South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint spoke to constituents in Greenville and Spartanburg counties as part of a two day whirlwind tour across South Carolina that has focused on healthcare reform.
DeMint spoke Thursday in Summerville, but this morning he was at the famous morning meeting spot for lots of Greenville citizens, Tommy's Ham House on Rutherford Road, and later at another popular and famous diner's, The Beacon, in Spartanburg.
People of all ages squeezed into each event. Some told of concerns over President Barack Obama's healthcare plan and how it will effect the elderly, while others told us they are worried about government controlled healthcare.
"I've heard alot todayfrom a lot of people who have pre-existing conditions," Demint said. "They're having trouble getting insurance, but they don't believe the government can run their healthcare."
Although DeMint did take questions, most were broad questions about the healthcare plan. The bill itself is about 2,000 pages long and very confusing to many, according to DeMint. He says he is using these town hall meetings as a way for him to gather questions for him to take back to Washington.
To see more of the town hall from Tommy's Ham House click here and here.
DeMint told those who attended that President Obama was going to have to listen to the voices of the American people and that unless elected officials where more afraid of the voters than special interest groups, the country was going to move in the wrong direction.
The Senator was greeted by a friendly audience in Greenville, compared to some town hall meetings that have featured confrontations and shouting.
DeMint is visiting 12 cities throughout the state to push his vision for healthcare reform.
The senator has unveiled his own Health Care Freedom Plan, which he claims insures more Americans in half the time at no cost.
Senator DeMint's bill claims it will reduce the uninsured by 22.4 million people in five years.
The plan would be paid for by terminating the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and forcing companies to repay their bailout funds within five years.
DeMint has his critics across the aisle when it comes to his strong opposition to President Obama's plans to overhaul health care.
"Jim DeMint's style of divisive rhetoric and extreme right-wing ideology has turned off voters of all stripes and helped contribute to a Republican Party which continues to shrink," said Brad Woodhouse, the communications director for the Democratic National Committee to McClatchy Newspapers.
Some reporting by Charles Powell
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement