursday in an effort to make their opposition to the health care reform bill heard.

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