MONTICELLO - Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, came to listen, and many people in her audience gave her that chance, Monday at the high school.
It seemed most came prepared with written statements, some on the session's topic of health care, while other topics varied widely.
Although the approximately 50 people who attended the listening session were polite, there was a sense of tension as a couple of the statements criticized the government's actions in regard to immigration and liberty. One man even spoke about the need to protect the Defense of Marriage Act.
Baldwin said the most prominent issue at her recent listening sessions has been health care, what it's about and where it stands in the Congress.
Baldwin took a few minutes to explain what's included in the House of Representatives health care bill and how it will affect people if it passes.
Baldwin explained the health care bill would help families afford premiums, provide money for preventive care and modify programs to include public health awareness for problems like obesity and tobacco use.
But some challenged her statements that health care reform would benefit the country.
"Eventually the price of insurance will be so high I won't be able to buy insurance. I'll have to buy government insurance," one man, who owns a business, said.
One woman said she was concerned about the national debt and wasn't aware of any government program that was managed effectively. In addition, she said, she asked Baldwin if requiring the wealthiest Americans to pay for most of health care reform was "taxation without representation."
Baldwin explained the cost of insurance depends on the number of people who are covered.
"If this bill were passed, health insurance premiums would go down," she said.
It seemed most came prepared with written statements, some on the session's topic of health care, while other topics varied widely.
Although the approximately 50 people who attended the listening session were polite, there was a sense of tension as a couple of the statements criticized the government's actions in regard to immigration and liberty. One man even spoke about the need to protect the Defense of Marriage Act.
Baldwin said the most prominent issue at her recent listening sessions has been health care, what it's about and where it stands in the Congress.
Baldwin took a few minutes to explain what's included in the House of Representatives health care bill and how it will affect people if it passes.
Baldwin explained the health care bill would help families afford premiums, provide money for preventive care and modify programs to include public health awareness for problems like obesity and tobacco use.
But some challenged her statements that health care reform would benefit the country.
"Eventually the price of insurance will be so high I won't be able to buy insurance. I'll have to buy government insurance," one man, who owns a business, said.
One woman said she was concerned about the national debt and wasn't aware of any government program that was managed effectively. In addition, she said, she asked Baldwin if requiring the wealthiest Americans to pay for most of health care reform was "taxation without representation."
Baldwin explained the cost of insurance depends on the number of people who are covered.
"If this bill were passed, health insurance premiums would go down," she said.