YAKIMA, Wash. -- While President Barack Obama rallied in Minneapolis to garner support for his health care reform plan, several hundred Yakima Valley residents came together to protest against it.

Organizers estimate that about 250 people attended the Tea Party Rally at Millennium Plaza on Saturday morning. Along with health care reform, people railed against too much government spending, losing constitutional rights and the policies of Congress and the Obama administration.

It was held in coordination with an event in Washington, D.C., where tens of thousands of people marched for a similar cause.

The local rally had speakers from several organizations as well as an open-mic segment where several audience members voiced their views.

Joe Ray, the event’s co-organizer and coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots of Yakima, said he wished there was more attendees but considered the event a success.

“There was a lot of audience participation,” he said. “Our speakers were good and to the point.”

Some chose to express their views by holding American flags and signs with slogans against things such as health care reform and government bank bailouts.

Jack Weston, 69, of Yakima initially pointed at his sign when asked why he was at the rally. He then elaborated his concerns.

“Bank bailouts should never have happened. Taking over the car companies should never have happened,” he said. 

He ultimately came away encouraged. “I’m doing a small part in protecting this county.”

Bill Hurst, a 37-year-old Moxee resident, attended the rally with his mother, Corrine Hurst, 60, also of Moxee. Both were at the rally because they were concerned about their constitutional rights being taken away as well as a possibility of future generations inheriting debt caused by government overspending.

“We have to stand together as a family,” Corrine Hurst said. “We have to reach out to our neighbors. I want my neighbors to know what’s going on.”

That’s exactly what these rallies are designed to do, Ray, the co-organizer, said. “I hope they realize that they’re not alone,” he said. “There’s a lot of people who don’t want their country sold out to socialism.”

• Mai Hoang can be reached at 509-577-7685 or mhoang@yakimaherald.com.