Supporters and opponents packed town hall meetings, the focus of citizen anger and worry about the health care debate. The most polite audience came from New Hampshire, where Pres. Obama spoke in a local high school. Outside, a gun-toting demonstrator stood in the crowd.

The events took place coast to coast. In Pennsylvania, where recent Democratic convert Sen. Arlen Specter was baited about un-Americanism, disruption replaced conversation with false "facts." A new energy from Democrats is meeting ridiculous assertions from people like Sarah Palin (and others) head on, explaining that reform will not end life prematurely, deny access, replace choice with long lines and government decisions, or verge on "socialism." Many who fear rationing do not understand that rationing by insurance is already in place. Some recipients of Medicaid and Medicare, apparently ignorant of the fact that these are government sponsored, are also participating.

The airwaves are focusing on the disruptions as a way of increasing viewers. Elsewhere, news and editorials include:

Steve Pearlstein, The Washington Post:

"Gene Robinson's most recent column was its candor in reminding us that there's no way to cut the growth of medical spending without cutting the growth of medical services. . .The evidence from other countries is that, with U.S. health spending running at more than $2 trillion every year, we can buy all the health care we really need and still have some left over."

Kurtis Alexander, The Mercury News in San Jose, Cal., describes the crowd's range:

The boos, though limited to a minority of the crowd, were emphatic when [Rep. Sam] Farr spoke of plans to provide Americans a government-run insurance option. One woman, who declined to give her name, greeted people at the door with literature reading, "Act now to stop Obama's Nazi health plan."

On the other side of the debate, several urged Farr to go a step further than what is being proposed in Congress and provide a "single-payer" plan in which the government provides insurance to everyone."

Chris Frates and Victoria McGrance, Politico.com, write about older Americans. Many feel neglected by the attention to the middle aged and middle class. They fear reform will alter Medicare. Some do not realize Medicare is a government program.


"A July 31 Gallup poll found that just 20 percent of Americans aged 65 and older believe health care reform would improve their own situation, noticeably lower than the 27 percent of 18- to 49-year olds and 26 percent of 50 to 64-year olds who say the same."


Yael T. Abouhalkah, a columnist with The Kansas City Star


"Claire McCaskill, Missouri Democrat, faced an often hostile crowd in Hillsboro. But she shut them down several times, the best one being when she asked the predominantly elderly crowd to raise their hands if they had Medicare."




And videos:



A video from The Washington Post shows an angry protester shouting at Sen. Specter.


Vocal demonstrators assault Sen. Ben Cardin:


Citizens support reform in California: