Dozens of Kansans traveled to Omaha today to join a rally of about 1,800 Nebraskans urging Sen. Ben Nelson (D, NE) to oppose the health care bill.

The Kansas Watchdog interviewed several Kansans by phone on their trip home from Nebraska. Some traveled by car, and others took advantage of free bus trips provided by Americans for Prosperity-Kansas from Topeka and Shawnee.

AFP is a non-partisan, non-profit group supporting limited government and free market principles.

Late Saturday Americans for Prosperity encouraged their members from Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska to attend the rally Sunday at the Omaha Music Hall.

Derrick Sontag, AFP-Kansas, explained:

The majority of Nebraskans — and a majority of Americans — are opposed to the bill. It’s just a terrible bill.

People are angry that only those sitting in Sen. Harry Reid’s office know what’s in the bill, and the rest of the country does not.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was the featured speaker (see video).

“This is an amazing turnout of people in a very, very short period of time to come forth and to allow their voices to be heard from here all the way to a snow-packed Washington, DC. And yet, I think all of us are wondering ‘are they listening to us …?’”

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Crowd of about 1800 at Omaha Music Hall on Sunday to protest Senator Ben Nelson’s health care vote

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Mary Kay Culp, Kansans for Life Executive Director, said Huckabee picked up on President Obama’s use of the words “historic” and “unprecedented.” Huckabee said the debate had not been “historic” and “unprecedented”. The debate was not on C-SPAN as promised, and Republicans were not allowed to participate.

Amanda Grosserode, a native Nebraskan, a TEA party organizer, and 2010 candidate for State Representative District 16 in Kansas, listed the other speakers:

• Jeff Fortenberry, Nebraska Congressman, District 1,
• Lee Terry, Nebraska Congressman, District 2,
• Pete Ricketts, Republican opponent of U.S. Senator Ben Nelson,
• Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley,
• Julie Schmit-Albin, Nebraska Right to Life, and
• Jenny Beth Martin, a Georgia TEA Party organizer

Grosserode paraphrased what Nebraska Congressman Lee Terry said: “Ben Nelson can be bribed, but Nebraskans cannot.”

Grosserode described Nebraska as “an incredibly pro-life state.” Nebraska Right-to-Life director Julie Schmit-Albin apologized to the audience for endorsing Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson over his Republican opponent, Pete Ricketts.

TEA Party organizer Jenny Beth Martin encouraged Nebraskans to call Nelson and go to his offices in Washington and Nebraska on Monday.

An Overland Park resident who made the trip, Doug Friedrichsen, said the efforts to reform health care make no fiscal sense. Friedrichsen said:

It’s refreshing to be among like-mined folks not sitting on the sidelines and standing up for justice in Washington.

Friedrichsen expressed concern about the rush to pass the bill during the Christmas season with everyone left in the dark about what is in it.

The Senate will likely vote on the health care bill this week.

Related

• Emergency Health Care Rally, Omaha – 1,500+ Crowd on 1 Days Notice (Update- Now 2,500+), Nice Deb, Dec 20, 2009.
• Huckabee leads rally to try to change Nelson’s mind, Omaha World-Herald, Dec 20, 2009. (includes video)
• Huckabee: Nelson like Judas on health care reform, Nebraska.TV, Dec 20, 2009.
• Strong Reaction to Nelson Vote, WOWT, Dec 20, 2009.
• Neb.’s Nelson sees backlash on health reform plan, myway, Dec 20, 2009.
• Deal on health bill is reached, Washington Post, Dec 20, 2009.
• He’s No Stupak, CBS News, Dec 20, 2009.
• Ben Nelson sells his health care vote to Harry Reid, Topeka Examiner, Dec 20, 2009.
• Huck rallies against Dem reforms in Nelson’s backyard, Politico, Dec 19, 2009.