Health care divides crowd at Rep. Smith's town hall

LAKEWOOD, Pierce County — It wasn't planned as a health-care forum, U.S. Rep. Adam Smith told the boisterous crowd at Harry Lang Stadium Tuesday night. But the 2,500 people who crowded into Smith's town-hall meeting holding signs and shouting opinions had mostly health care on their minds.

Smith, D-Tacoma, addressed the crowd for a while on topics such as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq before turning the focus on health care.

He said he knows there's a need to change the nation's health-care system because, as a nation, we spend too much for health and get too little. Smith also spoke about the need to extend access to health care to those who lack insurance or are underinsured.

After about 15 minutes, Smith welcomed questions from the crowd.

In response to one, he expressed discontent with parts of the health proposals currently wending their way through Congress. For example, he is concerned that some options, such as health savings accounts, wouldn't be available several years out.

The most fervent discussions concerned the cost of health reform and whether there is room for a public-option plan, a form of government health insurance that would be available along with private health insurance in some proposals.

"Understand the value of the dollar," said Paula Hagstrom, who is a retired baby boomer who opposes any public-option plan. "This government is too big; it can't sustain itself."

But others disagreed.

"We elected him [Obama] to do a public-option plan," said Larry Jackson, an electrician from Lakewood.

The crowd started out being conciliatory, with people in deep discussions an hour before the congressman spoke. But as the evening drew on, the crowd got louder, with some chanting "Health Care Now!" and others countering with "No!"

At one point, a shoving match started between a person holding up a picture of President Obama with a Hitler-style mustache and people around him.

Smith said he remembered when only one person would show up for his town-hall meetings. Now so many people come, he said, "I try to ask for people not to applaud in order not to make people feel intimidated. I have given up."

Many praised the congressman for being out in the crowd to field their questions. He made the crowd laugh during parts of the discussion, admitting that he would probably get in trouble for some statements.

"I think [Smith] is thoughtful, well-informed and has a good sense of the issue," said Andrea Gernon, a community volunteer. "He knows his stuff."

Marnette Federis: 206-464-2521 or mfederis@seattletimes.com