Health Care Debate Dominates National GOP Women Convention

Despite the geographical differences of the nearly 1,500 women who came from across the country to gather at the annual convention of the National Federation of Republican Women, there was only one issue on their mind: the battle over health care.

"It needs to go in the trash," Velbeth Jones of Durango, Colorado, said of the Democratic-sponsored health care plan that is currently being fought over in Washington.

"Democrats say that it is not going to regulate, or stop private sector, but it will," she said.

Fierce criticism of the plan was echoed in the speeches at the event, which drew representatives from nearly all 50 states and concludes Sunday.

Each time the speakers brought up the topic, and then knocked it down, the crowd responded with thunderous applause and whooping cheers.

"The house of cards they are constructing is going to come tumbling down," Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said of Democrats' health care legislation."When they say let us take over the health care system, let's say back to them you have ruined, or put on to the pathway to bankruptcy, every major entitlement program."

Pawlenty pointed to Medicare, and Social Security as examples of what he called the Democrats failure on federal programs.

"Why would we give you another one to run into the ground?" he said.

"It is very clear that the president, [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi and [Senate Majority Leader]Harry Reid, and a whole bunch of folks in Washington were not paying attention to town halls and tea parties," said Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican Nation Committee to the convention.

"The president's address was truly amazing," he added. "Once again he proved his ability to speak very well and say absolutely nothing. As James Brown used to sing, 'talking loud, and saying nothing'."

"I think that was a great comparison," Peggy Micco Koning said, nodding her gray fedora that all members of her Nevada delegation were wearing.

"We are not hearing anything constructive from our president right now," she said. "I think he gives a great speech but he's not coming to a bottom line answer on health care."