Heinrich town hall well done

Can I tell you that I expected the worst? Because when I set out to go to Rep. Martin Heinrich’s health care town hall Saturday, I surely did.

I had read and seen too much about execrable behavior at other town halls and I simply dreaded the thought of seeing fellow human beings acting that way right in front of me.

I understand the power of anger and the historical and political significance of dissent. But when people on one side of an issue start screaming about Hitler, the thinking part of my brain shuts down and fear and disgust floods in. Slogans and taunts and threats have never helped me decide anything.

My bottom line?  The prospect of true American health care reform deserves better than shouting matches in parking lots.

Despite my dread, I would not have dreamed of being anywhere other than at that town hall. After all I had heard and read, I wanted to see how the people of the First Congressional District of New Mexico would act, with my own eyes. And I wanted to hear what Heinrich had to say about health care reform.

So I went, and honestly, I saw a bunch of people who really care about what’s going to happen to their health care.

I saw no Hitler signs and no swastikas–although there was one picture of President Barack Obama depicted as a Muslim. What that has to do with health care reform I don’t know.

Tempers flared as people stood in long lines in the searing parking lot. I heard people calling other people “idiots” and telling people to “grow up,” but nothing boiled over. People seemed to hold their fire for the town hall.

Once inside the University of New Mexico Continuing Education auditorium, the capacity crowd of 600 (with 300 next door in an overflow room with closed-circuit TV access to the event) sat quietly for the pledge of allegiance and a color guard presentation by students from West Mesa High School.

And then it was on.

Unlike at other town halls across the nation, questions were not pre-screened. People submitted their names and then were randomly chosen to ask their question of a panel that consisted of Heinrich and three others. I think running it that way seemed to defuse some of the cynicism that emerged at other town halls.

For the most part, the questions were thoughtful.

There were a couple of “gotcha” type questions aimed at Heinrich, which I thought the freshman Congressman handled well. One man asked Heinrich if he’d read the bill. Heinrich grabbed a dog-eared, indexed copy of the bill from where it sat ready at his right elbow and lifted it in the air, replying, “Yes, I’ve read the bill.”

Another questioner wanted to bet Heinrich that he wouldn’t put himself on the public plan if it passed, because it couldn’t possibly be better than the health care plan he gets as a congressman. Heinrich told the man he wasn’t on the congressional plan–he kept his own health insurance because it was better than the one offered by Congress.

In his introduction and throughout the forum, Heinrich stated his belief that most Americans agree they want choice in their health care.  He also revealed that his father, who recently underwent a major medical procedure, is on Medicare and “doing well.”

Heinrich was joined onstage by three panelists–Dr. Michael Richards, an emergency room physician at UNM; Dr. John Vigil, who runs a private, free medical clinic; and Paul Gessing, executive director of the conservative think tank the Rio Grande Foundation.

Heinrich answered all of the questions and invited panelists to jump in. Dr. Richards took a technical approach, ready with facts and figures about the high numbers of people who get their only health care from expensive emergency rooms, thus driving up overall healthcare costs. Dr. Vigil spoke from the heart about his philosophy that nothing, especially the government should come between a doctor and his or her patient.

And Gessing, well, he spoke about his philosophies, too, mainly that the government has no business running healthcare and should butt out of people’s lives.

Based on reaction to the sentiments expressed, I’d say the crowd ran about two-thirds in support of Heinrich and one-third opposed.

It was hard to tell, though, because those who oppose reform were scattered throughout the hall and prone to loud outbursts. This included a woman who sat directly behind me and was quite fond of doing two things: booing and screaming “liar” at Heinrich. Maybe she thought she was at an outdoor event where yelling was okay, but it was very, very rude and added nothing to the discussion.  Her outbursts, like those of many others throughout the auditorium, were just short enough to keep the police from coming over and throwing her out.

Speaking of keeping order, mad props to moderator Augusta Meyers. Being a moderator is kind of a thankless job, but the former TV anchor and current spokeswoman for the Mid-Region Council of Governments handled it magnificently, shutting down individual rude comments and keeping the crowd quiet so that members of the public who were asking questions got to keep the floor and everyone could hear what they were saying.  In a setting like that, what she did added immense value to the event.

Going to the Heinrich town hall on a hot summer Saturday was a civic duty–emphasis on the duty. Like most Americans, I would have rather have been swimming or watching my kids play football. But even though it was draining and hot,  I’m happy I went, because now I’m a bit more optimistic about my fellow First Congressional districters–and a little bit smarter about healthcare reform.