The “Hands Off My Healthcare” rally dominated the scene on Church Avenue July 30 with flags, placards and shouts and cheers for former City of Roanoke Mayor Ralph Smith – now State Senator Smith from Botetourt County – who introduced Ben Marchi, Virginia State Director of Americans for Prosperity.
Marchi asked the crowd to phone their Washington, D.C. representatives from the rally, calling out the phone numbers of area congressmen and the two Virginia senators. One man shouted out that the number he called had, “received a high volume of calls,” which pleased the crowd.
Dr. Larry Hunter, Washington D.C. health care insurer consultant, spoke about seniors having the highest stake in the proposed healthcare bill. He found rationed health care for seniors in the 1,018 page bill “disturbing.”
The speakers urged the crowd to contact their representatives in Washington and share their concerns with the proposed bill, and were urged to say, “Stop! Fix the economy first! No healthcare negotiations!”
“We have five weeks. Let’s get it done,” exclaimed Dr. Hunter.
“No Obama Care…Read the bill,” chanted the flag-waving crowd.
The “Patients First” Bus Tour began in Richmond July 25, stopping in towns from Amelia Court House and Farmville to the far southwest, the Shenandoah Valley, Leesburg, Culpepper and Charlottesville, ending August 1.
By Gail Lambert [email protected]
