NASHVILLE - Supporters of Gov. Bill Haslam's plan to buy health insurance for nearly 280,000 low-income state residents say they'll hold a nearly 70-mile, four-day walk next week they're calling the "Insure Tennessee Journey for Justice."
The march will hit towns and courthouses across the Senate district represented by Mike Bell, R-Riceville, who voted against the governor's proposal.
"Two dozen Tennesseans die every month, over 50 hospitals are at risk of closing, and yet we have the opportunity to receive $1 billion per year of assistance," said organizer Pamela Weston in a news release. "Why would we ever refuse that? Insure Tennessee should be a no-brainer, but seven legislators, including Senator Mike Bell, voted against it and let their constituents down.
"Protesters, furious over the plan's failure, have take several actions against state Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, who also voted against Insure Tennessee. Their acts include holding a mock funeral outside the Hamilton County GOP headquarters while Gardenhire was speaking there and later chalking slogans and graffitic at the building where he works.
Promoters said the march begins at 10 a.m. Wednesday on the steps of the Bradley County Courthouse with a prayer service and news conference. They then plan to march to the Polk County Courthouse.
On Thursday, protesters will rally at the Polk County Courthouse at 10 a.m. and travel on foot to Etowah. Friday, they will gather at the McMinn County Courthouse to start marching to the courthouse in Meigs County.
And on Saturday, they say they will rally at the intersection of Highways 58 and 68 in Ten Mile, Tenn., and march to Sweetwater City Hall before heading to the Monroe County Courthouse and ending with an evening prayer service.