Sen. Sherrod Brown held a health care town hall this morning at the Ohio State University Biomedical Research Tower. It was well-attended by health care reform supporters, perhaps due to emails late yesterday from BarackObama.com, Progress Ohio and others, asking for supporters to attend. I'd say it was about 3:1 supporters and the disruptors were kept pretty much on the straight and narrow as they got their say. Here are some photos from the event.
One rule probably keeping the meeting somewhat under control:
Sen. Brown had a panel of three doctors and three others who related their health insurance problems. They weren't all ringers though--the fellow in the middle below is a small business owner with huge health insurance premiums for his 4-person staff, but he seemed to think that tort reform would solve the problem. He thought it would be good for "Ohio" to address the problem, not the federal government--not sure how that would work:
This is Dr. Steven Gabbe, OSU's senior VP for health services. He spoke passionately about the need for health care reform, and noted that he is particularly aware of the need as a Type 1 diabetic since childhood:
Assistant Director of the OSU Medical Center, Andrew Thomas, MD:
Many of the questions did come from health care reform opponents. One fellow, a nurse at OSU, was upset that Ohio State was giving its "imprimatur" to the health care bill. He called the effort a move toward "tyranny."
Actually, if the drinking game was to take a shot every time an opponent mentioned "The Founders," "tyranny" or alluded to the Nazis, a fella could have had a good time.
The crowd pretty much kept their excesses in check though, as when one older gentleman started invoking the Nazis he was tut-tutted onto a different tack, although not before yelling, "you have to know history!" His 15-year-old granddaughter was at his side, shooting the stink eye at anyone speaking up for reform:
As the song goes, you have to be taught.
There was only one small screamer segment, a group of three skin heads (in looks and demeanor) who had a vaguely feral McVeigh look. When a man stood up to talk of his wife who had multiple serious medical conditions and asked how she could get mammograms, wellness care, etc., one of them yelled "at the library!" They were not happy campers, and didn't get called on even though all three were waving their hands frantically.
Here's the last questioner who was very forceful in arguing for reform and lambasting those who want to do nothing:
I was impressed with Sen. Brown's willingness to confront people who spouted misinformation. He often challenged the opponents on facts and made forceful speeches for the role of government in these matters, and excoriated insurance companies. He really didn't let them get away with anything, even while acknowledging their occasional good points. The guy mentioning Nazi Germany, etc., complained about government programs that aren't funded, Sen. Brown replied that we aren't going to start a war and not fund it, cut taxes on the wealthy and not fund it, partially privatize Medicare and not fund it and so on. He said that government has a responsibility to fund such programs for the uninsured, as we have for the elderly.
He's completely for the public option and spoke of it like it's going to happen.
There was an overflow crowd outside where the few protest sign-holders milled:
Many of the protesters made anti-Bush, anti-Republican statements as well. Barring that it's just handy revisionism, I have a feeling that the town hall screamers are not Republicans per se, but rather Ron Paul supporters generally. Some of them mentioned Paul explicitly.