Tea Party Rallies in Paramus

"Obamacare" was the going phrase substituted for H.R. 3590, also known as Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009, at an event hosted by West Bergen Tea Party, a political faction, and Americans for Prosperity (AFP), at on Sept. 15.

AFP describes itself as "a nationwide organization of citizen-leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity." Co-founded by billionaire David Koch, owner of Koch Industries, an energy company, AFP has been attributed in media as a non-profit, conservative advocacy group.

About 200 people attended the forum, which was described in their press release as a chance to inform citizens about the "federal healthcare takeover."   

According to Michael Proto, communications director of AFP's Bogota-based office, their goal was to delve into the details of H.R. 3590.

"There's a lot that people don't know. There's a lot of conflicting information in the bill," Proto said. "We really want to get as many facts out there into people's hands as possible, motivate them and mobilize them to oppose Obamacare."

The forum's keynote speaker was Betsy McCaughey, founder of the non-profit RID: Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths, former Lt. Governor of New York, and vocal critic of the health care bill. McCaughey has received public criticism from major media outlets and policy analysts of her analysis of both H.R. 3200 and previously The National Health Security Plan, a healthcare plan proposed during the Clinton administration in the early 90s.

While McCaughey spoke at the college she gestured to a copy of the 2,000 page H.R. 3590, which she said she has read, placed on a table in front of the audience.

"This Obama health law lowers your standard of care, it puts government in charge of your care, and it takes away something as precious as life itself—your liberty. It will also bankrupt this nation," McCaughey said.

McCaughey, stressing the importance of the next presidential election, said this is first time in history that a law empowers the federal government to dictate the treatment of privately insured patients.

"Either your body is free from government interference, or it's not," she said.

McCaughey said that over half of the states in the country are challenging the constitutionality of the bill. The states contest that congress is overstepping their bounds by requiring citizens to purchase health insurance and enforcing penalties if they don't.  

"We must ensure we have sufficient majorities in both houses of congress to repeal this law," McCaughey said.

Other speakers included AFP State Director, Steve Lonegan; Steve Malzberg, former conservative radio talk show host on WOR News Talk Radio; Robert Moffit, senior fellow at conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation; Dr. Donald A. McCain, chief of surgical oncology at Hackensack University Medical Center; Dr. Phillip Affuso, member of the American Urological Society, and Alex Cortes, executive director of Let Freedom Ring, a group that describes themselves as a "non-profit, non-partisan, public policy membership organization," but has been attributed in the media as a religious conservative advocacy organization.

All expressed personal interpretations and concerns regarding the bill and its implications, but all of the speakers were concerned with what they said would be a rise in health care costs and an infringement upon personal freedoms.

McCain said he was concerned about what a rise in Medicaid participants would mean, stating that most doctors don't participate in Medicaid because they can't afford to.

"If more people are going to be pushed into [Medicaid], it's going to be impossible," McCain said.

McCain also expressed concern that what the bill outlines in terms of patient care means the quality of individualized care will decline, and that potential future medical students may no longer be interested in entering the field.

Audience members appeared energized and enthusiastic at the event, and some, like Jim Thomas, a Hackensack resident and member of the North Jersey Tea Party, said candidates' views on healthcare will be the top issue they will consider when casting their vote in the 2012.

"I'm very concerned, being a senior citizen, about Medicare cuts," Thomas said.

Tiziana Cotumaccio, a Paramus resident who attended the forum in support of a friend, a Tea Party member, agreed that healthcare is the most important issue in the 2012 election and what she will be focusing on. 

Another Bergen County resident wishing to remain anonymous attended with a friend.

According to the resident:"We came here to find out what is going on and to try and evade it and get rid of this Obama healthcare law."