Anti-Heath Care Reform Protesters Skewed Old, White
Tens of thousands may have gathered in Washington, D.C. this weekend to protest health care reform, but you didn’t see young adults in the crowd.
By Kay Steiger
September 14, 2009
Protesters gathering in Washington, D.C. this weekend opposing health care reform (Flickr/Jewcano)
This Saturday I was in downtown Washington, D.C. and saw a white woman in her late 40s or early 50s wearing a red t-shirt with white lettering that said, “Mississippi Freedom Riders 9-12-09.” She was one of the tens of thousands of anti-heath care reform protesters that marched on Washington this weekend, and she seemed to think that protesting government regulation on health care reform equated the struggles of integrationists fighting for racial equality in the Civil Rights era.
The crowd of protesters this weekend skewed older and white. In many ways, it was the opposite of the crowed that gathered for President Barack Obama’s inauguration this January, a crowd that was diverse by every measure of the word.
The chief demands the “taxpayer” protesters this weekend advocated was more or less a catchall of talking points purported by right-wing talk radio: heath care reform should not cover illegal immigrants (it doesn’t, though it probably should), there shouldn’t be death panels that tell granny when she should die (there aren’t), heath care reform shouldn’t be a burden on the taxpayer (it already is), and keeping the government out of health care (despite the fact that a good chunk were old enough to be on Medicare).
And those were among the more comprehensive requests. Other displays from protesters included general arguments against socialism, the carrying of confederate flags, various manifestations of Obama as the Joker/the devil/an African lion, and proud defenses of the 2nd amendment.
But missing from these crowds of angry protesters were Millennials. Sure, there were some kids tagging along with their parents, but you didn’t see very many young adults protesting so-called “Obamacare.” This is perhaps because a recent poll shows young adults, 18 to 29, are the demographic most in favor of health care reform. Young people have some of the highest uninsured rates—around 30 percent—and are the group least likely to be on employer-sponsored health insurance. Again, this is probably why this demographic is most supportive of a public option, or a government-sponsored health insurance plan that the average consumer can buy into and would serve as competition in health insurance markets.
The protesters this weekend showed up in the tens of thousands. Some estimates put the numbers at around 30,000 in Washington, D.C. alone. It certainly isn’t an insignificant amount of people. But it also isn’t particularly representative of the future. The young adults, the ones that will be “stuck with the bill” if health care reform passes, don’t seem scared of the same things that these protesters were.
If anything, young people—and for that matter, many of the people that gathered to protest this weekend—have much to gain from health care reforms that Congress is considering: reduced costs, increased access to heath insurance and health care, and regulations that will stop insurance companies from engaging in some of the worst practices like refusing people for pre-existing conditions. And perhaps what’s most interesting is a Rasmussen poll released today notes that support for health care reform is at 51 percent, it’s highest yet.
The protesters may have managed to gather a big crowd to protest big government, but they also benefit from some of the very things they protest. I saw many people on the taxpayer-subsidized Metro late on Saturday afternoon carrying “Joe Wilson for President” signs who commented on how clean and efficient it was and how wonderful that the Smithsonian museums, which have their own line in the federal budget, are free. Sometimes, the hidden benefits are more important than the hidden costs.
Kay Steiger is editor of Campus Progress.
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There were hundreds of young American’s and their families there. Are you talking about the drugged up radicals? Oh, well no, prob didn’t see many of them there, they are too lazy to make the trip.
— Debbie - Sep 14, 11:47 AM - #You need to watch the coverage of the FreedomWorks Rally in DC. www.c Hundreds of thousands of people listened to many speakers —- MANY of which were UNDER the age of 30! And surprise surprise there were even minorities speaking against Obama’s administration too! Sort of blows your “only old white racists oppose Obama” thinking right out of the water. Open your ears and eyes — watch some of the 2hr 50mins of video C-SPAN recorded (link above). Get your information UNFILTERED by MSM News and then decide what you think. Deciding based on who walked by you on the street is not “journalism” and not smart.
— thebword - Sep 14, 12:32 PM - #So hundreds out of maybe 30,000, that is what 1-3% (3% is really generous)? Demographics are moving against you and time is not on your side.
Also I am sure there were some token minorities there, just like the guy with the Assault rifle waiting for Barack Obama, good job on that one.
You are a bunch of old nuts, and the sooner you just give up the better for the rest of us.
Also any of you who rose on the publicly funded metro system to protest on (and mess up) the publicly funded mall are fucking hypocrites.
Where were the police dogs and fire hoses when you need them?
— Rob - Sep 14, 01:12 PM - #See for yourself instead of having Kay Steiger “report” on the news. You’ll see how she is one of the deniers of an open revolt around the country against the Democratic parties big government agenda.
cspan.org/Watch/Medi…
— Joe - Sep 14, 01:47 PM - #I would suggest if you want the real story, go to youtube and search “912 march on washington”. You can then make up your own mind and see how factual Kay’s reporting is.
— Peter - Sep 14, 01:52 PM - #Old and white like your Vice President? Old and white like your Senate leader? Old and white like the man who runs this whole joint (not to mention disgustingly rich)? Too bad they weren’t young like the people here. Because we all know that college liberalism is a life long belief system. Drink your Kool-Aid and go back to sleep.
— J.T. - Sep 14, 10:12 PM - #These people have been around long enough to see how government run programs cost the taxpayer and ultimately fail to be self sufficient and successful (social Security, the NFIP etc.) Social programs only help the low income threshold and rarely middle class America. The young demographic has yet to experience the true cost of the tax burden. Once they start working and receiving benefits then well see how much they stand by a public option…
— Amanda - Sep 17, 11:41 AM - #Students For Liberty’s Program Manager, Clark Ruper, is a young person living in DC who has chosen not to purchase health insurance and instead invest that money in his future. He doesn’t want the government to mandate he purchase insurance or get a fine and he’s like thousands of other young people out there. He’ll be on the Newshour with Jim Lehrer tonight on PBS to explain this. Check it out!
StudentsForLiberty.o…
— Students For Liberty - Sep 17, 11:58 AM - #I was at the rally in Denver, Colorado, and I’m not old. I also saw many other races represented, including families with children and one black parent and one white parent. There were people of various skin tones, but never did I consider that I should make a big deal of their ethnicity or age. I didn’t realize that people who have lived longer or have fairer complexions shouldn’t have a voice heard by government representatives. That seems like a very racist and agist view to me.
— Liz - Sep 17, 01:44 PM - #I wonder how many people here are actually Progressive? It looks like Glen Beck has sent his hordes here now…
— Michael Radtke Jr. - Sep 17, 04:56 PM - #Michael darling I was a liberal vegetarian feminist, eating organics, buying “green”, and watching c-span, bbc, and pbs when are were just your father’s wet dream. And I DO NOT watch Glen Beck.
True knowledge Michael darling comes when you can take those peer pressure induced blinders off and start thinking for yourself.I did just that as I “aged”, grew up and had more responsibility in my life than just to decide which bar to go to on Saturday night. You will learn.
Problem is your generation is so arrogant you are destroying the freedoms the rest of us like during your learning process. I blame the “just for fun” baseball mentality. You all are too use to thinking everything you do and say is “wonderful” and award worthy. You don’t understand that you can be WRONG and your thinking IMMATURE. You “think” you’ve got it all worked out and the rest of us should realize that and let you fix the mess you think We made. News Flash Michael EVERY generation before you thought and felt the same way you do now —- we just weren’t as Condescending and Arrogant to “think” we MUST be RIGHT just because WE “Thought” it. We HAD Respect for our elders. We shut-up and LEARNED. Now your generation “thinks” it should be the other way around, well I have news for you, we are NOT going to set down and shut-up while you selfishness and elitist “educated” little minds RUIN the Country.
— thebword - Oct 5, 11:29 AM - #Progressive does not mean change everything just for the sake of change. It means forward thinking and an open mind. I believe Michael your has been shut your entire life. Try opening it.