Aug. 19 Daily News editorial

Tonight’s town hall meeting at the Cowlitz County Expo Center — the second of five meetings Congressman Brian Baird has scheduled over the August recess — should be lively and informative. Members of this community value these town meetings and understand the critical role that civility and respect for opposing views plays in our democracy. We don’t expect to witness the purposeful disruptions and generally bad behavior that has marred many other town hall meetings this month. We’re reasonably sure that local residents would neither condone nor tolerate it.

Some citizens, anxious or even angry over congressional efforts to write a health-care reform bill, may well show up at tonight’s meeting solely to protest. And that’s fine. Town hall meetings are as much a forum for protest as they are for the exchange of information — so long as those protesting give other citizens an opportunity to be heard.

A good number of the people will likely come to this town hall meeting with serious concerns about the Health-care reform bill moving in the House, hoping to learn more about it from their congressman. There’s a great deal of misinformation and confusion about the still-evolving legislation and how it would change the current health-care system. This summer’s debate over health-care reform has been generating more heat than light. Some in the arena have raised the noise level in an attempt to preclude that debate. But, presently, few topics are more in need of an honest airing than this effort to reshape the nation’s health-care system. People need to know why change is necessary and how the proposed changes might affect them.

The one thing just about everyone agrees on is that change is necessary. The current system is far too costly for government, private businesses and individuals. Soaring medical and insurance costs must, somehow, be contained. At the same time, all Americans must have timely access to quality medical care.

Right now, some 46 million Americans have no health insurance. For most, that means no regular visits to doctor for preventive care. These citizens often end up in hospital emergency rooms with serious conditions that could have been treated earlier for a fraction of the cost. The government and those with health insurance end up paying the bill. Some 14 million more Americans are underinsured, with high deductibles that discourage annual checkups and little to no dental coverage.

Tonight’s town hall meeting gives local residents the opportunity to question their congressman, speak their minds and hear what their neighbors have to say. Judging from past town halls in Longview, we’re confident they’ll make the best of it.