Tea Party members crowd Calder Plaza

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Citizens across the country and in West Michigan are upset over the national health care bill and they are speaking out.

Boasting a membership of 400 people, Tea Party of West Michigan is a group that formed this year.

On Saturday, dozens of people gathered near Calder Plaza in downtown Grand Rapids.

The issue? Health care reform.

"It's not a constitutional bill," Tina Dupont said. "It's not the government's, the federal government's rule, or reasoning to start health care for everyone." 

Dupont said she feels the country is getting away from the Constitution as our Founding Fathers set it up.

Another organizer of the event, Hank Wykretowicz, came from the Ludington area. He says part of the group's logic comes from watching the government's track record.

"If you look at what the government is doing and what the government has done in the past and wanting different bills, medicare, those programs are all going bust," Wykretowicz said. "Now, they're going to take over all health care, how illogical is that?" 

The basic framework lawmakers are examining for health care reform would encourage competition between insurance companies.

It calls for setting up a big insurance purchasing pool called an exchange. The government would offer subsidies to make premiums more affordable.

On Saturday, President Barack Obama challenged his critics, accusing them of making "phony claims" about the legislation.

"Taken together, the reforms we're seeking will help bring down skyrocketing costs, which will mean real savings for families, businesses, and government," he said. "We know what a failure to act would bring: More of the same."

But there's a crowd in West Michigan that still needs convincing.

"The political situation in Washington right now is not good for America and that's why we're here," Wykretowicz said.

On the Net:

Tea Party of West Michigan

Healthcarereform.gov