Wilson attends first 'We the People, Aiken' event
A rally against health care reform in downtown Aiken last month has led to the organization of a new group, "We the People, Aiken."
From a meeting Thursday, the immediate focus includes, in part, twice-monthly meetings intended to help participants learn more about the U.S. Constitution. Aiken resident Claude O'Donovan has volunteered to lead twice-monthly sessions at a site to be determined.
In addition, the group wants to research the records and platforms of elected officials and candidates at the local, state and national level, said Debbie Nix, who organized the earlier rally and is involved in the new organization as well.
Nix met O'Donovan and his wife, Sunny, at the Aiken rally and two days later they attended a large rally in Washington, D.C., opposing the health care legislation the day before it passed in the U.S. House.
While We the People, Aiken is not directly affiliated with the Tea Party movement, "We rally with them," Nix said. "They're fun. When we went to Washington, there were people there and it was like Aiken. The people on the street are you and me. There are a lot of little groups out there and when there's one big call, we'll all go."
U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., met with the group and reiterated his opposition to the health care reform package, saying "It's simply not going to work. It's too expensive and will overwhelm the system," he said. "It will deny senior citizens coverage, put a huge debt on young people and eliminate 1.6 million jobs."
While the people at the meeting expressed appreciation for Wilson's stance on health care, the overall goal suggests closer scrutiny of politicians overall.
"There are more Tea Partiers than people in the Republican Party right now," Nix said. "We're not happy with the status quo of the political system, Republicans or Democrats, right now. We want to get educated and know the issues and get involved with city, county and state politics."
We the People, Aiken, will vet candidates, Nix said. Its members may not endorse candidates but want to be educated on their issues and records.
"We want to look at anybody who has a progressive, socialist attitude," Sunny O'Donovan said. "We don't want to go back to Europe in our government. We want our government to be of the people, as the 37 people who put the Constitution together planned it."
Wilson told those at the meeting that he plans to introduce a bill that would formally replace the new reform package with positive health insurance reform. That bill would require coverage for those with pre-existing conditions and allow competitive insurance searches across state lines
"It can be repealed," Wilson said. "It will be difficult. But I see a political revolt coming on Nov. 2. It will be a peaceful revolt from concerned, loving people."
One person said she wanted to start with the Republican Party and reform it to its conservative party base.
"We are concerned with progressives in the party," she said. "We want to out them and stand up for people like you, Joe."
For more information, contact Nix at voteno2hr3962@gmail.com.
Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.