In East Falls, Voices Rise Against GOP Role in Congressional Impasse
By John Ostapkovich
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- More than a dozen people spent their lunch hour today demonstrating outside the Veterans Administration regional center in the East Falls section of the city.
Their message was against the ongoing shutdown of much of the federal government and in favor of the onset of the latest phase of Obamacare.
Demonstrator Sue Park of East Falls expressed the views of many on who gets the blame for the shutdown:
"Freakin' Republicans, the Tea Party," she said.
Why?
"Because they're obstructionist. They don't want anything to happen that doesn't go their way."
Park says she's about to sign up under Obamacare so she doesn't want it to be derailed.
And Greg Myers, who did field work on behalf of the Affordable Care Act for years, is in a similar situation. Now unemployed, he had COBRA benefits but found them too expensive.
"And I am looking forward to, within the next few days, signing onto the health care plan," he said today.
Union local president Gary Morton (top photo) spoke on behalf of furloughed workers at the Environmental Protection Agency.
"Inspections, cleanups, compliance -- the things that are used to keep Americans safe -- aren't being done," he warned.
One furloughed EPA worker says his income is essential to him even though his job was ruled non-essential.
