Healthy Dissent
Following up on my recent post regarding the Sioux Falls’ Chamber of Commerce luncheon featuring Representative Herseth Sandlin, I thought I’d give you a view of what took place outside the event.
As I left the Ramkota Inn, where the event was held, I encountered a small group of individuals exercising their right to free speech. Unlike the ”evil-mongers” Harry Reid likes to talk about these citizens peacefully gathered to speak out against increasing government involvement in private healthcare.
The group of 8 (by my count) weren’t angry, disruptive, or behaving in any way “un-American“. This is South Dakota, afterall, and any of that behavior would just be rude.
A protester makes her case for the right of the individual in insurance choice.
A pair of very pleasant protesters appeal to luncheon attendees near the parking lot entrance.
Anti-government healthcare activists stand vigil as a Sioux Falls police officer drives past.
A trio of healthcare reform opponents hold their ground outside the Herseth Sandlin event.
3 Comments, Comment or Ping
Randall
03 September 2009, 16:42, UTC
So they are FOR the public option?
OPTION. Choice. A public, non-profit alternative to private FOR-profit insurance. Not free. Not socialized medicine – an OPTION – another CHOICE besides the predatory insurance companies that currently have a monopoly on your health.
The nice lady with the sign “Let me pick my own insurance”
…if she has employer provided insurance then she does NOT get to pick her own insurance – her employer picks it for her. Under the public option she could.
The nice lady with the sign “Let me pick my own doctor”
Under most health insurance right now you CAN pick your own doctor – IF he’s included in your insurance provider’s network. Under the public option, you could as well. No difference.
It’s good to see these nice people supporting the public option.
Andrew
04 September 2009, 9:19, UTC
Randall, I can tell you with absolute certainty that these people do not support the public option.
What I didn’t mention in the post above was that these folks weren’t standing there silently. They were also voicing their opposition to the healthcare bills currently being debated in the House and Senate.
These are the bills that contain the public option. The public option would only come about through government intervention in private healthcare. These people clearly oppose that idea.