Sen. Jeff Merkley visits UCC for his Town Hall Meeting

By Iam Pace · The Mainstream
Published January 26, 2010

Sen. Jeff Merkley, at his Jan. 12 UCC town hall meeting, received mixed but emphatic responses to his position on the healthcare reform. The open-house nearly filled Jacoby Auditorium with eager guests waiting to hear the senator speak. Outside Jacoby, however, the scene was a bit different with more than a dozen advocates supporting varying stances on measures 66 & 67 crowding the entrance.

The event kicked off at 5 p.m. When guests entered the foyer, they were asked to write their names down and received a number in turn. Numbers would be called out while the meeting took place. Winning ones allowed guests to have a brief but public audience with the senator.

As guests began to fill the auditorium, photographers and cameramen prepared their equipment, deputies stood quietly at attention while public relation agents spoke with the media personnel present. 

When Merkley stepped on stage, energetic applause and cheering greeted him. As he made his way to center stage and the crowd began to quiet, he requested a standing pledge to the flag. The audience stood and ardently recited the vow. After everyone was seated, Merkley asked for a moment of silence for two Douglas County soldiers killed in Iraq. After which, and without further preamble, Merkley’s assistant began calling numbers.
The first three numbers announced failed to garner responses. “This is going to be pretty easy,” Merkley’s assistant laughed. The fourth number was called, and the audience hushed as they watched an older gentleman stand and move with purpose towards the mic.

The man passionately stated that only 30 to 40 percent of Oregonians wanted the healthcare reform and then immediately proceeded to list everything he perceived to be wrong with Oregon in no discernable order. He touched upon contentious topics such as illegal immigration, corporate bailouts and corruption, the timber industry and healthcare. He tactfully opened each subject with colorful remarks a keen to we don’t want immigrants coming over and having babies and we want our money back [hat was stolen by corporate CEOs. Many members of the audience yelled and cheered their response in a fashion more suited to a rock show. Eventually though, the gentlemen asked Merkley if he wouldn’t vote for the healthcare reform because Oregonians didn’t want him to.

Merkley, looking bemused, stated that he would vote for the healthcare reform because he felt it would positively affect the industry. He explained that the price for healthcare doubles every eight years and families that can barely afford it now will not be able afford it in two, four or six years. He said that the bill’s goal is to initiate better competition within the healthcare industry in order to lower prices and increase quality. He spoke about the current state of the healthcare system and the trends that have been set. Much of Merkley’s speech was greeted with verbose jeers, though there were a few who shouted support, but their voices were drowned beneath the tide of derision.

One of the next guests called upon to ask a question began her’s with an apology to Merkley for the rude behavior of many of her neighbors. She went on to thank him for the support he had shown, saying, “The children on the economic downturn are suffering greatly. You brought resources to help [the] children.”

The next hour and a half consisted of Merkley answering various questions from healthcare to the war in the Middle East. The crowd responded with either approval or heckles, often both.

After the two hour event, Merkley thanked everyone for coming and their interest in politics, walked from the stand to shake hands with audience members and answer more questions personally.

Merkley has offices throughout the state in Salem, Portland, Eugene, Medford and Pendleton and can be reached via his website at http://merkley.senate.gov/oregon.