Rostenkowski Jeered Over Health Care
More than 100 angry senior citizens jeered Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.) on Thursday and briefly blocked his car from leaving a meeting with community leaders opposed to his stance on the Comprehensive Health Care Act.
Members of the crowd--yelling, “Liar, Liar,” “Impeach, Impeach” and “We won’t forget at election time”--followed Rostenkowski when he left his car and walked a block away while it was driven around the crowd. He then got back in the car, which drove off.
During the walk, Rostenkowski did not acknowledge the gathering crowd. His only comment was: “I don’t think they understand what’s going on. That’s too bad.”
Rostenkowski appeared at a community center in the Northwest Side district that for 30 years has sent him to Congress, where he is chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.
He discussed his support for the catastrophic health care law during a private meeting with representatives of six organizations representing senior citizens.
The catastrophic health insurance program would improve benefits for people now on Medicare, estimated to number 33 million Americans. Higher income retirees who pay most of the cost of the program have been lobbying the committee to spread the cost among all taxpayers, not just older citizens.
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