Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Townhall meeting with Rep. Steve Driehaus

On Aug. 3 I attended a town hall style meeting with Rep. Steve Driehaus 1st District of Ohio. This was the first time I have ever been to an event such as this. When I arrived, a sign was posted on the door stating that the room was filled to capacity. I was 35 minutes early. They soon saw fit to move the meeting to a more suitable room to accommodate the unexpected crowd.
Before Steve Driehaus spoke, we were all told how to conduct ourselves and that there was internet chatter about organized groups disrupting the meeting and that there would be none of that . This comment set the tone for the evening. I saw no evidence of organized disruption or disobedience.
We just want the facts, and to be heard. Little of either happened very effectively. Mr. Driehaus started by trying to sell us a bill of goods that most were not interested in buying. He tried to answer questions that we had written on cards but his answers sounded like a sales pitch in favor of the health care bill. He did not side with the concerns and fears of his constituents. The people want specifics on how this will affect their lives and few if any were given.
This only added to the frustration of the group. People started interrupting whomever had the floor making it difficult to hear.
The health care issue is a very emotional one for most people, especially for the elderly because this dictates the standard of living for them more so than any other group. The Greatest Generation did not sacrifice, fight long and hard and give the lives of thousands of sons and fathers just to have the freedoms they fought for taken away.

Universal health care is not the answer. Health care itself is not the problem. Our current system is not perfect and it can be improved upon.

Reform of health insurance is the answer. The federal government does not need to reinvent the wheel with health care.

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