Posted by Since Queens Rep. Gary Ackerman has decided not to hold any town hall meetings, citizens of Queens County had a town hall meeting all of their own.
Contributors Phil Orenstein and Jim Trent of the Queens Village Republican Club, Dan Halloran, candidate for NYC Council for the 19th CD, featured speaker Dr. Betsy McCaughey, Former Lt. Governor of New York State and Health Policy Expert, and Individuals United for Freedom did an excellent job organizing this event.
I had the privilege to speak at the podium about my experience as a patient in the private health care industry, and how it saved my life! Read more.
I felt right at home with this Queens group. They understood my frustration and concern over Obamacare.
Thanks to all, it was a great night!
Press Release
Contact: Phil Orenstein: 917-620-2663
Queens Grassroots Rally to Protest Government-Run Healthcare a Huge Success
After numerous calls to Congressman Gary Ackerman (D-05) throughout the month of August he has refused to schedule a townhall meeting to answer constituents’ questions on the healthcare legislation now in Congress. Concerned citizens in his district have set one up without him to send a message in protest against the 1000+ page bill that will permanently change healthcare in the United States of America.
In order to keep the pressure on Ackerman, on Tuesday evening August 25, a protest rally was held at the VFW, John F. Prince Post in Bellerose Queens. With just a few days notice, news of the Queens event spread like wildfire from flier handouts and email blasts.
The forum featured guest speaker, Dr. Betsy McCaughey, former Lt. Governor of New York State and Founder and Chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths. It was a huge success with an overflowing standing room only crowd of over 200 that spilled over onto the sidewalk where a rally of flag waving patriots and medley of honking horns took on a life of its own. Mostly seniors and ordinary folks from the community came to express their grievances and learn more about an issue that touches the bedrock of America’s soul of free enterprise and independence.
Dr. McCaughey elucidated how a massive government bureaucracy would affect our healthcare and ration care for the elderly and undermine the world’s greatest healthcare system we have in America today. A young woman testified to her great fortune of early intervention and the timely care she received coupled with her private health insurance plan. She was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor and had it immediately removed and is alive today to tell the story which would not have been the case if the bureaucratic system of ObamaCare had been in place.
An empty chair with Congressman Ackerman’s photo and title were displayed prominently upfront to highlight his refusal to hold a townhall. A civil and open forum followed where dozens of people came up to the mic and took the opportunity to vent and express their grievances with high taxes, fiscal irresponsibility and waste, fraud and abuse of the Medicare and Medicaid systems and in particular, Ackerman’s dereliction of duty. The tone in the room was that while there could be improvements in the current system, 83% of Americans are satisfied with their current healthcare and it is reckless to pursue a massive government managed care approach.
A videotape of the event and petition signatures from all present will be forwarded to Ackerman to send a message that he had better vote against the House healthcare bill HR 3200 or face the music in 2010 for the congressional races. The message is that if he votes yes for the House healthcare bill, his days are numbered. Ackerman and his congressional colleagues have awakened a sleeping giant in the form a popular movement of ordinary folks who are not ashamed to express their love for America and for a return to our founding constitutional principles. They are not going to be silent and the genie won’t return to the bottle.
By Raquel on Aug 26, 2009
Congratulations, Raquel. This is great!
By Alice L. on Aug 26, 2009
Congrats Raquel on your moving speech at the townhall, and on your terrific write-up of the town hall event. Congrats also to Phil, Jim & Dan for organizing the great event on short notice, and to Betsy Mccaughey and everyone else who spoke there. It’s incredible that after Ackerman said that he wants to meet with Ahmadinejad to hear Amadinejad’s “perspective,” Ackerman refuses to hear the perspective of people in our community.
A copy of my summary of the new healthcare taxes proposed in H.R. 3200 – many of which will affect people earning modest incomes – is now up on my website at the following link:
https://lizberneyforcongress.clickandcms.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=76&Itemid=28
By Liz Berney for Congress on Aug 26, 2009
I did not attend tuesday’s town hall mtg. but did demonstrate outside ackerson’s office building on Saturday 12 Noon to 1 pm. The group was enthusiastic (there were approx. 60 – 70 protestors there and many honking car horns of those driving by. By his nonresponse to our questions and requests to meet, Ackerson shows he is not interested in our concerns about Obomacare and intends to contiue to support it.
By Marion Higgins on Aug 26, 2009
I have to give credit where credit is due, the write-up is Phil’s press release I attached to Responses. But I agree with him 100%!
Marion, I saw your picture posted on Facebook at the demonstration on Sat. You should join Facebook, it’s a great way to keep in touch.
By Raquel on Aug 26, 2009
Regarding the August 25 Queens Rally against Federal healthcare, it was hard to pin down just how many were there. I was told that my count of 225 was off because there were overflow people out on the street, and people were coming and going all night. We did hardly any advertising and yet we got upwards of(or over)250 people. Cars on Braddock Avenue were honking their support of the demonstrators on the sidewalk (I was wondering what the commotion was outside that I could hear from the dais where I was sitting!) New York 1, a Time-Warner cable station, ran clips of the rally all day today. I’ve been in civics since I was 12 (I’m now 63) and I have never seen a public reaction like I’m seeing over the direction our country is going. It’s been decades since we could draw 250 people out to a meeting in Queens, especially on short notice with little publicity. There were people there from Manhattan, Brooklyn and all over Queens and Nassau.
By Jim Trent on Aug 27, 2009
Thanks Jim for your assessment. It’s amazing what is happening in America today. Most people understand that America is a special place, we are unlike any other country in the world! We are not about to let the Democrat left take over our beloved country! It’s at the ballot box where our voices will be heard in victory. That’s what I’m praying for.
By Raquel on Aug 27, 2009
Queens Chronicle covered Saturday’s protest here:
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20363968&BRD=2731&PAG=461&dept_id=574902&rfi=6%22
By Raquel on Aug 27, 2009
Despite our concerns and complaints, elected officials continue to support the current health care bills circulating. They are so arrogant to believe that they know better. Throw the bums out!
http://www.ny1.com/Default.aspx?ArID=104730
By Raquel on Aug 27, 2009
Welcome back home, Raquel! Here’s the video file of our event on NY1:
http://ny1.com/Default.aspx?ArID=104883
By Phil Orenstein on Aug 29, 2009
Raquel,
What a great night! I felt so inspired and motiviated by the speakers and the crowd that gave their time to show up. Unlike Ackerman, we care about what happens to Americans!
Janette
By Janette on Aug 29, 2009