Chris is publisher of the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by email at cpruett79@gmail.com or by calling (812) 847-4487

Ellsworth's visit drawing lots of attention

Posted Friday, August 14, 2009, at 2:28 PM

Healthcare reform is the newest political hotbutton.

It has brought out the best and unfortunately the worst in some of our national lawmakers and citizens of this great country.

Unless you've been out of the country for a couple of weeks, you've heard about all those town hall meetings where our U.S. representatives have tried to explain President Obama's healthcare reform proposal (it's not a bill yet) and many have turned into shouting matches. People have been escorted from the meetings, and it has gotten ugly at times.

Greene County hasn't been immune to the protests. As Nick Schneider of this newspaper reported in Thursday's edition, some area residents were at Humphreys Park in Linton earlier this week protesting the healthcare reform proposal and the cap and trade legislation.

Last week someone was at the courthouse in Bloomfield protesting the healthcare reform idea.

It appears some may try to turn the Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce's monthly meeting Tuesday -- starting at noon -- at the Phil Harris Golf Course into their own platform to protest against healthcare reform.

Chamber Executive Director Cheryl Hamilton invited 8th District U.S. Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-Evansville) to be the guest speaker at the Chamber's meeting. He did the same last year, and it was the best turnout of all the monthly meetings.

Hamilton says she's been getting numerous calls from outside the area wanting to know about the meeting. Is it a town hall meeting? Will the public be allowed to ask questions?

"The Chamber invited Congressman Ellsworth back to speak to Chamber members as he did in August 2008. We are inviting the public to attend, however, we are reminding everyone that this is our monthly Chamber meeting and the format will not be the same as a town hall meeting," Hamilton explained.

"We will have our networking lunch to be followed by a brief business meeting as we do at all our monthly meetings. The Congressman will then update our members on issues important to them, our small businesses."

When Hamilton asked Ellsworth to speak, she asked him to focus on issues important to Linton and Greene County businesses.

"The Congressman will speak for approximately 20-30 minutes, as he did last year. One change in this year's meeting from last year's meeting is that the live floor questions and answers will only be open to our Chamber members," Hamilton said. "We will have available a question log that the public is free to complete that will include their name and contact information and an area for their questions. Our office will then see that the Congressman's office gets these logs.

"We have had such an overwhelming response to this year's meeting and we have only requested a minimal amount of the Congressman's time, we feel it is important to limit the Q&A at this year's meeting to the Chamber members."

The meeting is expected to last about an hour and 15 minutes.

"There is an $8 cost associated with our monthly meetings. This cost will apply to members, guests and the public. We will be at the outdoor shelter at the Phil Harris Golf Course and seating is limited. We have only a few seats remaining for Tuesday's meeting," Hamilton said.

The Linton Police Department has agreed to have three officers at the meeting for crowd control.

Is there a chance someone will slip through the cracks and get out of control? Of course.

Everyone must keep in mind that this great country was founded on people rebelling. If that hadn't happened, we wouldn't enjoy our freedoms today.

But as my dad told me earlier this week, people can protest and be respectful at the same time.

If you would like more information on Tuesday's meeting, contact the Chamber office at info@lintonchamber.org or call 847-4846.

Comments

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First question: Will people be packing heat or will they have to check their guns at the door?

-- Posted by RedBlueGreen on Fri, Aug 14, 2009, at 8:38 PM
A couple observations on the Congressman's visit:

First, no matter what side of the current controversy one is on, it is encouraging to at least see citizens getting involved with Government decisions. This should not scare elected officials but rather they should applaud this unexpected turn of events in our country.

Secondly, folks attending these meetings should have the chance to have their say or to ask their questions. I don't believe any elected official should be immune nor dodge these questions. However, I also am saddened by some of the very impolite and downright nasty manner in which some citizens have acted recently. I do not know if this a result of the screaming "talking heads" we are subject to 24/7 on TV or just that passions are running high. But I do know that with any right also comes responsibility and we should all treat those rights with respect.

I hope very much that Greene County residents give the Congressman the respect and dignity he deserves this Tuesday at the Chamber function as well as hope that he, along with the rest of the congress, has the wisdom to know that taking some heat is in their job description. And, finally I hope that these elected official have the back bone to listen to their constituents and whichever way they decide be willing to defend their position publicly and be thankful citizens are finally getting involved.

-- Posted by old linton native on Sat, Aug 15, 2009, at 10:26 AM
"Greene County hasn't been immune to the protests"

"it appears...some may try to turn this into their own platform against healthcare reform"

Mr. Pruit, you make this sound like this is a disease or something we should be ashamed of?

Asking legitimate questions of our elected officials is the RIGHT of every citizen!!! Maybe more people should shout out their feelings, then our elected officials might actually vote WITH their constituency rather than by party lines.

Since Congressman Ellsworth cancelled "Town Hall" meetings because of fear, public appearances are fair game for citizens to make their feelings known! The only thing that I am sorry about is that it has taken so long for people to become angry and passionate about our country's long, downward spiral!!!!!

-- Posted by on the Blood trail on Sun, Aug 16, 2009, at 1:22 PM
Isn't there some golfing planned after the program?

Perhaps the good Congressman will agree to skip the golf and spend this additional time conversing with his public that he represents.

-- Posted by BloomburgBanter on Sun, Aug 16, 2009, at 5:13 PM
Knowing that I had to work during his visit, I called his office, about two weeks ago, to get his schedule for any town halls or another chance to share some information with him. His Evansville office said he would send me a personal response to share his view on healthcare reform. I said I didn't want his view as I have already read about it. I just wanted to ask him some questions and share some ideas about our county and it's needs. I received his form letter Thursday that pretty much said he is concerned about our deficit but the healthcare reform needed passed anyway.

I then called the Terre Haute office to get his schedule of the next month. The secretary said she didn't know if he had any public meetings scheduled or not and was not helpful at all. I told her I would call her back and give her his schedule so she could help others with the same request. I e-mailed to her and then Friday received the same form letter from that office.

This government needs replaced. They have no idea how to balance a checkbook, make a decision without a poll, represent their constituents or make a schedule to speak with the constituents.

Congressman,

Cancel the golf game and go to the armory or park and tell your public why we need to change our whole healthcare system to fix the 10% who don't have it.

Pretty much, leave us alone and stop giving away our money and freedom!

-- Posted by cow rancher on Sun, Aug 16, 2009, at 10:29 PM
Amen, Cow Rancher, Amen!

-- Posted by on the Blood trail on Mon, Aug 17, 2009, at 4:34 AM
Any talk about healthcare reform must not include any discussion of the public option. The public option will lead to cost cutting measures as the government attempts to cut its' losses. This will mean denial of services for many. This is because even to this day the government has no idea how to fund this massive program. The money is not there and never can be for this boondoggle, making cost cutting measures inevitable. The most obvious and easiest way to do cut costs would be to cut services to the elderly and the chronically ill. I'd rather not have a government bureaucrat that cannot be held accountable for his actions sitting somewhere hundreds of miles away telling me what procedures I can and cannot have done. Would you? This is a private decision best left between you and your doctor. Also, it will mean the slow death of private insurance. What company is going to maintain a private plan at their own cost when they can get on board for the public option at no cost to them? Though they have to maintain what they have for the moment, as soon as you leave your job, that's just one less insured they will have to replace at their cost. Anyone can see that. Lastly, to accomplish TRUE healthcare reform, something must be done about tort reform. The many malpractice lawsuits that have been brought, many of them being unfounded, have led to higher costs for us all, as doctors have to pass the costs of protecting themselves from groundless lawsuits onto both the insurance companies and ourselves. Give the private sector the tools to fix the issue themselves. That is the only workable solution. The government has not proven it can run anything successfully without massive cost overruns. Look at Medicare. Look at Social Security. Both public sector programs to help the disadvantaged, and both are hemorrhaging red ink at a frightening rate.

Say NO to Obamacare. Get involved. Contact Brad Ellsworth and let him know what you think.

-- Posted by myotis5705 on Tue, Aug 18, 2009, at 12:16 PM
I went

it appears the scheduler controls the congressman......what does she have on him?????

-- Posted by Mike ES on Wed, Aug 19, 2009, at 8:53 AM
myotis5705,

Well said!

Folk's if you want to stop cuts in Medicare and stop this bill , then call the numbers below and tell them you are against it. It is still better to send a hand-written letter.

Congressman Ellsworth's address and phone:

Washington, DC Office

513 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

ph: (202) 225-4636

Toll Free: (866) 567-0227

Senator Bayh's address and phone:

131 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

(202) 224-5623

(202) 228-1377 fax

fx: (202) 225-3284

Office Hours: 9am-6pm Eastern Time

When you are at it, read this article from a citizen about their visit to Indiana:

http://www.dakotavoice.com/2009/08/hoosiers-should-say-bye-bayh-in-2010/

I had a similar experience in Bayh's office and in Lugar's office. I guess it doesn't matter if you are a constituent or not if you visit the offices. They treat us all the same.

-- Posted by cow rancher on Thu, Aug 20, 2009, at 5:12 PM

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