Pocono News Section

Town Hall/Tea Party in Scranton

Town Hall/Tea Party in Scranton - Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 4:22PM EST

Reported by: Kyla Campbell
Saturday, Aug 15, 2009 @ 04:22pm EST
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SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY -- More than 50 people fought the heat here Saturday to speak out against the proposed national health care reform.

"I saw there's no price tag on this health care," said Frank Scavo of Old Forge, who organized the event. No lawmakers showed. "When is the last time you've given someone a blank check from your personal checkbook? The health care needs to be improved. there are changes that need to be made. but it doesn't need to be nationalized."

"As a nurse he can't do what he says. He can't afford it," said Laureen Cummings, an L. P.N. from Old Forge. She says it took her two days to read the 1,000 page proposal. She owns a nursing home and says she'd have to shell out big bucks with nationalized health care. "As a business owner, I will have to shut my doors."

"I've been to the department of motor vehicles, I've been to the post office, I know social security is bankrupt, I see the way government handles these sorts of things, and I don't think i want to trust my health with our government," said Kris Hamilton, a recent college graduate who works in Hazleton.

Only one person passing by shouted, "You're wrong." But Scavo thinks he's misinformed.

"There are people who are going to want free health care, and it's up to us to say that in the end, free health care is not free, and the cost of that health care is too much," Scavo said.

He just hopes people contact their local legislators and tell them to take their time.

"They want this done by September 15th," said Scavo. "It's a 1,000 page bill. Are you telling me they could understand everything? We will pay for their mistakes for them not reading the 1,000 pages."

At the end of the forum, a man in the crowd asked Scavo if he'd consider running against Senator Bob Mellow in 2010. Scavo says it's becoming more likely. Scavo lost to Mellow in 2002.