By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
As 200 prepared to dine in the Stone Ridge Golf Club, another 40 stood outside holding posters and chanting.
Their signs supported the Affordable Care Act, refugees, the environment, transgender youth, and asked the question, “Have you seen Bob?”
They chanted “Love not hate makes America great,” and “We’re not paid,” in reference to accusations that town hall protesters across the nation are being paid for their efforts.
Their presence on the normally quiet corner of the Stone Ridge housing development was met with a range of reactions. As motorists pulled into the golf club for the annual Republican Lincoln Day Dinner, some honked and waved, others stuck out tongues or stared straight ahead.
Though the protesters were trying to get the attention of U.S. Rep. Bob Latta, it was State Senator Randy Gardner, R-Bowling Green, who pulled over, got out and talked with the protesters for several minutes.
“He came up, shook hands and chatted,” said Katie McKibben, one of the sign-holding protesters. “Randy actually parked his car and got out.”
Latta’s vehicle proceeded into the golf club parking lot without stopping.
One man going to the dinner stopped at the entrance, held up the middle fingers on both hands and yelled at the protesters to go home.
“I’m tired of people being paid to protest,” the man said as he parked his vehicle. “They’re stupid.”
But others welcomed the exchange of ideas.
“I feel like we should always be able to have a conversation,” said Ryan Lee as he entered the golf club dining room. “What’s more American than standing on a street corner and holding signs?”
Inside the country club, Latta said he has always been willing to listen to his constituents. Last year he held 10 courthouse conferences where he met face-to-face with citizens. Last week, he held a “telephone town hall,” but there was no public notice about it ahead of time.
Congressman Bob Latta answers a few questions from media.
When told that his constituents feel a need to talk with him now because of all the fast-paced changes in Washington, D.C., Latta said, “Nothing’s changed in the 5th District.”
“I think our record is really good,” he said about his commitment to listening to his public.
But the people who gathered in his Bowling Green office Thursday morning and afternoon see things differently. The citizens who asked to speak with Latta in the afternoon were more feisty than those who came in the morning.
“This particular week is for him to meet with his constituents. So where is he?” asked Maria Zirbel, of Bowling Green.
As in the morning, District 5 Director Andrew Lorenz repeated that Latta was “out in the district.”
“It’s not your fault your boss isn’t here,” said Susan Shelangoskie, of Toledo. “It is utterly frustrating that Bob Latta is not here, but he is going to be at a golf club in 1 ½ hours raising money.”
The citizens asked that Latta hold a town hall so they can share their concerns – uncomfortable as that may be right now. “He should be able to take some tough questions,” said Frances Brent, of Bowling Green.
Citizens complained that Latta’s telephone town halls seem to be “top secret.”
“We’re not psychic,” Shelangoskie said, asking that Latta’s office put out notices of such events.
The morning and afternoon groups in Latta’s office shared similar concerns about health care, the environment, refugees and democracy.
“The Affordable Care Act needs to stay in place,” Zirbel said. “There should be no reason anyone in this country should go into debt” to pay for health care.
“Without the Medicaid expansion, my mom would be on the street,” and her father would be paying $400 more a month for his prescriptions, Shelangoskie said. “It’s not okay to play profit games with people’s lives.”
Mike Noble, of Grand Rapids, said the Republicans need to prioritize people over party. “You guys have been an obstructionist government for seven years,” he said. “People are scared they are going to lose their insurance.”
Linda Duda told of a friend who had to order her insulin from Canada until the Affordable Care Act was passed. “If it wasn’t for the Affordable Care Act, she’d probably be bankrupt.”
“All our safety nets are at risk,” Duda said.
Hugh Benning, an immigrant from England, said living under a national health care system is better than what he has experienced in America.
“Why are you so dead set on privatizing our health care system?” Benning asked. “Socialized medicine does work.”
Later in the evening at the golf club, Latta defended his goal of dismantling the Affordable Care Act. “Obamacare’s failing,” he said. Health care premiums are up, the number of companies competing to offer insurance are down. “Everything the president (Obama) said never came true.”
Despite national statistics that say otherwise, Latta said many people are now without insurance because of the ACA.
He added that out-of-pocket costs are too high for many. “They have insurance, but they can’t use it,” Latta said.
Latta did say the ACA should be replaced when it is repealed, with the new plan also covering pre-existing conditions and leaving children on their parents’ plans through age 26.
“We want to make sure as we go forward that people have options,” Latta said, mentioning the use of Health Savings Accounts. “We don’t want people without health insurance.”
Latta said he did not have time for any more questions at the golf club. Drew Griffin, his communications director from his Washington, D.C., office, said no town halls or courthouse conferences are planned in the near future.
But the citizens who had gathered on the street outside the golf course, and at his office earlier in the day, had much more to say, and in particular asked that Latta not go along with President Donald Trump’s policies that are tearing at the fabric of the nation.
“He’s been a party guy all along,” Lee Hakel, of Bowling Green, said of Latta. “I’ve come to plead with him to not support everything his party puts on the table.”
Jacqueline Campbell, of Swanton, said democracy needs defending under Trump. “I wake every morning terrified. Where are we going to be four years from now?”
Nancy Hess, of Bowling Green, shared those concerns. “I’m troubled by the lack of civility from our president,” she said. “It bothers me the Republican lawmakers have gone along.”
Shelangoskie asked that Latta not support Trump’s wall. “Is Congressman Latta is really going to spend my money on a useless border wall?”
Zirbel asked that Latta consider the people, not just fall for the rhetoric about the travel ban. She mentioned that several of her husband’s students at BGSU are now fearful to travel since they may not be allowed back into the U.S. “This is playing on fear, not actual reality,” since no terrorist acts in the U.S. have been committed by people from the seven countries under the travel ban.
Deborah Schocket, of Bowling Green, said research shows that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than other citizens.
Latta was also asked to stand up for the environment, though he voted on the recent bill to allow coal companies to dump waste into waterways. “That almost made be cry,” Brent said. “Our children have to live with it.”
