Supporters of the Affordable Care Act will protest Rick Santorum Tuesday evening in Gettysburg. The former Pa. Senator and presidential hopeful is hosting an event there to watch election returns from the Illinois primary.

“Rick Santorum continues to promise full repeal of the affordable care act, despite the proposed repeal’s extreme human health costs,” said Michael Morrill, Executive Director of Keystone Progress.  “The gathering of tonight’s nonpartisan supporters is all about their dedication to promote Americans’ fair access to health care coverage – and not about any one election, lies made by Santorum are too costly and put millions of Americans’ health in jeopardy.”

In an email, organizers emphasized that their rally is planned for outsider the Gettysburg Hotel, and that they do not wish participants to seek to interfere with the Santorum event.

For Pa. liberals, it will be like getting the band back together. Much of Democrats’ successful 2006 election effort can be traced to a deep, visceral disdain that the activist base feels toward Santorum.

Here’s the full announcement:

PENNSYLVANIANS RALLY
TO CHALLENGE SANTORUM’S LIES
Rick Santorum Putting Fear Into Americans
In Order To Get Their Votes

WHAT: Rally opposing Rick Santorum’s lies about healthcare reform
WHEN: Starting at 7:00 PM until at least 8:00, TODAY, March 20
WHERE:   Gettysburg Hotel, 1 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, PA
WHO:    Leaders of healthcare reform organizations, including Keystone Progress.

GETTYSBURG, PA – Later today, a large crowd of health care supporters will be convening to voice their opposition to Santorum’s misinformation and lies about the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  The nonpartisan public rally is scheduled to start at 7 pm outside the Gettysburg Best Western – where Santorum is holding his “campaign party” to watch the Illinois primary returns.

“Rick Santorum continues to promise full repeal of the affordable care act, despite the proposed repeal’s extreme human health costs,” Michael Morrill, Executive Director of Keystone Progress said.  “The gathering of tonight’s nonpartisan supporters is all about their dedication to promote Americans’ fair access to health care coverage – and not about any one election, lies made by Santorum are too costly and put millions of Americans’ health in jeopardy.”

Rick Santorum and his wife Karen have been in the news recently claiming the Affordable Care Act would take away access to health care to children who have special needs like their daughter Bella.  Even though groups who make it their business to protect young children like Santorum’s Bella – including the American Association of People with Disabilities, National Organization for Rare Disorders, and the Arc of the United States – have been working hard to protect the Affordable Care Act and everything it stands for.

These nonpartisan groups who work to protect children like Bella understand the truth is that the ACA will always allow children like Bella access to health insurance without lifetime caps and without denying coverage due to being born into a illness or disability.

By promising to repeal the ACA if Santorum were to become President, he would take away the average savings of $662 per Pennsylvanian citizen and a total combined savings in Pennsylvania of $156,108,903.  In these still difficult economic times, the ACA affords Pennsylvanians savings that Santorum would want to take away.  It is because of important facts like these that make the ACA invaluable to Pennsylvania and why citizens from both the right and the left will be voicing their opposition to Santorum’s lies and call to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The nonpartisan public rally will begin at 7 pm while Santorum’s “campaign party” will begin at 8:00 pm. Despite several groups possibly trying to get into the hotel, this gathering will stay outside the hotel during the entire time of the public rally.

Keystone Progress is Pennsylvania’s largest online progressive organization, with over 260,000 subscribers.  KP uses the internet and new media to organize online at the state and local level; and utilizes cutting-edge earned media strategies to promote a progressive agenda and counter right-wing misinformation.