By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
Dan Nicholas Park hosted a rally Wednesday featuring U.S. Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC) and more than 200 others who a proposed universal health-care system.
The stop in Rowan is one of 30 planned in North Carolina for the Americans for Prosperity’s Patients First bus tour.
The tour’s slogan “Hands Off My Health Care,” explains the group’s view toward increased government involvement in health care.
Dallas Woodhouse, state director for Americans for Prosperity, agrees with Coble.
“Congressman Coble’s got a lot of concerns,” Woodhouse explained. “He knows the limits of what Congress can do.”
Woodhouse said he doesn’t want to be just another number to the government.
“I will always be worth more to my family than I’ll be worth to Washington,” he said.
Dr. Michael Sanera, research director and local government policy analyst for the organization, said the nation needs “less government and more individual choice,” Sanera said.
After the conclusion of the rally, Sanera said turnout for the tour has been “fantastic at every stop.”
“It’s really a sign that the Obama administration has overstretched on this issue,” he said. “It’s not that these people at the rallies don’t want reform, they just want reform that makes sense.”
Coble and Americans for Prosperity officials urged rally participants to visit www.joinpatientsfirst.com to sign the Patients First petition and to contact U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan and ask her to oppose a public option in any health-care reform bill.
U.S. Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC) also addressed health-care reform Wednesday during his “Trading Places” tour in Rowan County.
“I think both sides may be premature in doing town-hall meetings,” Watt said. “Most of the people who support or oppose health-care reform haven’t read all the bills that are out there. If we have a final bill product, that’s the time for me to have a town-hall meeting. But right now, I think this is more important.”