Republican Tom Reed faced a vocal crowd yesterday as he held a Town Hall meeting in Ithaca. Though the Congressman found supporters in the crowd regarding a few issues, the topic of healthcare reform drew energized interjections from a large contingent of his constituents. The group on hand was clamoring for a single payer program, and Reed faced significant backlash over his opposition to that approach.
"Where can we agree? Even in a single payer (crowd erupts)...Because a single payer healthcare system is too much government control, too much government (crowd erupts)...I trust people more than I trust giving that power to the government." A member of the crowd then shouts, "You are the government!"
Residents in Tompkins County have been requesting a visit by Reed since November.
People began gathering outside the venue as early as 4:30 in the morning to assure that they would get a seat at the 8 o'clock meeting.
