Political pundit Dick Morris rallied people around the concept of keeping the government’s “Hands Off My Health Care” during a Thursday afternoon event at Simon Park in Conway.

Morris spoke about the problems he found with the proposed health care plan currently being discussed in Washington and encouraged those present to call on their senators to oppose the plan in the Senate.

James Martin, president of The 60 Plus Association and Teresa Crossland-Oelke, state director of Americans for Prosperity, also left the bus bearing the message of “Hands Off My Health Care,” the crowd cheered and waved signs bearing messages such as “Vote No on Health Care,” “Obama’s ATM (American Taxpayer Money),” “Party Like Its 1773,” and a yellow flag saying “Don’t Tread on Me.”

Mentions of Congressmen Vic Snyder and Marion Berry drew boos from the crowd. The two men recently voted for the House’s version of the health care plan.

Shawn Danko, a Canadian national who operates a restaurant in Memphis and who is seeking American citizenship, offered to the crowd a glimpse at the health care system in Canada. He said the Canadians pay dearly for their health care system, paying 28.5 percent for the first $38,000 they make. Additionally, Canadians pay for supplemental insurance.

As a small business owner in Memphis, Danko said the changes to the health care system would cost him $48,000 for this 55 employees. He said that to come up with that money, he would have to cut staff, cut benefits or raise his prices.

Morris told the audience that this was not his first trip to Arkansas, alluding to his days of working with former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary.

“The whole health care debate is vital to our future,” Morris said. “It is not an effort to redistribute wealth. It is an effort to redistribute health.”

He said many people have asked how he could work for the Clintons and support the Clinton health care plan while not supporting the Obama plan. Morris said the Clinton plan made no cuts to Medicare.

“Obama’s is full of cuts,” Morris said. “It is so easy to do it. It is a slippery slope.”

Morris said the core value of the pro-life movement is to protect human life. He said that while people may disagree on whether life starts at conception or birth, “I don’t know anyone who thinks life ends before death.”

He said the Obama plan cuts reimbursements to doctors and penalizes the top 10 percent of doctors who spend too much on patients by further cutting their reimbursements.

He said each year, a new 10 percent would emerge, “dumbing down medical care.”

He said the plan offers “artificial scarcity” through QARYs or quality adjusted remaining years. The QARYs would be determined by lifestyle, work, income generated, memory and other factors.

Additionally, Morris said if a person does not buy insurance, he or she will have to pay a fine equal to 2-1/2 percent of their income. If a person does not buy insurance or pay the fine, the person will be put in prison. Health insurance premiums for other Americans will be taxed up to 40 percent. Medical devices such as pacemakers and electric wheelchairs will also be taxed.

Morris said the bill can still be defeated. Morris said the bill that has passed the House cannot pass the Senate and that a bill the Senate presents cannot pass the House.

“It will be a long, hard, tough battle. While that happens we are going to be pounding,” Morris said.