As summer continued, politics in America began to focus on health care reforms proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. Both sides have passionate views on the subject which was apparent at town halls.

Unlike normal town halls, most held over the summer were hosted by congressmen trying to pitch health care legislation. They did not face docile cowards and some had their speeches interrupted by hecklers. While many of the town hall forums were orderly and tame, a significant portion became heated and vindictive.

In the mean time, the Wausau tea party website was updated with news of a town hall meeting at the Rothschild Pavilion on August 27, with keynote speaker, ABC News reporter John Stossel, who recently announced he would join Fox News. Excitement and anticipation filled the air as people wondered if John Stossel would really host a town hall in Marathon County.

The event was hosted by Americans for Prosperity, a conservative political advocacy group run out of Washington, with state chapters around the United States, including one in Wisconsin. According to MediaTransparency.org, between 2004 and 2006, the organization received $1.1 million of which $1 million came from the Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation. The charity, part of the Koch Family Foundations, typically funds Libertarian and Conservative political actions groups and think tanks.

Americans For Prosperity has a history of advocacy for tobacco and oil companies by opposing smoking bans, clean indoor air laws and even holding a “Hot Air Tour” in a hot air balloon, rallying against what they described as “global warming alarmists”.

The town hall was packed and the room became uncomfortably hot. Most of the people attending were opposed to health care reform, but there were a few who were adamantly for it.

Five panelists helped weigh in on the health care debate, representing area businesses including Serigraph, Benefit Services Group, Breast Center of Central Wisconsin, and the Oldenburg Group. None of the panelists weighed positively on the health care bill, making claims that it would lead to death panels and coverage for illegal immigrants. These ideas are quickly refuted when visiting factcheck.org.

Among the seats on stage for the panelists and speakers was a chair reserved for Rep. David Obey, who as you might have guessed never showed up. This riled up speakers and the group, lambasting Wisconsin’s 7thDistrict representative. It dumbfounded me that anyone would think Obey would show up to speak at an event sponsored by Americans for Prosperity.

Outside the Pavilion I spotted Dan Mielke, a candidate running against Obey in the 7th District, talking with a women carrying pro-reform signs. The discussion was getting heated, but Mielke stayed relatively calm. When the topic took a strange turn to the subject of abortion, the Mielke appeared agitated. He drew close to my face and explained that the Constitution guarantees us the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Threrefore, Mielke argued, abortion is unconstitutional. However, by his same logic, the Constitution could imply support of health care for all.

John Stossel took the stage and talked about the importance of the consumer in deciding what is best. He said we must shop around for the best health care and leave it up to the individual and the market. Stossel made an interesting comparison, explaining how groceries were important and vital but since we don’t have grocery insurance, why should we have health insurance? The ABC News anchor also referenced Canada and England’s health care system, explaining how they have horrific waiting lines and rationing.

The town hall meeting ended without incident, and gave way for Tea Parties the following weekend. Sunday’s tea party was not as well attended as the town hall the previous Friday since any substantive debate was replaced by empty rhetoric and an absurd amount of talk about religion. It felt like I was in an open air church.

A large portion of the speakers spent a good portion of their speech talking about God’s role in our government. It seems like it would be hard to talk about Christian values in the government while not supporting a plan to help provide medical access for the poor and uninsured. I have a hard time remembering–was it Jesus who said “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” or Joseph Stalin?

There were some strictly political speakers, including a representative from the Fair Tax Organization. Dan Mielke also made an appearance, making the rounds talking to the crowd members.

Speakers and audience members alike were airing concerns about our freedoms slipping away and our Constitution being eroded. It has always perplexed me that these people now speak about the state of our Constitution in light of the Patriot Act, military renditions, suspension of habeas corpus in certain cases and warantless wiretaps on citizens. While many of these things continue to this day, I sincerely doubt that is what they were referring to.

It seems that through the many factual inaccuracies, rhetoric and bible quotations, many important questions are raised by these Tea Parties. The most important one in my eyes is how the government will pay for a publicoption while not increasing the deficit or raising taxes. In a joint speech to Congress on September 9, President Obama said that the public health care option will not increase the deficit. However, only time will tell if these statements are true.

If the public option passes, the government will not take over our health care system and insurance companies will still exist. Look at USPS, FedEx, UPS and DHL. Another example is our education system where you can attend public school for practically no cost unless you choose to pay for a private school. Government involvement in a market does not equate to a monopoly. It may, however, increase competition and lower the price of insurance from existing providers. The public option would not allow illegal aliens to be insured or allow for abortions to be funded by tax payer money. The government will not have death panels of government officials deciding whether or not you live based on how much you benefit society.

We need a real debate about health care in this country, not ignorant fascist-communist-socialist name calling and not flat out lies. We need to talk about what we stand to gain and lose with a public option.