Dozens of people rallied today against proposed state cuts to health care services and the federal deadlock over health care reform.
The grassroots nonprofit Virginia Organizing Project, which supports health care reform, held the rally at the Bell Tower on Capitol Square.
Gov. Bob McDonnell yesterday proposed a budget with $300 million in cuts to health and welfare programs. At the federal level, health care reform has come to a standstill after Democrats lost a crucial Senate seat.
“Our opponents managed to speak louder than us,” said Janice Johnson, Virginia Organizing Project state chairman . “We need to continue to give voice to positive health care reform.”
Other rally speakers talked about the impact of the state cuts. Loretta Johnson, a personal care assistant from Lebanon in Southwest Virginia said the Medicaid cuts might cost her a job but she also worries about her clients.
“There will be about 10,000 (personal care assistants) who will lose their jobs,” said Johnson. “The job thing for me is bad, because it’s my income,” said Johnson, holding a picture of a client, who is also her cousin.
“She is 36 years old. She has been in a wheelchair almost all of her adult life. She is going to lose services. She is not going to be able to do some of the things she is able to do now,” said Johnson.
(This has been a breaking news update. Read a complete account in tomorrow's Richmond Times-Dispatch.)
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