Plattsburgh rally planned to oppose health care bill

I spoke at length last night with Mark Barie — head of the UNYTEA, the Upstate New York Tea Party — and a colleague from our days doing public television together.

Mark is a passionate, thoughtful conservative, and his organization is sure to play a role in this year’s North Country congressional races.

He’s convinced that the Democratic bill now being debated in Congress is too expensive and takes away too many liberties.

He’s particularly concerned about a provision requiring that Americans buy health insurance.

You can hear our conversation here and visit UNYTEA’s website here.

Meanwhile, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is reporting that the Democratic bill would actually reduce the deficit over time by tens of billions of dollars, while insuring an additional 32 million Americans who now have no coverage.

You can also read Politifact’s non-partisan effort to fact check the health care debate here.

And of course, you can offer your own opinion. Is this a common sense way to move tens of millions of Americans toward better health and more security.

Is it a costly boondoggle, one that expands government power in ways that make you nervous?

Or something in between? Comments welcome.