PORT ANGELES — Protesters and supporters lined up outside an invitation-only health care forum on Friday, replaying scenes from other health care events across the country.
On sidewalks surrounding the Red Lion Hotel and on the Waterfront Trail, up to 200 people stood holding signs to passing traffic — most of them critics of President Obama’s plans to overhaul the health care industry.
About 40 were supporters.
Signs held by some of the protesters included “Obama care – chains you can believe in” — a play on the “Change you can believe in” theme of Obama’s presidential campaign — and “Say no to government-run health care.”
Many of the protestors expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of an open public forum by U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks.
“He works for us; he needs to speak with us,” said Lindsey Christianson, 31, of Port Angeles.
“Since [they] won’t let us in to talk, [Dicks] may see us out here and get the message,” said Mark Smith, 40, of Port Angeles.
Several of the protestors said they were concerned about heavy-handed government control over health care as well as cost and inefficiency.
“If they can’t run the Post Office, how are they going to run this?” Christianson asked.
Tess Miletich, a life-long Democrat, said she was concerned that the proposed reform would limit a patients’ choice for medical service.
“If you take away my choice, I’m going to fight it,” she said.
The 60-year-old Sequim resident said she has read some of the proposed House health care bill, but found most of it frustratingly unclear.
“The bill is so obscure, no one can really understand it,” she said.
Jerry Stiles, 68, called the proposed reform an “on ramp to tyranny” that would give “coercion a chance to thrive.”
Peter Bahnsen said he doesn’t think the government can afford to expand its role in health care on top of the spending it has already undertaken.
“There’s too much money thrown around,” he said.
Stiles also said the reform would require people to pay for other people’s health care.
“If you want health care, earn it,” he said.
A Vietnam veteran on Medicare through Veterans Affairs, Stiles said he doesn’t oppose that government-funded program.
He said he earned it due to his military service.
Supporters speak
On the pro-reform side, Catherine Bonney and Margo Hankel said they believed government-funded programs, like Medicare — which they are covered by — are better run than private insurance.
Referring to remarks made by former Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin, Bonney, 50, referred to the heads of insurance companies as the real “death panels.”
“It’s how they get profit by having healthy people pay premiums and denying coverage to the actually sick people,” she said.
Palin’s comment was directed at “end-of-life consultations” with doctors that is part of the House bill.
Hankel said she supports the health care reform because she feels that increasing the number of people covered by health insurance is morally correct.
“I think it’s right,” she said. “It’s the right thing to do.”
Steve Lange, 69 of Sequim, agreed.
“Everyone should have health care,” he said.
Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
