Three down, one to go

Well, we've been to three town hall meetings on health insurance reform so far. The next (and last) one on our agenda is September 1. We weren't quite so outnumbered yesterday, probably three or four to one, but the opposition seemed to fall right in line with Monday's crowd: rude, uninformed, rigid, unwilling to let the facts get in their way.

(The first meeting we went to was invitation-only; I almost don't want to put it in the category of "town hall.")

As Virginia Congressman Rick Boucher took the stage, the crowd begin yelling and booing – loudly. It is astonishing to me that people can be so rude. The man hadn't even opened his mouth, but merely walked across a stage to catcalls and insults.

Obviously I'll never be running for office. (Never say never, never say never.)

Clearly this issue is as divisive as any war, but it seems to me that it doesn't need to be. I'm disappointed that lies are being told and listened to as fact, and when the facts are presented they're dismissed out of hand.

Just as clearly, I don't have a solution. I think it's important, though, for both sides to be heard, and that's why I keep attending these events.

Having "things to do" certainly interferes with my day-to-day routine. Today is jam-packed with stuff we could have done Monday and Tuesday. It will all get done, eventually, including an eight-mile walk. There's a good chance of rain today, but I won't melt. Or, if I do, you'll know it by the lack of a post tomorrow.