Ohio Blue Dog Congressman Space Holds Tele-Conference Town Hall

Ohio Congressman Zack Space represents the rural 18th District in Ohio. Space has served this oddly designed district since 2007. Residents in this primarily rural area have expressed anger at the lack of contact with the typically accessible representative. Space, did not tour the district during the August break, and held just one town hall meeting. The Zanesville, Ohio town hall meeting was on the Congressman's schedule, according to statements his staff made to constituent inquiries. Staffers at all of Space's Ohio offices were tight lipped regarding his schedule.

After 39 phone calls and emails, I finally received a response from an aide in the Congressman's Washington D.C. office. Stuart Chapman, whom I typically communicate with regarding coverage of Space, was apologetic about the untimely response to questions regarding town halls. New staff, a wedding, which a communications staffer was out of town attending, and a schedule, which was still in development, were the reasons given for the lack of answers residents were receiving. Being that is was the middle of August; voters were growing less patient with the lack of contact with Congressman Space.

While on recess, Space was meeting privately with news outlets to share his views on the Obama's healthcare proposal. This was quite a stark difference in behavior from Space's typical August activities. Meeting with local Democratic parties, attending community events, and open door receptions were the norm for the Congressman. While Space can be given credit for sharing his views on the healthcare debate through district media outlets, this soft peddle approach has not sat well with constituents. According to an off the record comment from Chapman, there was a significant reason for Space's lack of public appearances. If Mr. Chapman was being completely honest, the raised tempers surrounding the healthcare debate have spun out of control. Should his reasoning be flawed or outright dishonest, our public servants have totally forgotten the tenants of the oath taken when entering office.

Congressman Space held a town hall meeting in Zanesville on September 1, with the USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. The topic of the meeting surrounded the improvement of economic development in the rural district. According to a press release from the Congressman's office regarding the event, local farmers were given the opportunity to address concerns regarding USDA programs.

Space held a series of tele-conference town hall meetings during the August recess to discuss resident concerns, including his support of healthcare reform. While these tele-conferences were open to the public, constituents had to enter a pin number to connect to the virtual forum. These tele-conferences were not widely publicized, and the information was not accessible through the "upcoming events" section of Space's website. District voters have noted the stark difference between pre-healthcare debate Space, and current the post-healthcare reform elected official.

After receiving a tele-conference phone and pin number in an email from Mr. Chapman, I participated in the "Blue Dog" democrat's voice forum. An anticipated goal to reach 60,000 residents was not quite met, but according to the forum moderator, 17,000 individuals did phone in to the event. The topic of this forum was the impact of healthcare reform on senior citizens. Space represented himself in the caring and patient manner he is noted for during the forum. Tele-conference participants could alert the moderator to a desire to ask a question throughout the one-hour event. Senior citizens were not hesitant to voice their concerns, of which there were many. None of the forum attendees I heard stated support for the plan. While fireworks and yelling weren't directed to the Congressman, impassioned opinions regarding rationing of services, end of life care, and increasing taxes and the national debt were voice repeatedly.

"What unfortunately is beginning to happen, is the topic of healthcare is becoming political, and that is regrettable, "Space stated during the forum. "Moderates and independents, which I think is most people, are sitting in dignified silence; those on either end of the spectrum are speaking out vocally and confusing them. Moderate minded individuals don't have this strong ideological adherence to the Democratic or Republican parties, and want to hear facts of the healthcare bill."

The most startling comment to come out of the forum related to end of life counseling and Medicare. In response to a question from a constituent regarding the controversial "death panel" portions of Obama's proposed healthcare plan, Space stated doctors would be able to take a bigger bite out of the struggling Medicare budget. After explaining his interpretation of the end of life care inclusions in the bill, Space stated physicians will be required to offer end of life counseling, but patients are not required to accept the counseling and planning services. Doctor discussions regarding heroic measures, living wills, and do not resuscitate orders with patients and family will now carry a price tag, should the bill pass. Gone will be the days of a free conservation regarding care, with Medicare footing the bill this type of dialogue with patients.

"Doctor's should be paid for providing services, and will bill Medicare for end of life care planning with patients," Space stated during the forum.

"The bill I voted for, and I can't speak to the one which may make it to the floor, is not socialized healthcare by any means," Space stated during the tele-conference. "I understand why people think it is rigged to go into a national system, and I think you are right it would, rather could, lead to a national system if not set up right. I want to answer questions, dispel myths, and continue to work on the bill, with your input."

A Zanesville resident, who identified herself as Margaret asked the Congressman a question regarding abortion and the healthcare bill. "Abortion shouldn't be in the healthcare bill, it is opposite from health, it is killing. Is it going to be in the healthcare plan overshadowed so we cannot see it? Will tax dollars of the American people be paying for something that many of us don't believe in?"

Space responded there was no taxpayer-funded abortion specific language in the bill for which he voted. "I think it would be wrong to have abortion funding in the healthcare plan when so many Americans feel so strongly about the issue."

"In our neck of the woods small businesses are the backbone of economy. Many small business owners, and I used to be one, cannot afford to provide insurance. Not because they do not want to, but because they can't afford it. Creating a system, which forces them to provide it when they cannot afford it, does cause problems, like laying off workers? I have been fighting to prevent that. As a blue dog, I was able to negotiate getting figure for small business coverage up to those places, which earn at least $500,000 per year. That is 80% of the businesses in my district, and America, which will not be required to provide coverage. If those measures are taken out of the bill, it will probably lose my support," Space stated during the telephone meeting with constituents.

"Several bills are still out there, no one really knows what it is going to look like before it reaches the President's desk, if it ever does," Space stated at the end of his final tele-conference. "I think we all want something done, but want it to be moderate, and not a knee-jerk reaction. People do not trust government to do something like this. Government has proven in the past not to deal well with bureaucracy. Many controls are now written into the bill I, along with some colleagues are concerned with fiscal repercussions. The bill need to limit the amount of governmental control that it exerts, but at the same time, do something about the increasing costs of healthcare, and access for the millions of Americans who don't have it right now, and portability. We have a long way to go, but not choice but to get there. Senior citizens, veterans, young children, and families need to have access to healthcare," Congressman Space concluded.

The portability issue many pundits raise still baffles me. The healthcare plan offered by my employer was very expensive, so I researched my healthcare options online. I found the plan not only equal to the quality of services offered through my employer, but through the same provider, for almost half the cost. My husband had a pre-existing condition with kidney stones, and we were not denied coverage. Those Americans who cannot afford coverage, but make too much money to qualify for free care could be covered without tinkering with the healthcare others currently enjoy. By offering coverage through the existing program for the economically depressed on a sliding fee scale based upon earnings, those who are in need could receive health insurance.

What is even scarier than allowing the government to take control over more aspects of our lives, is the willingness of so many Americans to openly welcome the concept. I am afraid that the ideas of hard work and "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps" are diminishing at warp speed.