Citizens' Political Groups Hosting Health-Care Forums
MONTAGUE — Several state citizens' groups are holding a series of forums on health care reform. The first forum will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at the American Legion, 41 Wendell St., Pittsfield.The Liberty Preservation Association of Massachusetts, a nonpartisan political watchdog group that promotes ethical and constitutional government, the Campaign for Liberty and the 9/12 Project, are sponsoring three town hall meetings in Massachusetts District 1.
Laura Jackson, president of MassLPA, said the main goal of the forums is to diagnose the root problems of the rising costs of health care and health insurance through open discussion and an audience participation.
Members of the groups say they were frustrated that U.S. Rep. John Olver, D-Amherst, declined to hold meetings on health insurance reform.
According to the groups, a spokesman for Olver said the congressman was not setting up anymore personal meetings and would likely not hold any town hall meetings because the size of the district. (District 1 is the largest geographical congressional unit in the state, ecompassing all of Berkshire and Franklin counties and large chunks of Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex and Worcestor.)
"We need to hear what people of all stripes think," Jackson said. "because, even though the media would have you believe otherwise, the goal of reform is the same across the board: Lower the cost of both care and insurance. The debate is being framed in such narrow terms — you're either for the bill or your against it, that it's stifling citizens' creative problem-solving abilities, and ultimately, it's politically lazy."
The second meeting will be held on Thursday, Sept. 3, at the Guiding Star Grange, 401 Chapman St., Greenfield, and the third on Friday, Sept. 4, at the American Legion, 40 Daniel Shays Highway, Orange. All forums are from 7 to 9. Every citizen is welcome and encouraged to attend.
