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Mealey on Petition

A contingent of the Zanesville TEA party will hand deliver letters to Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown’s Columbus office asking him to vote ‘no’ on the healthcare legislation.

Lynette Mealey with the TEA Party explains her reasoning behind the move.

“We’re just trying to draw attention to the fact we really do not want this healthcare package that (the government) is trying to cram down our throat.”

She says there is a more immediate need right now.

“The unemployment rate in the state of Ohio. The huge deficit that our government has crammed down our throat as well. Now they are trying to do healthcare. Its just one thing after another after another. Enough already.”

Brown in the past has voiced his support for the healthcare legislation.

Press Release

As the healthcare debate moves to the Senate floor, fiscally concerned Buckeyes are taking their voices to the state capital.



Zanesville resident Lynette Mealey and several local TEA party activists are heading to Columbus on Tuesday to hand-deliver letters to Sherrod Brown's Senate office, requesting that the Senator vote against the looming, trillion-dollar healthcare legislation.



"We need jobs right now in Ohio," says Mealey. "Healthcare reform is a distant second priority until we get the economy turned around."



Mealey has a point about jobs. Ohio has been one of the states hit hardest by the recession. Unemployment statewide passed the 11% mark in April, and though there has been a slight downtick, Ohio unemployment has never left double digits.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/search-results/m/22113753/ohio-unemployment-at-25-year-high.htm



The current version of the House reform bill also adds a payroll tax to businesses, forcing them to pay for employee health insurance, once they reach a certain sliding threshold of yearly income.



"People want jobs more than they want health insurance," insists Mealey. "I can't fathom the logic behind adding a tax burden to employers at a time when they're already cutting jobs. It's self-defeating at best."



At noon on Tuesday, Mealey and her merry band of Zanesville activists will team up with TEA partiers from Columbus and surrounding areas for an event in front of Senator Sherrod Brown's Columbus office at 200 N High St. Room 614. They will hand deliver letters to the office, requesting that Sherrod Brown vote against the current healthcare reform legislation.