Health Care Debated On Chapline Street
By JOSELYN KING Political WriterArticle Photos
WHEELING - The national health care debate played out not "on Main Street" Thursday, but on Chapline Street in Wheeling.
When the Organization for America bus tour stopped at the City-County Building, it was met by friends and foes alike.
On the west side of the street was the opposition, members of the We the People - Ohio Valley tea party movement. They carried signs stating: "Silent No More," "Stop the Spending, Obama," and "How Much Will it Cost Us?"
On the east side were the supporters. Their signs said: "Standing Together for Health," "Person With Pre-Existing Condition," and "Just Do It."
Among those standing alongside supporters was state Sen. Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, also an expected candidate for governor in 2012.
Addressing those present, Kessler said federal government has "a moral obligation" to provide health care to its citizens, and he promised that a federal health care bill would be signed into law before the year is over.
Kessler noted that "everyone has a right to free speech" and directed his next words to those across the street.
"If they don't like socialism, they should turn in their Social Security checks," he said. "They should give back their Medicare cards, and we should close all the public schools. The fact is, the government provides a lot of services for people, and it's time to close the gap on health care."
As supporters on one side of the street shouted, "Love your neighbor," opposition on the other side countered with the chant, "No free lunch."
"If we don't stop what's going on, we're going to be a communist country," said Randall Crumpler of St. Clairsville.
Ron Johnston of Mount Olivet said he was getting on the bus for its journey to Parkerburg, Fairmont and Morgantown on Thursday. The bus already had made an early morning stop in Weirton.
The purpose of the trip is to urge people who support proposed health care reform to call the office of U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., to voice their opinion, he noted.
"I've been working on this since the beginning," Johnston said. "It's one of the most crucial issues in society today."
It was evident the issue was just as important to the opposition.
"They're trying to change the country into something we don't want," said Philip Patrillo of Glen Dale.
His wife, Kathy Patrillo, suggested that the federal government look to the U.S. Constitution and review the scope of its power - and also stop its spending.
"They need to put a mother in charge of the country's money," she said.
The bus tour is a project of the Democratic National Committee.
Organizing for America reports that since June 6, it has held 20,000 events in all 50 states and every congressional district "to support the president's agenda."
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HeidiFrazier
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11-24-09 11:37 AM
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Whether you agree or disagree with a national health care system, it is unreasonable to attack Senator Kessler regarding his comments. Socialism, in its simplest form, exists through all avenues of our government. It's inevitable in a civilzed, humane society. The senator was simply stating facts. The reactions to his statements are quite frankly -- "grasping at straws".
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1whoworks
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11-12-09 10:07 PM
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And some have no news and no facts. Duh...............
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wonderwhy
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11-02-09 8:46 PM
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Reactioany give you the news from Fux and Rush..............pass
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Reactionary
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11-01-09 9:27 PM
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da13n13--That's the deal. It ISN'T about insurance, or Health Care.It's about the MONEY and the CONTROL that comes with the money. Get out the "Webster's", look up 'Fundimental' and 'change'. These are two of Barry Hussein's favorite words. Then use the definitions in conjunction with the words, FREEDOM, CONSTITUTION,SOCIETY,and ECONOMY. You will be suprised at what you can learn by using Barry Hussein's words with these! Remember he say he was going to "fundimantally change" America. That little excersize should be enough to get your attention.
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da13n13
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11-01-09 4:35 PM
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Thanks for the info elliswyatt! i still don't support the health care law. Why dosen't the government offer financial help to the people that need it, or regulate insurance priceing? i don't see how forcing me to buy insurance is going to make health care better.
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cheriemez
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11-01-09 3:09 PM
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We are having a Tea Party on the steps of St. Clairsville Courthouse on Tuesday, November 3 at 6:00 p.m.
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bassman
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11-01-09 12:35 PM
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wonde, the flat tax I agree with. zippy, you would be suprised!!
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EllisWyatt
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11-01-09 8:54 AM
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da13n13n Because Social Security is tied to the rate of inflation, those who receive Social Security are actually getting a RAISE this year. You see, SS can never decrease. It can only stay the same or increase. Since prices dropped, we have seen massive deflation. Your Social Security check, at the same amount as last year, buys you about 3% more spending power this year. This is one of the few years where seniors are actually getting MORE money.
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da13n13
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11-01-09 6:23 AM
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When Kessler says to "turn in your social security checks" does he mean the social security that can't afford to give cost of living increases for the next two years? maybe longer, the our retired citizens will have and see.
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beanranch
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11-01-09 12:29 AM
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...paging Dr. Freud...paging Dr. Freud...
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Graysongs
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10-31-09 9:59 PM
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Reactionary - The so-called "Republican" in the NY race dropped out from what I read. If the "Conservative" wins against the Democrat, that sends a message to BOTH parties, Ds and Rs, that they're in trouble. It's not vital that conservatives win all 3 races - or even really any of them - but even being close is going to scare the administration. NJ is probably hopeless, but VA is a very likely loss for Dems. ObaMao the Boy Wonder begins to unravel, I think.
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Graysongs
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10-31-09 9:53 PM
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Reactionary - Remember, we've already had all this imposed in microcosm here in Tennessee. We were the test lab for HilaryCare which is called TennCare. Employers just plain stopped providing health care benefits and it all shifted onto TennCare. It has been one of, if not THE, biggest budget busters for our state. Of course, we also had vast numbers of people from out of state using TN addresses to sign up, too. Total disaster.
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Reactionary
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10-31-09 9:45 PM
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I just got done reading some of an opinion article from the WSJ--(5/09)-- which was written by someone much more intelligent that HOOPIE, zippiebell,wonderfool or even Nancy. It explains that the "political purpose" of the public option is to eventuall force people out of employer based insurance and into the public option, whether you want it or not. They predict that fully 2/3rds of the privately insured will lose their coverage, which is plausible. Higher business costs due to Govt regulation will cause fewer people to go into medicine and those that are there will consolidate into larger practices, with longer waits, and eventually "Rationed" care. Now that really sounds like fundimantal change we can believe in!
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Graysongs
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10-31-09 9:39 PM
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Reactionary - These off year elections in NY, NJ and VA are very likely to send Congress a message that ObaMao and his minions REALLY don't want them to get. It could take the whole shine off this idea that ObaMao's agenda is "inevitable".
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Reactionary
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10-31-09 9:30 PM
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And sorry about the "wonderboob" thing. I like boobies too! I'll stick with wonderfool.
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Reactionary
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10-31-09 9:29 PM
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Grays---I just looked up "HilaryCare1993" and found ObamaCare2009 to be very similar, except for the MONEY, of course. Willie had a strong Demokrat controlled Congress then also, and STILL didn't get it! All Willie wound up with was a "tune-up" and a pizzed off old lady to show for his efforts.
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Reactionary
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10-31-09 8:56 PM
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Grays--I saw that YOU answered the wonderfool's question. But I'm sure he didn't understand. Like tinkerbell, he has a hard time understanding things that are not spelled out in liberal gibberish! So he probably has to find someone to explain it to him!
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Reactionary
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10-31-09 8:52 PM
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Grays--wonderboob says I'm supposed to call you out on something, but I can't remember what it was! Oh, WAIT!! You said something about a "Rich Man" or his money, so I guess I was supposed to ask you if you were jealous or something like that.........ARE YOU? wonderfool is just p*ssed because I called him out on whining about how much CEO's and other high powered business people make. But I think someone else already answered the question. So never mind.
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Graysongs
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10-31-09 8:45 PM
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Reactionary - Tinkerbell has a "degree in education" which is neither a "degree" nor an "education". A unionized daycare worker who probably shouldn't be left alone with little boys.
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Reactionary
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10-31-09 8:41 PM
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WVEXPAT--Like Grays said zippie-bell doesn't have a clue what you're talking about. And even though he claims to be a teacher--with a college degree,no doubt--has no conception of just how to go about researching the very topic he wants to know about. And in true liberal fashion, he is waiting for someone else to do the work for him. DON'T DO IT!!
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Graysongs
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10-31-09 8:00 PM
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WVEXPAT - See there. Zippie tinkerbell admits there are 4,5, maybe 6 bills whiich they'll do whatever they think they can get away with behind closed doors and serve them up to a stupid public.
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Graysongs
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10-31-09 7:34 PM
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WVEXPAT - If the US Catholic Bishops would follow through and close their hospitals rather than accept the federal funding of abortions and the controls that go with it, the bill would be dead in a few days. 25% of America's hospital closed would be a "health care crisis you can believe in."
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WVEXPAT
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10-31-09 7:23 PM
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Okay, I'll feed the troll just once! LOL WV, There is an easy way to check. Just cut/paste the quoted parts of my post into a google search and see where it takes you. And even a little easier for you I posted the page # of the CBO report I cited. I'm assuming you can find your way to cbo dot gov and read the report yourself. The rest of the information is there as well. What other bill or CBO report would I be quoting? I do apologize for offending your sensitive nature by citing facts. Troll feeding time is now over!
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Graysongs
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10-31-09 7:08 PM
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Hey, "tinkerbell", that "degree" in "education" sure has made you impressively smart! Probably impresses most - well, OK, some - of the 4th graders.
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EllisWyatt
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10-31-09 7:05 PM
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********** I have said this before and it bears repeating now. With more than 600 posts on this topic, it is obvious that this is a topic that brings passion from all sides. Here is my statement with regard to Socialized medicine. There are two sides to this debate. Side A: Supports Socialized Medicine. Believes that the wants and needs of one group justify the confiscation of wealth from another group. Does not believe in personal responsibility or property rights. Believes that they have a right to demand that government steal from one group to pay off another. Has no self-respect and, most likely, will never achieve anything. Side B: Believes in property rights, in personal responsibility, in having a choice, in self-reliance, in limited government, in privacy, in the right of individuals to keep their wealth and in Capitalism. THAT is the crux of the health care debate-the unproductive have nots are using government to steal others' wealth.
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