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The chanting of "Yes we will" from more than 50 people gathered outside West Virginia University’s Mountainlair Thursday signified a rally of support for President Barack Obama’s health care reform plan.
WVU’s Young Democrats hosted approximately 10 members of West Virginia’s branch of Organizing for America, the second wave of the Obama campaign.
The group traveled throughout northern West Virginia Thursday, visiting Wheeling Island, Parkersburg, Martinsburg and Fairmont, as well as Morgantown, supporting Obama’s three core principals: reducing costs, guaranteeing choice and ensuring quality care for all.
"This land is your land, this land is my land, from Morgantown to Wheeling Island," the riders sang while exiting the vehicle. "We all need health care, because that’s what’s fair. Reform is good for you and me."
In Morgantown the rally focused on young people, said West Virginia Delegate Barbara Fleischauer, who emceed the event, but other stops focused on issues dealing solely with women, family and others.
"This event is serving as an informational rally, we want to build momentum and motivate supporters," said President of WVU’s Young Democrats Erin Beck.
A health care wheel of fortune was used to present what could possibly happen without health care reform, including being abandoned by a spouse because of medical expenses and maxing out limits.
OFA and the Young Democrats encouraged those present to send thank you letters and phone calls to Senators Jay Rockefeller and Robert C. Byrd and Congressman Alan Mollohan for their support of Obama’s health care plan.
"We’ve been working on health care because this is number one on President Obama’s Domestic Policy agenda," said Meagan Gardner, OFA’s state director. "Morgantown is wonderful. Students get it, they understand that we need the help, and it is so important to get it now that they have an option."
Speakers rallied the group for different issues: losing insurance after passing the age of 25, filing for bankruptcy, pre-existing conditions and the amount of money insurance companies make.
"We’re here because we’re interested in taking care of people and not profits," said James Guy, president of the Young Democrats in West Virginia, who told the crowd insurance companies make an $85 billion profit per year, and the health care reform plan would cost $85 billion over ten years.
Former WVU Student Government Association President Jason Parsons spoke to the crowd on democracy issues.
"Folks, this is not a conservative or a liberal issue," he said. "Don’t let them confuse you with that, this is the right thing to do."
Member of OFA and a bus-rider, Waneta Acker, an 89-year-old woman from Wheeling with breast cancer, refused radiation and chemotherapy because of its costs.
"I’m from the old school, and I think our medical profession in this century is nothing but greed," she said.
"My insurance is going to go up. My pills went from $20 a month to $382.68 a month. Now if that’s not being a greedy bunch of people, that’s my way of thinking."
The young people are most important to the health care initiative, she said.
Walter Danna, a member of OFA and a bus-rider, thinks it’s time for all sides to compromise and "do what’s best for the country."
"It’s easy to judge and condemn when you’re on top of the ladder," he said. "But don’t crap on that ladder on your way up because you may have to come down it."
The crowd was larger than the Young Democrats expected, but the group wants students, especially freshmen, to realize how health insurance will affect them once they graduate.
"Obama’s plan is simply
taking that and making it to where you can be on your own parent’s health insurance," said Kristen Ross, a junior political science major. "Why are people arguing against that? That’s America’s children, our college students, having more health insurance."
After hearing someone say denying health insurance was a moral issue, Nora Browning, a junior international studies and multidisciplinary studies major, agreed.
"It’s a moral issue to deny people health insurance and make your country a worse place," she said.
The rally lasted less than 20 minutes and had one protester, Pam Krushansky, the Monongalia County Republican Executive Committee chair, who stood among the crowd of supporters.
She held a sign saying "Obama Care is to DIE for."
Krushansky was protesting universal government-run health care.
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