Health care bill's supporters, opponents flock to Capitol

David Lightman | McClatchy Newspapers • Published November 05, 2009

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WASHINGTON — Gene Otto left his Olympia, Wash., bakery for a day, flew across the country to the nation's capital and told four members of Congress why it's important that they overhaul America's health care system.

Another Capitol Hill newcomer, John Jacobson, drove his family from Allamuchy, N.J., to warn lawmakers that the Democrats' plan that the House of Representatives will debate on Saturday is dangerous.

"I've never been to the Capitol in my life," the unemployed Jacobson said. "I can't believe it's come to this, that I may have to pay for other people's bad choices."

Lawmakers are being bombarded as rarely before by first-time constituent visitors such as these, not to mention by special interests and professional lobbyists — especially lobbyists. Health industry interests spent $396.2 million on lobbying in the first nine months of this year, a pace that would likely shatter last year's $486 million total by them, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics, which monitors money in politics.

Every day, there's another rally at the Capitol, a new ad, a fresh batch of people from home. Friday morning, the lobbyist-in-chief, President Barack Obama, is scheduled to add his muscle when he meets behind closed doors with House Democrats.

He's promoting the Democrats' House bill, which would create a government-run health insurance plan, or public option; bar insurers from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions and set up an exchange, or marketplace, where consumers could shop for coverage.

It's not a done deal. The House needs 218 votes to pass the bill, and since Democrats won two House races Tuesday, the party will control 258 seats by the time the House votes, which it's expected to do late Saturday.

Many lawmakers still have concerns, however, particularly about how extensively abortion services would be funded and permitted, as well as whether illegal immigrants would be able to access health insurance under the legislation.

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