GOP Chief Steele Speaks at Round Table
September 13, 2009
By Susan Jacobson
Sentinel Staff Writer
OrlandoSentinel.com
Sentinel Staff Writer
OrlandoSentinel.com
Dueling views of President Barack Obama's health-care-reform package duked it out separately in Central Florida on Saturday, starting with a pro-reform bus tour and ending with a talk by Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee.
Steele spoke briefly at the Renaissance Senior Center at South Econ Community Park. About 55 people attended the round-table discussion, scheduled in conjunction with National Federation of Republican Women convention in west Orange County.
Jim Martin, president of the 60 Plus Association, and David Merritt, vice president and director of national health policy at the Center for Health Transformation, also spoke.
Many at the event said Obama is moving too quickly. They expressed doubt the country could afford the plan monetarily and said they oppose the public option.
One hot-button issue was whether illegal immigrants would be covered under Obama's proposal. The president, in a televised speech on Wednesday, assured Americans that they would not. Steele said the president was telling the truth, but that, in practice, it would be impossible to verify patients' status.
Another concern was the cost of premiums. Al Oldendorp, 63, of Orlando said he needs to know more before Obama's plan is a done deal.
Martin, whose group bills itself as a conservative alternative to AARP, applauded seniors for speaking out and warned that a "senior tsunami" would threaten politicians at the polls in 2010.
The opposing view was heard at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, where Organizing for America's "Health Insurance Reform Now" pro-Obama bus tour made a stop. U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, was among the speakers.
Susan Jacobson can be reached at sjacobson@orlandosentinel.com.
Steele spoke briefly at the Renaissance Senior Center at South Econ Community Park. About 55 people attended the round-table discussion, scheduled in conjunction with National Federation of Republican Women convention in west Orange County.
Jim Martin, president of the 60 Plus Association, and David Merritt, vice president and director of national health policy at the Center for Health Transformation, also spoke.
Many at the event said Obama is moving too quickly. They expressed doubt the country could afford the plan monetarily and said they oppose the public option.
One hot-button issue was whether illegal immigrants would be covered under Obama's proposal. The president, in a televised speech on Wednesday, assured Americans that they would not. Steele said the president was telling the truth, but that, in practice, it would be impossible to verify patients' status.
Another concern was the cost of premiums. Al Oldendorp, 63, of Orlando said he needs to know more before Obama's plan is a done deal.
Martin, whose group bills itself as a conservative alternative to AARP, applauded seniors for speaking out and warned that a "senior tsunami" would threaten politicians at the polls in 2010.
The opposing view was heard at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, where Organizing for America's "Health Insurance Reform Now" pro-Obama bus tour made a stop. U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, was among the speakers.
Susan Jacobson can be reached at sjacobson@orlandosentinel.com.
Copyright © 2009, Orlando Sentinel.
