Aug 22, 2009 11:14 pm US/Eastern
Protests In S. Fla. Held Against Health Care Bill
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Several South Floridians attended a health care rally in Westchester protesting any government intervention.
Justin McCray /CBS
Congress continues to debate a health care reform plan supported by President Barack Obama, but a vocal contingent continues to say no to any government intervention, specifically spending, in stemming the rising costs associated with health care. In South Florida, multiple protests are scheduled this weekend.
At noon on Saturday, members of the South Florida Tea Party organization and others gathered outside House district offices and at intersections throughout the country for three hours in hopes of having Congress say no to health care reform. The ones gathered in Westchester held signs and chanted, "No Obama Care."
This week, Gov. Charlie Crist referred to Obama's plan as a "cockamamie idea."
Meanwhile, other Florida Republican leaders also chimed in.
"There's a national consensus and there's a consensus in Congress to reform health care, but the option is not the President's proposal or nothing, the option is fixing health care, making it less expensive, more affordable to all Americans," Republican Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart told
CBS4's Gio Benitez.
And many of South Floridians agreed as they gathered at one of four protest sites.
"This is democracy at its best and if they don't like it, tough," protester Abilio Leon told
CBS4's Gio Benitez. "I am deeply concerned because I've been watching this country move too far to the left."
Another expressed concern about the bill's cost.
"Who's going to pay for it? It's 50 million people out there. Who's going to pay for it?" asked protester Ramiro Menandez.
"There [are] different ways that we can do this, but not on this 1,100 page bill," said protester Jackie Morales.
Meanwhile, President Barack Obama expressed his views during his weekly address.
"This is an issue of vital concern to every American and I'm glad that so many are engaged. But it also should be an honest debate, not one dominated by willful misrepresentations and outright distortions," Obama said in his address to the nation.
But Leon wasn't convinced.
"The less government, the better we will be and the more freedom we will have," he said.
The South Florida Tea Party is one of several groups that enjoyed modest success earlier in 2009 on tax day when they protested having to pay taxes that would support Obama plans like the stimulus plan, which many economists are now crediting with helping stem the tide of the recession.
Many of the groups are slamming what is being called, "socialized medicine." But when push came to shove, representatives who have come out against the current health care reform bill in the House of Representatives refused to support a bill that would have stopped Medicare, which is also a government run health care plan.
Four rallies were held in South Florida, including one in Broward County at the corner of Oakland Park Blvd and N. Federal Highway, another in Miami at the corner of SW 87 Ave and two in Palm Beach County.
CBS4's Gio Benitez contributed to this report.
(© MMIX CBS Television Stations. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report)
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