Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Vista) is a staunch opponent of the Affordable Care Act and wants to repeal it as soon as possible.
About 30 people who disagree with his position protested in front of his Vista office on Thursday. And while some simply held signs declaring their support for Obamacare, others, like Vista resident Marjorie Bramwell, didn't mince her words.
“I think his position is weak," she said. "And he does not have evidence that it is not working. It is working.”
About 20 million Americans have health insurance under Obamacare. Bramwell said Issa just isn't aware of how important Obamacare is.
“And if we didn’t have Obamacare, what would those people do?” she wondered.
According to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, an estimated 30,000 people in Issa’s North County congressional district will lose their coverage if the Affordable Care Act is repealed.
Ellen Montanari, a small business owner who lives in Encinitas, said Issa wouldn’t feel the pain of a repeal.
“Those who are covered by it, want it to stay," she said. "Would they like to see it tweaked, and made even better? Absolutely. No one would argue with that. But you don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”
After a few speeches, the protesters went up to Issa’s office to talk with him.
The congressman wasn’t in. But his district director, Bill Christiansen, handed out Issa’s idea for an alternative to Obamacare.
It would allow all Americans to have access to the same health plan that federal employees get. There’s no word on who would pay the monthly premiums.
Christiansen assured the crowd that Congress will repeal Obamacare.
“But they’re gonna replace it with a new plan over the next few years, as they bring back the Obamacare," he said. "So nobody’s going to lose coverage.”
Shortly after that, Christiansen thanked people for coming, and went back inside Issa's office.
