The Record
September 3, 2009
James Woo

MONTCLAIR – A public health insurance option was on the minds of many of the thousand-plus people who attended a town hall meeting with Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. on Thursday.

The discussion, at times a shouting match, covered a range of topics about health care reform.

Some voiced their opposition to the idea, which would put the government directly in competition with private health insurers.

Scott Webber of Livingston decried a public option as “un-American.” He said that in America, there is no such right to the property or goods of others.

Other people expressed their support for a remedy that would help cover the 45 million or so uninsured Americans.

Nina Peyser, 56, of South Orange said her mother was cared for by home health aides before her death.

“I’m horrified that the same people who took care of my parents did not have health insurance,” she said.

Pascrell’s only in-person town hall meeting was filled to capacity and then some. An overflow crowd of 250 people watched the discussion by simulcast, according to the event’s organizers. Two telephone conference calls were conducted with thousands over the past few weeks.

The event followed several other meetings, sometimes passionate and emotional, sponsored by other members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation.

Present Thursday were residents, local politicians and members of advocacy groups, such as Planned Parenthood and the Morristown Tea Party Organization.

The meeting began with speeches by Pascrell and three others in favor of a public option. Then questions were chosen at random from a box for those who supported changes, opposed and were undecided. Audience members who submitted the questions were called upon to ask them to the congressman.