They declared their independence from health care, decried socialized medicine and said health care reform would be much simpler with Rep. Michele Bachmann’s 32-page bill.
Conservative Republicans at first billed their new “Declaration of Health Care Independence” rollout as a sort of sequel to the Bachmann “House Call” rally that attracted thousands of tea partiers last fall. But with fewer than 50 people including reporters in the room, it didn’t match up.
The smaller venue and muted message was thanks in part because a similarly massive event wasn’t possible from a security standpoint for a day when President Obama would be giving an address to a joint session of Congress.
But Bachmann (R-MN) said the document, which she said merged the Constitution and Declaration of Independence and can be found here, “hit a nerve … with Americans of all stripes” and is the best way forward to reforming the health care system.
She also suggested her own bill, 32 pages long, was the best solution. “It lets Americans purchase insurance with their own tax-free money,” removes bureaucracy from the system and is “simple and understandable,” she said. Plus, it’s so short that “every Congressman can read the bill.”
The Republicans said the Tea Party Patriots group already has collected more than 1,000 signers to the declaration.
“Anyone can take this document and post it on their own Web site,” Bachmann said. “Take it to your local town hall meeting.”
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) said the American people have “rejected” the “big bowl of toxic stew” that is the Democrats’ health care plan.
More on the declaration can be found here.
