ADAPT in Nashville March 2006

ADAPT's spring action was March 18 - 23 in Nashville Tennessee. Why Nashville, you ask? Well, simply put Nashville is one of the worst states when it comes to spending money on home health care. Actually here's just how bad:

$1 spent on home health care = $168.00 on nursing home care.

So ADAPT took to the streets of downtown "Music City" to try to get governor Bredesen to hear their concerns. For two days ADAPT-ers blocked traffic for hours and workers at the Capitol Building were stuck with no way to get out. Over a hundred arrests later, the governor released this statement:

"This is a national professional protest group, and today's action is an extreme publicity stunt that has created a serious disruption to downtown businesses and state employees. In addition, event organizers have placed protesters in harm's way by exposing them to inclement weather and unsafe road conditions. There is nothing constructive to be gained by these actions."

source

Judging by pictures HERE and HERE and even HERE, I'm sure a little rain was the last thing on their minds when they were taking over the city. I mean, these are the people who marched 144 miles in 2003 to raise awareness for the same issues. That's right, 144 miles. Over steep hills. And rain. With not a lot of food. Anyway, either Governor Bredesen is completely missing the point here, or he is pretending to completely miss the point. Either way, it doesn't make him look like the stand up guy we all know politicians to be. But can we really expect more from the man who cut or severely limited almost a million people's healthcare? Actually I'm surprised he didnt show up to the protest to wheel some of the protestors into oncoming traffic.