Charleston, WV health care protest and forum

Dozens of protesters both for and against overhauling the nations health care system gathered outside a health care forum Tuesday morning featuring Sen. Jay Rockefeller.
The invitation-only event was sponsored by the West Virginia chapter of the AARP, West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, and the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy.

Other such events across the country have been disrupted by people opposed to overhauling the nations health care system, but Tuesdays event was peaceful.

About 250 people attended the forum in Riggleman Hall at the University of Charleston.

Protester Larry Medley said he was afraid a health care overhaul would lead to higher taxes and the rationing of health care for seniors.

Amy and Rich Bord of Grafton talk about their nine-year-old son, Sam, who has leukemia. They have exceeded their insurance policys lifetime cap of $1 million.

State officials told them they could divorce, go bankrupt, or purposefully lose their jobs to get on the public dole.

Rockefeller says a public option would lead to more competition, and over time more Americans would chose that over their private health insurance.

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[365636562010]

i know rich and amy bord due to attending GHS where they teach and they deserve all the help they can get but in order for that to happen that will need all the state employees to get off their ass and something about the people who actually works buy yet cant pay their bills

[needleabuse]

jerdrew : "I will become a libertarian" - what a joke that is

[TheRiggyRiggs]

They do that on purpose..its all setup to get as many as they can so it looks like its good cause "majority" does it...wake up people! FUCK OBAMA!

[jerdew]

They have no job, no doubt Jay 10% unemployment and if this bill and cap and trade pass it will be 15% to 20%

[jerdew]

I will never vote for Jay again if he votes for this bill.

I will become a libertarian

[katcadle]

Go Rockefeller! We need a public option!

[CastorT64]

Rockefeller's so-called "town meeting" was just a staged AARP event, it was packed with Obama stooges.

[1234uz]

I like the sign Save Our Republic !! Uh we did that last Nov dude.

After 8 years of "republikin" leadership we are finally free of you all - except when you want to disrupt real debate

[wvprogressive1933]

Boy, these people don't know what the public option is. 1. It must be purchased--ergo, not socialism. 2. Private insurance will still exist and it will be the major insurer in the Obama plan.

The only way to substantively lower costs is to have a public option competing with the private firms. Tort reform measures will have a negligible effect, and further, they take away the deterrent that ensures quality in health care.