Protesters Disrupt Health Care Hearing (VIDEO)

A series of protesters demanding single-payer health care coverage disrupted a Senate Finance Committee roundtable on health care reform Tuesday. At the beginning of the hearing Tuesday morning, a man stood and yelled, "So let me get this straight -- you have 15 seats at the table and not one for single payer? Why is that?"

Committee chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) banged his gavel and said the committee would stand in recess until police restored order. It wasn't long after the disruption ended before another began.

"We need more police," Baucus said, to laughter.

"Is there some place they can watch it on television?" asked ranking committee member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), apparently wanting to offer the protesters a seat on the couch, if not at the table.

The protest was organized by a coalition of groups, including Physicians for a National Health Program and Healthcare-NOW!, that advocates a single-payer or universal health care plan. "Other methods of communication with elected officials have failed in delivering the demand for single-payer national health care as evidenced by the exclusion of single-payer advocates from official hearings on health reform," said a release about the event.

"It's only when people who are living in the park and people who are living on Park Avenue have the same health care that everybody will have high quality health care," said one man. "Single payer now!"

Baucus begged for cooperation.

"Everybody on the committee and everybody in the Congress deeply deeply respects the views of all members of the audience, and all Americans who feel deeply about health care reform, especially those who are worried about a single payer system or public option who really do fervently believe that is the proper result," Baucus said. "We are going to get the best result here the more we can have an orderly discussion as to how we can best reform the health care system, so I want to say to everyone, especially those of you who might be inclined to stand up, I urge you not to so we can proceed with the hearing."

UPDATE: Katie Robbins, assistant national coordinator with Healthcare-NOW!, tells the Huffington Post that eight people were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and disruption of Congress.

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Comments

[what0now0toons]

We need Single Payer Health care. America spends more than any other country and insure less of it's people than any other country. Business are crippled by health care costs and have difficulty competing with countries with national health care.
My latest political cartoon is about Single Payer advocates not getting heard and arrested, and made fun of by Max Baucus at the current Senate Hearings on Health Care.
it's up on my website now
www.whatnowtoons.com
left of center political cartoons

[adrienrain]

I called the president's comment line, and the person on the other end was extremely rude, said that although he hadn't seen 'Sicko' Michael Moore has no credibility - and hung up on me.

I called the Senate Finance Committee and they told me that if even one senator would sign onto Senator Bernie Sanders' National Health care bill, it would be covered in the hearings, and so I should contact my California senators.

I called the L.A. office of Senator Boxer and was told I'd have to write a letter.

This is my responsive, democratically elected government.

[Kassandra]

Why was this hearing held in the FINANCE COMMITTEE? Why not in the Health and human services committee?
I heard on Schultz that these doctors got some pretty heavy charges leveled against them. This sucketh and if we don't get active they'll sc8rew US like they've done on nearly every issue for the American people.
Apparently, we need to be just as active as we were with Bush as president as this administration seems to be very much in the pocket of Big Money too

[ChelseaC]

Stand with Dr. Howard Dean on a public option for health care reform.
www.standwithdrdean.com/credocredo

[ChelseaC]

One expects Republicans to support corporate greed and self interest--but when Dems do it as Baucus has, it worse. Dems are supposed to be the party of the People--the little guy.
This video made me cry.
Please, all of you progressives reading this, support Dr. Howard Dean and his efforts to give the American people a choice for a public system.

[Firbolg]

Dean is just covering for Obama's lack of courage and I'm surprised Credo is lending its name. The "public option" is a hoax and will have the opposite effect to its stated goal. It adds another layer of red tape to the administration side and will detract from the care side. Providers will still have to cope with a forest of different plans with their cleverly crafted sub-sets of rules for different classes of patients while the patients themselves are stressed and get sicker. Additionally it will become the dumping ground for the private insurance industry's bad risks. Healthcare is rightly called a civil rights issue and it should be pursued in the same way as civil rights was. What's missing is a leader, but one may emerge from the ranks of activist practitioners. When he or she does we must all get behind him or her. Huffington Post could do its part by making it a "tab" issue - but I notice a lot of advertising for Health Plans when I do a search so they may be constrained.

[breakingpoint]

Yesterday morning, eight doctors, lawyers and other activists stood up to Senator Max Baucus.

And the private health insurance industry. And the corporate liberals in Congress.

The eight activists demanded that single payer - everybody in, nobody out, free choice of doctor and hospital - be put on the table.

And as a result they were arrested. And charged with a so-called "disruption of Congress."

The Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, Politico, Democracy Now and National Public Radio all carried stories about the protest. C-Span carried it live. And it was widely disseminated on the Internet.

Baucus crafted a hearing to kick off the health care debate in the Senate yesterday where 15 witnesses would be at the table to discuss health care reform.10 Excellent Reasons for National Health Care

The insurance industry was at the table. The Business Roundtable was at the table. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce was at the table. Blue Cross Blue Shield was at the table. The Heritage Foundation was at the table. And corporate liberals like Andy Stern, Ron Pollack, and AARP were at the table.

But not one person who stood for what the majority of Americans, doctors, nurses, and health economists want single payer was at the table.

Not one.

When I heard about this corporate line-up last week, I called the office of Senator Baucus. And politely asked that, as a matter of fairness, a single payer doctor be allowed to testify. I was told -

[breakingpoint]

no way, Ralph. The deal is done.

So, yesterday, at 10 a.m., the Baucus Eight, led by Single Payer Action and other single payer groups, took to the Senate Finance Committee. And directly and respectfully confronted a room full of corporate lobbyists. And corporate controlled Senators. And again asked that a group of doctors who were in the room to support Medicare for all be allowed to testify.

The answer again - no, no, and no.

Remember what Senator Richard Durbin said last week? Durbin said that the banks "own" the Congress. To which we might add - the health insurance industry and the drug industry own the Senate. Faxing, writing, and e-mailing is not getting it done.

Enough is enough.

Time for action. This is a winnable issue. But the American people need to focus on 535 members of Congress. And get mobilized.

Single Payer Action is at your service to get the job done.

To honor the Baucus Eight - who all wore black yesterday in memory of the more than 20,000 Americans who - according to the Institute of Medicine - die every year from lack of health insurance. And to fuel a citizen action movement that will deliver single payer to the American people - sooner not later. Together, we can break the corporate stranglehold on Congress. And deliver health care for all.

Single payer.

More comprehensive. More efficient. More humane. More peace of mind. Let's get it done. Onward to single payer.

Ralph Nader
http://www.singlepayeraction.org

[RightsGuy]

PLEASE JOIN THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON NEXT WEDNESDAY!! MARCH for healthCARE for ALL. Everybody in, nobody out!

There WILL be a MARCH ON WASHINGTON ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 13TH, the National Lobby Day and Rally for Single-Payer in Washington DC. Find out more here: http://www.healthcare-now.org/2009/04/national-lobby-day-and-rally-for-single-payer-in-dc/

Also, there will be a Nationwide Day of Action in communities all over the country on Saturday, May 30th. Your Senators and Representatives will be in their districts then – plan to meet with them in your hometown. Find out more here: http://www.healthcare-now.org/campaigns/may-30th-day-of-action/

[BillMelater]

Take notes on this folks. You see, when we do finally rise up, they will not have enough cops.

[crazylikeafox]

The hearing yesterday was called HEALTH CARE REFORM

They never once talked about health care, only health insurance.

Unbelievable.

[PlaceboStudman]

Heh, this ENTIRE debate has been about insurance reform, and not a single word about health care reform/improvements.

[SelenicMagick]

SOME of us have been pointing out for MONTHS now that this discussion lacks honesty because it is NOT about health CARE (i.e. the CARE of the PATIENT) but rather about COST (i.e. insurance and/or the lack of it).

Unfortunately people are either too intellectually lazy, intellectually challenged OR too dishonest to comprehend the difference.

Not a SINGLE person in this discussion has been willing OR able to answer a SINGLE question posed with regards to actual CARE! Not even the supposed "health care professionals" involved. THAT is CRIMINAL in my book... and even more so when you consider that what is LIKELY to happen is that one fifth of the population that most relies ON actual care will be DENIED care because it will wind up being "too expensive" to PROVIDE that care that their LIVES depend on. Sorry but in THIS case... IF there is a SINGLE death due to denial of necessary medical care to the disabled, critically ill or elderly then, morally at least, MURDER will have been committed... with malice aforethought.

[LeeCalif]

Yesterday morning, eight doctors, lawyers and other activists stood up to Senator Max Baucus.

And the private health insurance industry.

And the corporate liberals in Congress.

The eight activists demanded that single payer - everybody in, nobody out, free choice of doctor and hospital - be put on the table.

And as a result they were arrested.

And charged with a so-called "disruption of Congress."

The Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, Politico, Democracy Now and National Public Radio all carried stories about the protest.

C-Span carried it live.

And it was widely disseminated on the Internet.

Baucus crafted a hearing to kick off the health care debate in the Senate yesterday where 15 witnesses would be at the table to discuss health care reform.

The insurance industry was at the table.

The Business Roundtable was at the table.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce was at the table.

Blue Cross Blue Shield was at the table.

The Heritage Foundation was at the table.

And corporate liberals like Andy Stern, Ron Pollack, and AARP were at the table.

But not one person who stood for what the majority of Americans, doctors, nurses, and health economists want - single payer - was at the table.

Not one.

When I heard about this corporate line-up last week, I called the office of Senator Baucus.

And politely asked that, as a matter of fairness, a single payer doctor be allowed to testify.

I was told - no way, Ralph.

The deal is done.

[henrypapillon]

It is insane to think that anything but single payer can achieve a rational program. The insurance and health conglomerates want it to be dissipated and weak so they can exploit it to their advantage.

[cinesimon]

The insane ignorance from the right regarding this issue, and what our president wants to accomplish(with two thirds of the country behind him) is mind-blowing!.

They're arguing against a phantom, and doing the bidding of the 'insurers' who are taking money form people they deny health coverage to.

That, in a nutshell, is the issue for those WITH health coverage.

Then there's those with NO coverage - the cost to society for these people to remain barely functioning is huge - it's FAR more efficient to keep everyone healthy.

But for the right it's all about flexing the selfish, short sighted, pro-rip off, pro corruption, pro fiddle-the-books muscle they so love to stroke.

And how do they justify their insanity in protecting the status quo?
They've been brainwashed into thinking they're going to be forced into a Stalinist, centrally planned medical system, they truly believe the 50,000,000 folk without insurance don't deserve health care because they're lazy, and those with insurance who aren't being treated also deserve it because their lawyers aren't good enough.

What's more, it appears that because it works for them, the system's fine.

Shocking, selfish, anti-society and anti-human (let alone the economic sense it makes for the country!) - these people may as well be anarchists in suits. Like the Bush/Cheney cartel.
We saw it with Enron and Haliburton - these people would leave health care in the hands of such companies. That's how twisted and brainwashed they truly are.

[olmossy]

I have said this so much , Just tell me I'll quit saying it. Do not be fooled, it is not ingonance or insanity we are dealing with at the top. They are doing just what the Insurance, HMO, Medical Lobbys are paying them to say.
As a retired soldier said earlier, Just provide the same health care to everyone that the Military and the Senators/Congress get. Paid for by the tax payers.
Hooray for Elrey ,at last an American who has grown up. Lets send him to Congress maybe it's contageous.

[ChelseaC]

Indeed.
I could not tell Baucus from the Bush Cartel. Some Dems are rotten to the core too. I am more concerened about Dems on the take than I am about Republicans--at least with Repugs--you know what they are. Some Dems like Baucus are like wolves in sheep's clothing--making them more of a threat to progress.
It's the types like Baucus that will screw us as Republicans are less irrelevant now.

[PresidentRobertBooth]

"...and you know this how? Do you have a seat in between his ears to be able to tell us exactly how his mind works? That's exactly like the people that say that single payer is off the table. At no time did he ever say that out loud"

It's off the table. It's never been ON the table. Western Europe has left the United States far behind in terms of healthcare through the public system, and still to this very day, the US still hasn't followed because of powerful insurance companies, and a largely ignorant population who equate universal healthcare with gulags and Stalinism.

[cinesimon]

Indeed - it's insane.
I wonder sometimes if the right are trying to turn America into a society with upper and lower castes - it must be something like that: I cannot see any logic in their pandering to health 'insurance' instead of actual health when it comes to the well being of our people.

[olmossy]

Yep, they think it's more commie left wing handout. But they think nothing of calling the socialist (paid and used by the masses) Police , or Fire Dept. Using those socialist Court system. Indeed our Military is socialy funded.
Fearsome enough, there are those in this country that would like to privatize all those too.
When this comes Look Out. The haves will have a "green zone" the poor will have the wasteland.
God bless the United States of Wall Street

[krechsd]

Bravo. We need more people speaking truth to power on this issue.

[jinsei]

The commenter,

WDW505 , equates not having insurance with making "poor life choices." He did that to me without knowing a single thing about me. Enough said.

[wdw505]

i knew you did not have health care coverage........and worked

[jinsei]

What? Wow, I bloody TOLD you I did not have health care, and I have written it all over Huffingtonpost. Don't you dare make things up. I told you that I didn't have insurance, and then you told me that I made poor life choices, again, without me having said a word about my background.

Therefore, you equate people without insurance as having made poor life choices. Yeas or no?

[jinsei]

By the way, you have not even touched upon the people who can't get insurance because of pre-existing conditions. Is that form "poor life choices"as well, if the illness is not their own fault?

[alice09]

Yay for PNHP for standing up for us.
Watching this made me cry.
I am so sick of seeing corporate interests prevail time and time and time again over the often tragic needs of the public and seeing those entrenched in power joking away as they support those corporate interests. It was disturbingly familiar that those doing the joking and holding the power appeared to be all white males.
Greed driven insurance companies have removed the joy of medicine for many physicians and denied proper care for millions of patients, sometimes with fatal consequences.
When will those who represent us stand up?

[veritasor]

Look in the mirror; no one will help you but yourselves. BTW, there is no GOD to count on either.

[alice09]

You miss the point: the system is rigged. This meeting is a prime example.
When all the Wall Street deals were made and regulations were lifted by Congress, what shot did the public have of "helping themselves"? The goal was to keep us out and ultimately, rip us off and then turn around and use our taxpayer money to cover themselves.