Last week, thanks to the support of hundreds of passionate reform activists, the cause of health care reform was advanced across Montana. With over 200 heath reform protesters showing up initially, the final count ended up being over 700 protesters from ACSCAN, AFL-CIO, Sierra Club, Montanans for Single Payer, AFSCME, MEA-MEFT, HCAN and, of course, SEIU. The ralliers more than outnumbered the 150 "tea partiers" protesting against reform.
Watch more video of the protest on KULR8 here
With buses full of pro-health care reform advocates from Missoula, Billings, and Wolf point, our health reform advocates claimed the best piece of protest real estate: front and center on the airport's field. Turnout was driven by creative efforts from groups like the NHCRC, who gardened tickets for volunteers and staff to attend the events. Morale was boosted by the honk and wave rally and sign making party the night before the president's visit.
Our activists received positive coverage and conducted themselves with dignity, even in the face of an aggressive opposition. Reasonable discussion is the pro-health care reform's way, as shown by this passage from the Great Falls Tribune:
"We're engaging people in a meaningful dialogue about the future of health care reform," Gustina said. "We're not using fear tactics to make people afraid. We support President Obama and the goal of health care reform. We're not there to scare, or intimidate, or cause problems."
President Obama took the town hall as an opportunity to clarify the debate around the public option. From the AP:
"And not everybody, not even every Democrat, agrees on the public option, but I just want at least people to be informed about what the debate is about," Obama told the crowd of about 1,300 people. "The only point I want to make about this is whether you're for or against a public option, just understand that the public option is not a government takeover of health insurance."
Other articles highlighted the stories of people who have suffered under our current health care system, like Katie Gibson:
Introducing the president was Katie Gibson, a Montana cancer survivor who struggled to find and keep health insurance after leaving her corporate employer, according to the White House. Her case was among several the president cited as examples of Americans being held hostage by health insurance companies that deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions or cancel coverage when people get sick.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle also focused on Katie Gibson's story. Common to many Americans, Katie spoke about how she was stigmatized due to her cancer, a 'pre-existing condition.':
Several companies refused coverage because of her pre-existing condition. Finally, she found one insurer that would accept her. She continued her old insurance for several months, just to be sure it would work, before finally dropping her old policy.
Then the new insurer sent notice she was being "rescinded" retroactively, cancelled back to the very first day of her policy. That gave her a record of lapsed coverage, making it even harder to find insurance. And her old company wouldn't take her back.
Thanks to our fellow blogs Left in the West and 4and20blackbirds for providing up-to-the-minute coverage of what it really felt like to be in the heart of the debate.
And just in case you missed the town hall, the New York Times live blog gives a great recap of the event. Thanks again to our passionate advocates in Montana--because of their efforts and belief in the cause, the case for health care reform is being heard.
