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Sen. Tom Coburn's town hall meeting
![U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn [Okla.-R] at his last town hall meeting in Oklahoma.](http://ou.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/videothumbs/2009/08/25/Picture_2_t180.jpg?370a03faaa4bde2115f371a02430eb3e6a451be5)
U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn [Okla.-R] at his last town hall meeting in Oklahoma.
Health care is a fractured system needing repair but not through the federal government, Sen. Tom Coburn [R- Okla.] said at his last town hall meeting in Oklahoma.
More than 500 people greeted Coburn with a standing ovation Tuesday at the First Southern Baptist Church of Del City.
“I have real problems with health care … but if it is through a bill out of Washington that spends more money, it will fail,” Coburn said. “We are on a destructive path that will affect the lives of our children and our grandchildren, footing them the bill.”
While most agreed with Coburn’s views on health care and gave him two more standing ovations during the meeting, some voiced their opposing opinions.
When a woman told Coburn of her problems concerning health insurance coverage, she angrily told him she was a democrat and “proud of it.” Immediately, she was met with boos and cries from the crowd telling her to sit back down and “shut up.”
Coburn quieted the crowd and said everyone needed to overcome political party differences and do what is the “right thing.”
Another man asked Coburn, “How would Jesus go down on public option?”
“I really can’t speak for Jesus but … he believed in compassion and there is no compassion in government,” Coburn responded. “What is their plan after government based health care? The next logical step is what Canada does … devalue life.”
As an alternative to government health care, Coburn pushed for competition between hospitals and insurance companies.
“I know something is wrong with health care, but until there is real transparency in private health care, the problem will not be fixed,” he said. “Competition makes you better and through quality, outcome and transparency, you can make an informed judgment on the most important thing you need to do for yourself, your health.”
At the door, members of 9/12, a grassroots organization leading many of the Tea Party protests, passed out papers for their next large protest and urged others to show their disapproval.
“We don’t get paid to come to these [town hall meetings] but as a conservative, we have little to no voice in our government,” said Jenni White, 9/12 education coordinator. “Nobody can solve your problems but yourself and you can’t rely on the government to do it for you.”
Many at the meeting felt proud of Coburn voicing their concerns on the national level.
“Tom [Coburn] is aware of what is going on and I think he’s doing the right things,” said Michael Pittman, an attendee of the meeting.
As the debate continues, Coburn said he knows others in the country feel the same as Oklahomans on health care.
“Don’t think your voice doesn’t mean anything,” Coburn said. “Rise up, you have power that will be heard.”
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JJanowiak 2 years, 9 months ago
Clearly Oklahoma's health outcomes are the envy of the nation.
tedro 2 years, 9 months ago
no compassion in government?
i see, so Unemployment Insurance (mandated by GOVERNMENT/LAW) --you know... when a worker gets fired or laid off through NO FAULT of their own... that law is what? An Entitlement or COMPASSIONATE law.
how about Food Stamps, or Head Start or School lunch programs or Medicaid?
What would Jesus do, Coburn, cut the those? Do you have ANY idea where we would he without such COMPASSION.
how about getting rid of Saddam and rebuilding Iraq... what was that (bedsides criminal I mean).
what about your party's intrusion on Terry Schiavo's passing? THAT was COMPASSION.
your a loser and fascist fraud, Coburn.
amuyz 2 years, 9 months ago
August 29, 2009
Health Care:
My husband and I farm cherries and apples. We live in a rural area. We are retired from public service. We had to buy our own health insurance. In order to have medical insurance we are required by our company to have a high deductible health plan. This means we pay out of pocket each month $562.00. In less than one year our health plan went from $450 to $562. This is outrageous and it is very difficult to find other plans. It is time consuming and costly in start up fees.
In order for our high deductible to take effect in an emergency we would have to pay the first $10,000 in health care cost. This would bankrupt us. This is outrageous. In the normal course of visiting a doctor or getting eye care we pay 25 percent of the cost. You might say 25 percent doesn’t amount to much. It does amount to a lot when your bill is several thousands of dollars.
I expect you to vote and pass a health care bill this year. I expect you to vote YES on the public option. I will encourage other voters in your re-election campaign to vote according to whether you helped to pass a health care plan.
Rhology 2 years, 9 months ago
How about we let CHARITIES do charitable work and leave the government to GOVERNING? Hmmmm?
Those programs aren't charitable, they're tax money, taken by threat of force. Not neighborly at all. You want neighborly, go ask your neighbor to give you sthg out of the goodness of his heart. Sheesh. Think, people.
JosieWales 2 years, 9 months ago
Tedro, you are either ignorant of the definition of "fascist" or willingly choose to ignore it. As far as your rant regarding compassion in government - he was speaking ideologically. I would conjecture that what he means is there is no compassion, but rather, obligation and entitlement.
We need more people who, like Coburn, believe that "everyone [needs] to overcome political party differences" and we need fewer people who incessantly employ personal attacks in their arguments. (please consult your post for some of the latter).
JJanowiak,
I hope you don't mean to say that Coburn is responsible for Oklahoma heath care - in full or in part. Clearly, as a US Senator, he would have little-to-no say in state policy.
freak197 2 years, 9 months ago
here is an idea coburn give up your government PAYED for health care then complain about this crap. you are the worst senator ever and its a good thing you live in oklahoma were people only care about themselves or you would have never have gotten elected!