by Thomas Good

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Congressman Mike McMahon (D, NY-13)

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McMahon's second town hall on health care began with a power point presentation

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Ed Luster (left), President of CWA Local 1102 (Staten Island)

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CWA: "Take Back NY! Take Back America!"

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Larry Goldbetter, President of UAW Local 1981, and Joyce Patrella, Executive VP of CWA Local 1110

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A staffer confers with Rep. Mike McMahon

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Veteran Howie Dunn recited the Pledge Of Allegiance

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Students from a local school sang the National Anthem

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Mike McMahon, whose district covers Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn

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CWA member Sam asked McMahon if the Tea Party's claims that "socialism" and "death panels" are part of the reform package contributed to the ongoing discussion:

"Do you feel this rhetoric has any productive value in achieving real health care reform?"

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CWA member Steve Lawton addressed Rep. McMahon directly:

"I believe that it's your obligation to represent the people and so that you should take the burden of health care costs off the people and put it back on the employers."

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UAW member George Albro also made a direct appeal:

"We need you, Congressman, to side with the people, not the insurance companies. We need you for a strong public option, like your colleagues in New York."

Albro mentioned former congressman Vito Fossella's antipathy to working people and told McMahon that "We rejoiced in your election -- so you could vote differently."

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A UAW "senior" said, "I believe that there's only one - and that's single payer - that does for all."

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Doug Biviano recently lost a bid for for a city council seat. He said:

"The only real solution is HR 676, single payer health care, Medicare for all."

Biviano asked McMahon, "Are you willing to lead and join with Anthony Weiner and do that or are you just going to sit in the middle and just kind of drift with the insurance companies? Are you going to show some leadership? That's what we need."

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McMahon under pressure to take a stand

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Kathleen Kelly is being foreclosed, having exhausted her savings on medical bills.

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Rosalie Caliento lost a cousin to pancreatic cancer - her cousin was unable to get proper treatment due to inadequate health care coverage. "I miss her greatly," Caliento said.

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The town hall time keeper - each speaker was given two minutes.

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Scott Klein of the American Heritage Democratic Organization:

"We elected you for a reason ... we elected you to stand up on an issue like this. And we need for you to do that. This is the most important issue that faces us today."

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Gerard Perry wanted assurances "illegal immigrants" won't get health care if reform goes through.

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Dr. Vincent Calamia said that nothing is being "rushed", reform is overdue.

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Dr. Harold Eichler complained about treatment delays resulting from dealing with insurance company and HMO denials.

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Carol from Bay Ridge said, "All of this could be paid for, everybody is worrying about how we can pay for this, if we get out of Iraq and Afghanistan. There's no reason for us to be there. None at all."

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Dr. Katrina John, a resident in the Maimonides emergency room said:

"I support more than the public option. Obviously, I support the single payer system because I was trained in that system, I worked for several years in that system, I've been a patient in that system and I have many family and friends who have received life-saving treatment in that system."

John said that, "As a doctor I have a moral standard, for me, nothing should come between my treatment of a patient. And certainly, it should be what's best for that patient and never should it be a financial incentive or profit motive or anything of that sort."

She sees no place for profit in health care.

"I think until profit can be taken out of medicine in this country then we will never be able to move forward and the health care that everybody would like to have would not be achieved. Profit is not necessary for excellent health care," she said.

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Craig Miller, pastor of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, said health care "is a basic human right."

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McMahon waved a paper entitled "Paying For Health Reform" and cited the cost of reform as a major stumbling block. His constituents disagreed. From the back of the meeting came shouts of "Get out of Iraq."

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Sarah Brandston, CWA member, feels that health care is a moral issue, not simply "dollars and cents."

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A UFT member said, "There is nothing rushed about health care in this country being taken up ... it has become an absolute emergency for the middle class."

"We do have to have a public option. Just take a look at the profits of the pharmaceutical and the health care and insurance companies while many people are losing their jobs and their coverage and many companies are going under, they are getting profits after profits after profits," she added.

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Unemployed attorney Nancy Breslow is thankful for the insurance coverage she has - but concerned for those who are not covered.

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Dr. Wisly Augustin, an opthalmologist, told the town hall that one of his patients lost her eyesight as a result of having inadequate health care coverage.

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Patricia from Domestic Workers United wants health care for all workers.

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A business analyst with 25 years experience in health care said:

"The Post Office is pretty good and that is a delivery system that competes with Fedex and UPS and they co-exist. So, the idea of a public option is viable."

"We do need it now ... go make it as good as you can, make it the best you can, don't demand that it be perfect," he added.

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