EVERETT — By the looks of things, a town hall meeting Wednesday night wasn’t going to sway many opinions about health care proposals working their way through Congress.
It did, however, give people a chance to pledge their support or level their objections to Democratic Rep. Rick Larsen.
About 2,400 people crowded into the ballpark at Everett Memorial Stadium for the forum, which was similar to town halls that have attracted large and often boisterous crowds across the country. Police officers were on hand, but no problems were reported.
John Huson, an Arlington-area resident, drew robust applause from opponents of health care legislation when he read from a Wall Street Journal column that included the Margaret Thatcher quote: “The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.”
Government-run health care concerns him, Huson said, but he is willing to listen to the proposals now before Congress and from leaders in the private sector.
On the flip side, Stella Zuller of Bellingham told Larsen she supports reform efforts because health care “should not be for profit when people’s lives are at stake.”
Larsen heard from people who said they fear health care insurance coverage, as it is, discriminates based on age, gender and existing conditions. They worried about the millions of Americans without health insurance.
Others told the congressman they don’t want government-funded health care, pointing to inevitable cost, bureaucracy and inefficiency they expect with big government. Many said they worried they would lose good, solid health care coverage they now enjoy.
“There is nothing in any bill that I have read that is going to force anybody to change,” Larsen said. “If you like your (existing) plan and you like your provider, you won’t have to change.”
At times, the question-and-answer format strayed from health care to other hot-button issues, such as the Federal Reserve, pork barrel legislation and illegal immigration.
A few people asked Larsen where in the Constitution he saw a mandate for health care.
“There is no mandate for health care in the Constitution,” Larsen said. “I know there is not mandate for the Air Force in the Constitution, but I sure want the Air Force protecting the country.”
The meeting was punctuated with cheers and jeers and was much tamer than the organized rallies held beforehand in nearby parking lots.
Hundreds of people gathered in one parking lot outside the stadium, chanting slogans and waving signs at each other. Both sides tried to drown each other out.
The hubbub from the crowd died down about a half hour before the gates opened.
Larry Deland of Snohomish said before the forum that he hoped to make his voice heard in opposition to the proposed health care bills.
“I’m 69 years old and, from what I’ve read, I believe it will be the government take over of the health care industry and I will be screwed,” Deland said. “We just can’t afford this.”
Betsy Hunt of Lake Stevens said she believed change is needed, saying there are just too many people without health care.
“I think if we have better health care we will be a stronger country,” Hunt said.
Some of the signs read: “Kill the Bill”; “Tax the rich fund health care”; “Elect a bunch of clowns your (sic) gonna have a circus.”
The forum began with Everett High School senior Paige Anstedt singing the national anthem. At first, she sang solo, but slowly many in the crowd joined.
As Larsen made his initial remarks shortly after 5 p.m., James Rooks, 63, of Marysville, offered his perspective on the benefits of government being involved in health care.
He said he has had two kidney transplants and has been on dialysis for nearly 35 years.
“Without Medicare, I and a lot of people would be dead,” he said. “Without Medicare, insurance companies would have dropped me a long time ago.”
Larsen’s staff members walked up and down the stadium aisles with a microphone to give people an opportunity to ask questions or make a point. Some people admitted they were a little scared to speak their mind before such a large crowd. Others clearly enjoyed their opportunity to sound off.
The audience appeared to be made up mostly of men and women in their 40s or older.
Bruce Steinmetz, 50, a Marine veteran from Marysville, attended a similar Larsen-hosted health care forum in Mount Vernon on Saturday. He disagrees with Larsen on the health care proposals, saying the federal government can’t even provide good quality care for injured war veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, but he was thankful for the chance to voice his concerns.
“I’m glad to see him have the backbone to face the people,” he said. “I’ll give him credit for that.”
Midway through the forum — at about the seventh-inning stretch — Larsen asked people to stand for a moment and sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” About half the audience left by the time the song ended.
Around 7:15 p.m., Larsen said he would take one final question. Diane Thomas of Everett, said she worried about one point in the bill that referred to electronic transfer of funds. “This part of the bill scares me to death,” she said, worrying that it would allow “a massive amount of intrusion into my personal life.”
Larsen explained that it referred to the ability of health insurers to reimburse clinics. “It has nothing to do with your bank,” he said. “It has to do with Social Security.”
At the end of the session, Larsen said a health care bill would likely be brought up again for discussion in Congress in September or October.
Larsen said that Everett’s turnout was one of the largest he had ever had for a town hall meeting, and he was surprised that more than 2,000 people packed an outdoor stadium on a weeknight.
The questions and comments were “heartfelt, passionate and challenges my thinking,” he said. “I’ll need to think, ‘Is this bill the right one?”
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
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