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What do we want? HEALTH CARE! When we do we want it? NOW!

Posted by: Jeff Davis on Jun 26, 2009

Those words rang out at a huge rally Thursday, June 25, sponsored by the coalition Health Care for America NOW (HCAN). The rally took place right by the Capitol, close enough for all to see the massive dome on top of Capitol Hill.

Thousands of people from around the country-the young, the old, labor activists, health activists, and other community leaders-gathered to support the need for health care reform this year.

High profile speakers-ranging from politicians such as Senator Schumer from New York, Senator Menendez from New Jersey, and Howard Dean to labor, religious, and medical leaders-expressed a common and unified message:

People with insurance are facing higher and higher premiums.

People have to make difficult decisions every day about whether to pay for their prescription drugs or to pay for their household bills.

People who are doing everything right and have insurance often have their care denied or delayed by insurance companies.

Citizens also shared their emotional stories about how the health care system has affected their lives. One small business owner talked of her fear that she would no longer be able to provide coverage for her employees. A single mother without insurance worried that she might get ill and be unable to care for her children. Stories like these were echoed by thousands of people throughout the day.

Seth Michaels of the AFL-CIO also attended the rally and caught some great quotes from members of Congress pushing hard for reform alongside the American public. Pennsylvania Rep. Allyson Schwartz said,

This is such an important issue for all of us. It's always been a moral responsibility, but it's increasingly an economic imperative.

Sen. Chuck Schumer touched on how far along we've come and symbolically pointed to the Capitol behind him as he remarked,

We can't do this alone. We need to do this together. We need all you to hold everybody in that building's feet to the fire.

Attending the rally and seeing the enthusiasm for change gave the attendees confidence that reform can happen this year. Change doesn't occur without people coming out and fighting for what they believe in.

That fight was clearly seen this day.

So, let me again ask you two questions: What do we want? And when do we want it?