At the foot of the steps leading up to the State House, in front of an overlooking statue of President George Washington, gathered hundreds of people for one common goal. Preceding a press conference that was to take place in the Rotunda of the State House concerned citizens with signs, flags, and a uniting cause listened as their state representatives rallied the crowd against Obamacare.
On Tuesday January 8, 2012 a Nullify Obamacare Rally and Press Conference was held in the capital. Speakers included Thomas Kindle, President elect of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, House members Bill Chumley (D35), Tom Corbin (D17), Bill Taylor (D86), Donna Woods (D37), Mac Toole (D88), and Senators Lee Bright (D12) and Tom Davis (D46). RINO hunt founder Harry Kibler was the Master of Ceremonies.
The event was a “Call to Action” for citizens to come and stand by their Representatives and Senators as they start the process of nullifying Obamacare in South Carolina.
Many of the speakers believe that Obamacare is more than providing affordable health care.
“This is not about healthcare, this is about control,” said Kindle. “The governments attempted dominance of the patient physician relationship is overstepping its constitutional boundaries. In fact, the affordable care act, as Obamacare is called, has essentially replaced the US constitution and the liberties that our declaration of independence and constitution serves to guarantee.”
Chumley said, “This is not about hating federal government. It’s not about hating the administration. It’s not about hate period. This fight is about love. Love of freedom, love of liberty, love of our way of life in South Carolina. We’re going to lead the country.”
“It’s not just about healthcare. It’s about burdening our children and grandchildren with debt that they should not have to pay back,” said Corbin.
Taylor said, “This isn’t about healthcare, this is about government control.”
Speakers wanted to make sure that they educated the crowd that nullification of any federal law is constitutional.
“Remember always we’re doing what’s right. This is it, morally, constitutionally, this is it. We are on the right side,” said Chumley. “We have people down here that are genuinely interested in making things better for their children and their grandchildren and for your children and grandchildren. We have all got to work together on (nullification) and work hard as we can to make it happen. Nullification is the tool to do this. It was provided for us to use at this very moment by our genius founding fathers who wrote the constitution,” said Chumley
Some warned what Obamacare would do for small businesses and future healthcare.
“The patient protection and affordable health care act, which is neither for patient protection nor affordable, has assaulted virtue and freedom and has placed the physician and the patient relationship under the jurisdiction of the government,” said Kindle. “We need to be aware that 24 percent of South Carolina’s doctors are over 60 years of age. Most are tired of fighting bureaucratic battles. This punitive federal regulatory nightmare, called obamacare, which most congress members probably have not even read, will push veteran doctors out of practice, will cripple small businesses, will place an economic burden on our state that will require greater revenue, and will make patients subject to independent payment advisory boards, which will determine who gets care, who will provide the care, what kind of care it will be, if it is given at all.”
“(Obamacare) is running (doctors) out of their private businesses. 50 percent of them will end up at the hospitals where they’ll charge you 35 to 50 percent more for the same care. That is absolutely ludicrous,” said Taylor.
Other concerns of speakers were the need of help from the community. The representatives know that they can’t pass the bill alone and it would take the efforts and pressure of the citizens to get more representatives behind the bill.
“You are driving the bus. The citizens of the state are the ones that are going to make this happen or not make it happen,” said Chumley.
Bright said, “This nullification bill is going to be put on the shelf unless you guys get the talk radio and the internet turned up.”
“We have to rise to that challenge now. We have right on our side. We have God’s will on our side. We have the US constitution on our side. All we need is the will to get it done, and with your help we will,” said Davis.
The introduction of the bill was just the start of the process. The representatives know that it will be a long road ahead and are willing to stand firm and continue to press forward.
“We can’t go into this with the notion that we can’t win, that the die is cast, that things can’t change, that people’s will can’t change direction. That’s defeatist. I’m not defeatist and you’re not defeatist,” said Davis.
Many grassroots organizations helped bring together the rally and make it a success. Some of the groups in attendance were Tea Parties from across the state, the 9/12 Taxpayers Association, Republican Liberty Caucus, and RINO hunt member.
Even though it’s the beginning of this fight and only a few are standing up, the representatives believe they will be the model for the rest of the state as well as the country.
“This state has a proud tradition of leaders stepping up and holding aloft the candle of liberty at a time when things were darkest,” said Davis.
Chumley said, “We’re going to win. We’re going to set the standard. Look around you here. This is South Carolina. South Carolina is the first state to react. We’re small geographically, but we’re powerful in principles. We have a great legislature.”
In essence the event was about concerned citizens expressing their views and making sure that their voice was heard. A presence on the capital showed the rest of the legislation that the issue will not go away quietly.
Kibler said, “Several times, various times throughout our history and heritage that we’ve come to points where we’ve needed God’s blessing, God’s divine judgment, the whole nine yards. Of course we can think back to the Revolution, World War 1 and World War 2, and during those times we needed patriots to step forward. I thank God that today patriots are stepping forward all across South Carolina.”
