News 12 Newsmakers: Suburban NY Latest Health Care Battleground

An intense thunderstorm swept through the Hudson Valley late Friday afternoon, felling trees, knocking out power and providing some relief from the stifling summer heat.

But it did nothing to lessen the intensity of the debate over health care reform in the 19th district, where Rep. John Hall (D) and his likely Republican challenger, state Assemblyman Greg Ball — along with their supporters — have been skirmishing over the issue all month.

Shortly after Fridays storm, 200 people packed a community center in this riverfront town, the site of significant Revolutionary War battles, for Balls third town hall this week on health care. Earlier in the day, across the Hudson and to the south, Hall discussed reform proposals with merchants in the ethnically and economically diverse Westchester County village of Mt. Kisco.

Both encountered critics along the way — though the challenger presided over a far more raucous event.

People are so activated right now, Ball said.

That was an understatement. People began streaming into the room an hour before the town halls scheduled kick-off, and several people carried signs criticizing the health care reform proposals being circulated by Democratic leaders in Washington, D.C.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• greg
• ball
• john
• hall
• healthcare
• health
• care
• obamacare
• election
• 2010
• new
• york
• congress

[smithmsdiane]

It was a great debate for health...

[nanotech2020]

VETO (V.ote E.very one of T.hem O.ut)