NORTH — When Congressman Joe Wilson was introduced in the North High School gymnasium Saturday, he was met with a standing ovation, whistles and shouts of “Go Joe!”

It was a group clearly supporting the man known for shouting “You lie!” during a presidential speech to a joint session of Congress.

“We want to take back our country, get back to the basics, get back to the Constitution, and we don’t want the health care plan the Senate or the House is dictating,” said retired nurse Jo Rickabaugh of North on why she was at the meeting.

She said Wilson’s shout during President Barack Obama’s health care speech has probably helped him.

“I respect him for doing it. He was the only one who stood up and told the truth,” she said.

Wilson spoke to about 100 people in North as part of a series of town hall meetings in the Second Congressional District. He also made appearances in Barnwell and Varnville on Saturday.

At North, Wilson focused on the continuing health care debate and answered questions on topics ranging from national defense to energy.

“I’m here to support Joe Wilson and to hear what his views are on the health care system,” said Pastor Charles Butler of Orangeburg, minister of Souls Afire Baptist Church. Butler is second vice chairman of the state Republican Party.

He said, “I don’t want any more government takeover. I believe we need health care reform, but we don’t need to destroy our current health care system to do it.”

Wilson said he drove all night Friday just to make it back for his town hall meetings after a flight following a speaking engagement in Virginia was canceled. But he said the meetings are so inspirational to him, he didn’t want to miss them.

“I’m actually here to promote what we call a ‘good bill,’” Wilson said, referring to the Republican Study Committee’s Empowering Patients First Act, or H.R. 3400.

“I’m here to promote health insurance reform for all people,” he said. “What we are proposing are commonsense reforms on access and liability.”

He said H.R. 3400 rests on six fundamental health care principles — accessibility, affordability, choice, innovation, quality and portability.

The current bill under debate, H.R. 3200, “is a risk to the value of the American dollar. This is going to be a burden on you,” he said.

In a handout, Wilson highlighted five reasons why he opposes H.R. 3200.

He claims under the plan, health care costs would increase and add to the nation’s debt; more than 100 million Americans could lose their current coverage and be forced into a government-run plan; taxes would be raised on individuals and small businesses; some 1.6 million jobs would be lost; and there would be fewer choices for patients and physicians and a rationing of health care.

“In analyzing the bill before Congress, 3200, and the one I support, 3400 ... around 70 percent of both bills are compatible. There is a 30 percent difference, but the difference is huge, because the 3200 has tax increases, it would kill jobs, it would squeeze Medicare,” he said.

“I would hope that Congress would again look at ours. Specifically, there are wellness provisions in both bills ... promoting good health, promoting good nutrition, promoting education, promoting exercise,” he said.

Commenting on his outburst, Wilson said he was caught up in a “town hall moment.”

“It was purely unintentional. I would never have done anything like that. I respect the president and first lady,” he said. “I’m very grateful that the president, within an hour, by the White House, accepted the apology and their view was, immediately, ‘Well, let’s proceed with a civil discussion of the issues.’”

Wilson said while an amendment was added to H.R. 3200 within 48 hours of the president’s speech requiring citizenship verification, he has read news articles hinting it will be removed.

“I’m not being skeptical, but I will be looking and I will be evaluating each bill individually,” he said. “But this is very important, because what I am concerned about is denying health care to American citizens within America.

“And you have people who intentionally came here to violate our laws and they’re ahead of American citizens who could be, and are very likely, in pain.”

Wilson said there are other national issues of concern.

“I’m very concerned about national security,” he said. “I’m very concerned about Israel, with the capability of missiles and nuclear weapons production in Iran. I’m very concerned about the Guantanamo inmates being brought to the United States, ultimately to be released and then continue their war on American citizens.

“We have had a lot of national security issues that are a great concern to me, and we seem to be coddling rogue states like Iran and North Korea and Venezuela, and then we’re insulting our allies, like Poland and the Czech Republic. We’re insulting the United Kingdom, and we’ve insulted France. All of these countries are longtime, loyal allies of America, and they are not being given proper attention.”

Health care may have been on North resident Adrian Thoman’s mind, but it wasn’t at the forefront.

“My biggest concern is the deficit, which the health care reform is just going to make worse,” he said. “A balanced budget is the most important thing they can have for future stability.”

Thoman’s wife, Diane, said the Republican Study Committee’s plan sounds “fantastic.”

“I know they have been working on something. I’m glad I have it in my hand and can go through it. I think the media is so biased, it’s sickening. I don’t think it’s fair and balanced.”

Robert Wannamaker of North said the existence of H.R. 3400 is news to him.

“The Democrats said there’d be transparency, and we’re not seeing it — that we’d have open debate, and we’re not seeing it,” he said.

T&D Features Editor Wendy Jeffcoat Crider can be reached by e-mail at wjeffcoat@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5546. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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