Supporters of a single-payer health-care system rallied at the Capitol Thursday with members of Mad as Hell Doctors and state Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona.
Mad as Hell Doctors, a group of physicians from Oregon, are traveling around the country bringing their message of a single-payer health system to rallies in major cities.
Miller opened the event on the Capitol steps. He discussed his role as a supporter of the Wisconsin Health Security Act and said the bill would position Wisconsin to become the first state to provide universal health care.
Miller said a majority of Wisconsin state senators are committed to health-care reform and called health coverage a right for all.
""It is our right regardless of whether we are rich or poor, regardless of whether or where we work, regardless of if we are young or old, ... regardless of if we are sick or well, regardless of whether we are brown, white, black or yellow.""
John Nichols, a writer for The Capital Times and The Nation, enthusiastically saluted the crowd by saying, ""Welcome to the real town-hall meeting.""
He criticized statements asserting a single-payer option would allow ""death panels"" and said compromising on health care is not an option.
At the mention of U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., who unveiled a new health-care plan earlier this week, the crowd chanted ""mad as hell.""
Members of Mad as Hell Doctors discussed why they joined the group after the opening speakers.
""I'm mad as hell about the way the government of the United States has ignored the wishes that all of us have,"" Dr. Eugene Uphoff, a native of Dane County, said. ""The majority of physicians, about 59 percent right now, and the majority of Americans, about 70 to 72 percent, want to have a single-payer system.""
Attendees at the rally were allowed to take the microphone for a ""mad as hell minute"" at the closing of the rally. Participants shared their views on health-care reform and told personal stories.
