Posted at: 08/22/2009 6:09 PM
Updated at: 08/22/2009 10:49 PM
By: Cris Ornelas, Eyewitness News 4; Charlie Pabst, KOB.com

Health care forum fails to change minds

Participants who were allowed to ask questions had their name drawn randomly

Saturday's town hall hosted by Rep. Martin Heinrich to discuss health care reform did little to bridge the ideological gap. After an hour and a half of shouting and booing, no one really seemed to soften their position on reform.

It seemed to be an evenly divided audience at the town hall meeting.

Those for and against health care reform, about 700 in all, gathered to listen to what Congressman Martin Heinrich had to say.

In response to one question, Heinrich said, "I think we need to make sure, as we said before, that its the doctor or the health care provider that is making that decision-- not the government, and not the insurance company."

Some seemed less interested in listening, and more interested in venting their anger about proposed health care changes.

One man at the forum said, "We sent you to Washington to take care of business. We did not send you to Washington to socialize the health care system."

People who wanted to ask questions had to enter into a drawing, but everyone picked could ask whatever they wanted.

The earlier commenter asked a short, charged question in the end: "You're expecting us to give you our money to run socialized health care? No, sir! What part of no do you not understand about socialism?" Afterwards, many were not happy with the answers they got to their questions.

One participant said, "He gave political answers, not real answers." Congressman Heinrich says while there is still a lot of work to do to come up with a final bill, he hopes health care reform will pass Congress by the end of the year.