Debate, don't scream

At more than 1,000 pages, President Obama's health care proposal is certain to contain elements that will find both supporters and detractors.

We haven't finished reading the document ourselves, so it is hard to comment on some of its specifics, but the one thing the proposal and the president have done is put the issue of health care reform front and center in the public consciousness.

There is no question some reform is needed, so the current debate over the measure is a good thing for America.

Assuming of course, people actually debate it, using reason, facts and logic.

Unfortunately, many of the town hall meetings are facing what appears to be an organized effort to disrupt them, and elements of the GOP are being blamed for that effort. This is neither good for the GOP nor good for America.

Shouting down and vilifying opposition is not debate. The louder you yell does not make your argument stronger. Mob rule does not make for good democracy. And using phoney scare tactics, such as claiming that the bill encourages euthanasia of senior citizens, is not only ridiculous, but detracts from the debate over the real issues -- how to rein in health costs, who should pay for it, and how should the insurance programs be set up and administered.

Those are legitimate issues. Those are the issues people need to research, understand and decide if the current proposal should be adopted, modified, or scrapped in favor of an alternate plan. But to achieve that goal, people need to be heard, not shouted down. The current tactics by opponents take away the opportunity to participate in our democracy by the rest of the citizenry.

Those who are disrupting these meetings should be ashamed. This is not how American democracy should work.

This is an issue that needs to be heard, properly debated and the final decision made on the basis of facts, reason and common sense -- not decibel level.

-- Kelly Everitt