• Posted on Thursday, August 27, 2009
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'Stay fired up,' Rep. Graves tells town hall crowd in Kansas City

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About 400 people turned out Wednesday for a town hall meeting sponsored by U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, with nearly all expressing opposition to current health care reform proposals.

The crowd at Park Hill High School carried no placards and sat respectfully for all questions.

By contrast, Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill encountered one of her most unruly crowds yet at a town hall gathering in Jefferson City. The heckling began during the opening prayer Wednesday night.

Opponents of President Barack Obama's health care plan applauded when the first questioner said: "Obama has the death book open, ready to euthanize."

McCaskill replied that the proposals would do just the opposite and said she would never support legislation that would diminish people's ability to make end-of-life decisions.

In Kansas City, participants gave Graves, Republican congressman for the 6th District in Missouri, a rousing standing ovation at the beginning, and cheered loudly at comments critical of the Democrats' reform plans.

It is government-run health care, Graves warned, arguing that the public health insurance option eventually would be the only option, through attrition from private insurance.

"I have yet to see a program that the government runs well," he said.

Read the complete story at kansascity.com

Read the complete story at kansascity.com

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