Tea Party protesters slam health care reform bill in D.C.

In a clear warning to legislators, Tea Party groups, protested on a Tuesday afternoon in front of Democrat offices around the country, telling representatives – vote on health care at your own peril.

Approximately 100 people attended the ‘Operation Urgent Care’ rally in front of Democrat Susan Davis’ (D-CA) San Diego office. It was an amazing, warm day in San Diego; there were a number of handmade signs displaying their discontent with the massive health care reform bill Democrats are trying to eek through both Houses.

Many members protesting are registered Democrats. But, Leslie Eastman a co-founder of Southern California Tax Revolt Coalition suggested rally goers are suppose to “leave party affiliations at the door.”

“Many people went specifically to talk to representative Stupak and the other 12 members opposing the abortion language,” said Dawn Wildman also a co-founder of Southern California Tax Revolt Coalition. “We wanted to express our total support and that we had their back no matter what the party affiliation. It went well.”

Different rally participants came to Davis’ office with themes, but ultimately their message was the same, stop, slow down and start over.

Clarice Hurst used the Constitution to remind “Congresswoman Davis that she operates only with the consent of the governed.”

Victor Adams took umbrage with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) condemnation of Tea Party participants as Nazis, “even though she has now changed her tune, I won’t ever forget the insult to me as an American.” His daughter Sarah joined him; she recently graduated the University of California at San Diego with a degree in communication and is concerned about jobs. “Obama indicated jobs was his new focus. With unemployment near 10 percent and more than 12 percent in California, the president should be allowing the congress to work on creating jobs,” she explained.

A Tea Party staple in San Diego is the ever so intrepid, Alvin, he was making sure protesters signed the largest item on display — an enlargement of the U.S. Constitution.

SoCal-Tax Revolt Coalition wants the U.S. Congress “to honor the spirit of the document during passage of the bills. I should think the Coffee Peeps want to follow Constitutional parameters as well. They should be cool with the homage to one of our founding documents,” Eastman concluded.

Also in attendance at the midday rally was Congressional hopeful, Mason Weaver. “I consider myself the only Conservative in the race. It is important for the folks to realize that the smoke and mirrors in Washington will not change if they don’t make the right vote,” Weaver said.

While event organizer did not invite the congressional candidate, Wildman said she didn’t mind candidates showing up and talking to the rally participants. “For the most part they are willing to listen to the voter’s concerns and open up the dialog process and that is a good thing.”

On the minds of most attendees is health care. “I have grave concerns as to where our country is headed and I have extremely grave concerns about health care,” said Janet Oliver a resident of San Diego.

Oliver admits it was the health care issue that spurned her to get involved with the Tea Party movement. “Don’t get me wrong. We need health care reform, but they need to be made in incremental steps using free-market solutions. We can’t continue on this path, we are destroying America.”

A few miles up the road in Vista, another tea party group sponsored a “red alert” rally and approximately 100 people attended that event as well.

The police department closed down a lane of traffic for the Tea Party members, which allowed them more space to protest.

“The police were real cooperative and supportive of our right to protest the out of control government,” says Carol, a San Diego resident. “The reception we got from cars passing by was 95 percent positive, however we did get a few middle fingers.”

Several of the protesters stated that this was their first Tea Party rally and felt the decisions facing lawmakers in Washington D.C. was worth taking the time off work.

All these rallies are leading up to big events being scheduled on April 15 throughout America. After attending rallies all year, one thing is clear, the folks are mad and they want lawmakers to know Tea Party folks are not going anywhere.