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?"
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Thomas Jones, left, and Wanda Morgan, both of Wheeling, show their support for health care reform.
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."