Several thousand people, activists, citizens, and proponents of HR 676 and SB840, converged at Moscone Center at high noon on one of the hottest days in San Francisco. Many of us took buses provided by CARA, which were a real blessing. We did not see the AHIP speakers, which were to include former US Senators John Breaux and Bill Frist, past Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson, former Counselor to President Bush Dan Bartlett, and former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Terry McAuliffe. These speakers all oppose proposals that remove the health insurance industry from our healthcare.

We had dozens of speakers, including Sen. Sheila Kuehl and Don Bechler, Union leaders, and entertainment by the Raging Grannies and a terrific jazz group.