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

[obelus]

The eight people arrested were speaking on behalf of me, and I thank them. Single Payer Now.

[sunshinerain]

I hope 800 people show up next time - bring the bus out to my city and I will hop on board!

[FreedomAgain]

Clearly the American public is not represented. I applaud the actions of those brave enough to try to be heard by the politicians as the politicians actively sell out the American people.

[BillMelater]

Healthcare insurance coporations in this country are a menace to our society. These companies should be dismantled and abolished forever.

[Haditup2here]

I don't have time, but tomorrow night, I will draw up a letter to mail as well as sending an email. The only way to get these bums attention is to flood their mailbox until it overflows.

When all else fails, draw up a list and start collecting donations to get them out.

[KeepMeLearning]

I already wrote my representatives over the weekend...and I'm going to write others who are not my representatives...and I will not stop until I start seeing progress on health care reform.

[Haditup2here]

Time to draw up that 2010 and 2012 H!t List. . . to get rid of some incumbents.

[zius]

finally...... our representatives better start respecting us......
don't take us for granted........
......"We need more police," .....yeah right....F-YOU....grrrrr....

[coultersnemesis]

LOL! that's exactly my sentiments: grr! off with their heads!*

Ok, not really, maybe just some tar and feathers?

[zius]

just ....vote.... the..... garbage .....out......

BTW.....tar and feathers......LMAO

[jwmd]

There are a lot of great posts here - but I'd like to suggest that we send our comments to Senator Baucus directly. You can send him notes at http://baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue

We need to let our representatives know our opinions. They probably will not read the posts on Huffington or any other site - but someone in their offices will answer the phones and someone will tally up the notes coming in as emails.
www.senate.gov
www.house.gov

[murf123]

Thanks. Heartfelt comments sent. Also, many, many thanks to the protesters for speaking up for us.

[KKojei]

If you didn't see what you needed to see this week about who stands for what, this-and that stellar list of democrats who oppose the end of tax havens for the rich should do it. Here is my motto about the thinly disguised reality of our Congress. NO SEAT IS SAFE for Congressmen or Senators on lobbyist payrolls. NO SEAT IS SAFE if you fail to do the PEOPLE'S BUSINESS. NO SEAT IS SAFE if you represent powerful interests bent on destroying our country and/or the planet we live on. That is a freebie for any of you who wish to use in your campaigns against entrenched interests. You have my express permission to use it.

[lawguy]

"I deeply respect your views, but I don't want to hear them."

[PlaceboStudman]

I hear/read that on every single health care post I try to give my perspective on

[PhilipTaylor]

Demonstrate is what Main Street America must DO as we do NOT have $5 Billion to BUY VOTES!

Insist on Reform: PROTECT OUR Congress Members Votes:

Funnel all Political Contributions through a Government Contribution Cleansing and Funds Distribution Agency that uses strict formulas for allocating funds blindly to Politicians so their votes are NOT purchased! Fairness for New potential Members (No incumbent advantages for voting record)!

[PlaceboStudman]

Some of us who have the loudest strongest objections and questions don't have the luxury of going out and protesting on the streets because we are bedridden and terminally ill, and we don't have nearly enough advocates to take up our cause in our absence

[zius]

things that we can do....
1-make it a priority....
2-make sure that the person that you are voting for fully supports universal health care.
3-lets make 2010... the universal health care voting year..... the no 1 priority.....
4-please pay more attention to the primaries... that's where it all starts.
5-any b-um that doesn't support universal health care should be VOTED OUT.

[plaidsportcoat]

sit down you health care n****ers like single moms, hepatitis c sufferers who can't get any coverage, arrest those poor people and make them watch tv.

[PhilipTaylor]

100% could choose Medicare as a CHOICE

Choose base coverage of Medicare and if you want more buy supplemental coverage!

[KQuark]

Exactly that's the point.

Let the trolls pay for their "gold plated" healthcare if they want.

[Artemis34]

The problem with letting people opt out is that is so greatly reduces the benefit of risk sharing.

If we all shared the risk of society as a whole the individual burden would be quite light.

On the other hand, if we allow the low risk to opt out of the public pool, then the individual burden in the public pool will be heavier.

[PhilipTaylor]

WHAT?

WHY?

[TheHandyman]

good point!

[PlaceboStudman]

And what happens when the low risk becomes the high risk and they are locked into a plan that they can't get out of without paying exorbitant exit fees?

[CanadianBeef]

That is essentially the Canadian system. It's also why, in the U.S., the smaller the employer, the worse the health plan tends to be (although some employers try harder and some are, well, Wal-Mart). It's also why Medicare SEEMS expensive in America, because it only covers the poor and the old, the high-cost groups. A Medicare that covers everyone will be much cheaper per capita for each person. It ain't rocket science.

[helonias]

WE could just drown the people with pre existing conditions in the pool

[helonias]

Which would Jesus pick?

Lets hear it from the conservative Christians.

[CanadianBeef]

Yeah, they must be reading from a different Bible. The one I have talks about Jesus healing the sick and helping the poor.

[KQuark]

Jesus was the most flaming liberal of all time.

[TheHandyman]

No, no, that was Joan of Arc!

[Artemis34]

They sold their hospitals to the rich conservatives. They are out of the "business" of healing the sick.

[helonias]

Come on folks Jesus wants to know where you stand

[flossophy]

Jesus was a s0cialist... vote conservative.

[flossophy]

just kidding... J-man was a rugged individualist.

Don't redistribute fish to men... teach them to fish.

[heartofdrakn]

If Jesus were alive today, he would be mortified at the right wing. He would against the right in every way possible. Funny that the people who are more unlike Jesus are the very ones that use his name constantly.

[helonias]

He said you treat me as you treat the least of you.

You seem to be on the side of the rich people and their camels who are not getting into the kingdom of heaven

[murf123]

I have a dog named Floss. Every time I see you I consider changing her name.

[PhilipTaylor]

ELIMINATE THE MIDDLE-MAN's GREEDY EXECUTIVE PAY!

PRIVATE INSURES=MASSIVE PROFITS to pay GREED EXECUTIVES=$Million(s) in Bonuses!

Public Health Care=No EXTRA MIDDLE MAN HUNGRY FOR PROFITS=Cost Effective Health Care

Medicare=Most Cost effective Health Care in America

Europe=Live Longer=Public Health Care=Canada=PROFIT INCENTIVE GONE

Public Care=Center on Patient Needs Not PROFITS

[flossophy]

Philip, isn't your caps lock key worn out by now?

I would suggest a 'less is more' strategy for getting your opinions across.

just sayin'

[heartofdrakn]

You should maybe stop posting your worn out talking points because no one cares and everyone thinks you are a lying sack of ....

[PhilipTaylor]

Suppress Others it is the WALL STREET REPUBLICAN WAY!

[TheHandyman]

Who made you Miss Ineternet manners? You must be bored a lot! And I would suggest a more informed and critically reasoned approach to your juvenile postings!

[Diana]

SHAMEFUL, DISGUSTING! Could the DEMS--the party of the people--be more arrogant and contemptous of an honest protest! To LAUGH about needing more police to contain the protests!

It's simply frightening how much the dems are identical to their good friends in congress--the republicans.

[Bush-Rolled]

Max Baucus (D-Mont.) a Democrat in name only.

[PhilipTaylor]

Yes this is what the ConservaDems look like!

Pretty DARN Ugly!

[PhilipTaylor]

Yes this is what the ConservaDems look like!

Pretty DARN Ug1y!