Thousands of people from across the country gathered at the U.S. Capitol Thursday to protest a proposed health care reform bill making its way through the House of Representatives.
American flags, “Don’t tread on me” flags, and signs with messages like “Hands off my health care” and “Clean the House 2010” peppered the teeming crowd. One sign skewered the famous President Obama “Hope” poster with a picture of Gandalf from “Lord of the Rings” and the words, “You shall not pass the Health Care Bill.” A man in a white lab coat yelled “Tort reform!”
Lonnie and Barry Mussell, who made the trip from Georgia, were holding a huge “Clean House 2010” banner that had attracted dozens of signatures from people from all over the country.
“The House needs cleaning from top to bottom,” Lonnie Mussell said. “Nancy Pelosi [is the] No. 1 target of my cleaning house.”
The most immediate goal, his brother Barry said, “is to try to kill this bill. I’m extremely frustrated.”
Cathy Norton of Baltimore said she wants the country to succeed, but nothing will be achieved if Washington continues to be so partisan.
“We are the people,” she said. “We’re taking back our whole government.”
Indeed, angry demonstrators also lined up to enter congressional office buildings after the rally, some chanting “Kill the bill!” and “Can you hear us now?” More than 20 people were arrested by U.S. Capitol Police Thursday for unlawful entry, unlawful conduct or disorderly conduct, according to Sgt. Kimberly Schneider.
Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., the unofficial host of the rally, led a rendition of “God Bless America” at the close of the event.
Democratic National Committee National Press Secretary Hari Sevugan said Democrats would welcome the Republicans’ embrace of what he described as an “extreme right-wing, rigid ideological agenda.”
“If the Republican Party wants to make Michele Bachmann the voice of the party, that’s more than fine with us,” he said. “If displays like today are what they think is a smart political strategy, all we can say is: Go for it.”
