What started out as a forum to update constituents on federal agricultural legislation at DakotaFest quickly turned into a lively partisan discussion on health care reform and climate change.
Several hundred people gathered Wednesday morning at the farm show just outside Mitchell to listen to Sen. John Thune and Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.
They started by addressing climate change legislation, but the majority of audience questions focused on health care reform, including specifics on the public option.
Thune took a firm stance. "I don't want a European or Canadian system, and I don't think most Americans do."
His sentiments were echoed by clapping, whistling and supportive shouts.
How Washington will pay for the reform was another popular question. "Health care should be about reducing costs, not increasing costs," Thune said.
Thune said all of the Democratic ideas proposed so far would increase costs, while he's had numerous alternatives rejected by Congress that would help solve the problem without cost increases.
"You have to believe the government can do a better job of running health care. I don't," he said.
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Thune said a health care cooperative option instead of a government-run system might work, but he wonders whether it's a "backdoor" way for the Democrats to get a single-payer system run out of Washington.
Herseth Sandlin, a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats, echoed Thune's call to proceed slowly and find ways to pay for health care reform.
She's also open to a co-op if it gives consumers more choice. "I'm not so sold on a government option."
Today's panel was a tame version compared to some town hall meetings inundated with protesters seen on the national front. But protesters made their presence known by holding up "Hands off my health care" signs.
Retirees Paul and Mildred Hartmann of Armour are on Medicare and said the forum did not ease their worries about health care reform. Mildred said her biggest concern is "pulling the plug on grandma," a phrase used often in the reform debate.
Time also was spent discussing the climate change and energy bill that was already passed by the House of Representatives, which Thune adamantly opposes.
"I will work with every fiber of my being to defeat the bill that was passed by the House of Representatives," he said.
Show Director Todd Benz said the climate-change bill has been a frequent topic at the farm show. The cap-and-trade policy would be a market-based system where pollution permits would be bought and sold.
"There's a lot of cost components that if we don't watch it in the ag industry that it can come back and haunt us," Benz said.
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Thune is worried about the price farmers will pay because of the Democrats' environmental policies. Herseth Sandlin took issue with the characterization. "Don't be scared that the Democrats are in charge," Herseth started to state but was drowned out by laughter and a few boos from the crowd.
The heavily attended forum was the largest that DakotaFest has had, according to Benz.
Sen. Tim Johnson was invited to the forum, but did not attend.
