Baltimore Sun

They began arriving four hours early, ignoring triple-digit heat-index levels for a chance to hoot and holler at Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin’s health-care town hall meeting Monday night.

WBAL.com

Cardin was booed and jeered repeatedly throughout his 25-minute presentation and the question-and-answer period. The crowd had to be asked to calm down to allow him to continue.

Cardin said how to pay for the bill has not yet been worked out, a comment that prompted even more derision from the audience. Some shouted, “Taxes!” and others shouted, “Spend, Ben, spend!”

At one point, four police officers strolled down the two aisles of the auditorium at Towson University and stood in front of the stage.

Cardin defended the health bills, saying they would provide more choice, and that there would be more people, not fewer, with insurance.

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He said the bill would be neutral on abortion; there would be no change from current policy.

But Cardin had to stop speaking several times because crowd was so loud.

Another questioner: “Yes or no?” on whether Cardin would enroll in whatever bill passes. Cardin began to answer twice, and each time the questioner asked him “Yes or no?” prompting a deafening roar from the crowd.

Cardin finally said, “I turned 65 this year. I’m in a public plan. It’s called Medicare.”

The protests continued even after the meeting with people shouting on the road outside of the hall, waving flags and placards.

More than 200 boisterous but peaceful protesters turned out before the meeting.

Protesters chanted and carried signs that read, “No socialized medicine”; “Public option is no option”; “Health care can’t wait” and “Health care is a right.”

More coverage and videos below the fold.

WBAL TV

Maryland members of the Health Care for America Now coalition held a counter-rally before the meeting hosted by Sen. Ben Cardin, one of many being put on nationwide as protests grow over reforms Congress will consider after its summer break.

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About 500 people were allowed inside Tuesday night’s meeting, where frayed tempers often interrupted the debate. Cardin had to stop speaking several times because the crowd was so loud.
Outside, the opinions were just as strong.
“You want (health care) to be more efficient and you want it to be cheaper. So you want the government to do it? Come on, Katrina, Medicare, Medicaid, anyone?” said Rob Baranoski.

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Jeff Werner of Hagerstown said, “I like having my own choice.”
He said his company’s plan costs $5,000 a year and covers 90 percent of his health care costs. He’s afraid the Obama reforms would take that away.
Werner has two sons, ages 14 and 8, he’s worried that with the reforms being proposed by Congress, his current option would go away.
“You do have to have some reform. But that doesn’t mean you take away our choice,” he said.

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Sean Dobson, 45, of Silver Spring, director of Progressive Maryland, rejected arguments that the government option would drive private insurers out of business.
“That’s crazy. Nobody says the library drives the bookstores out of business,” Dobson said, adding that those arguments were being made by insurers looking to maintain their monopoly.
The Maryland Freedom Coalition urged its followers to go to support its tax tea party goals and to tell Cardin “no” to the president’s health care reform push. The coalition was organized by Ellen Sauerbrey, a conservative Republican who ran unsuccessfully twice for governor.

WJZ

What was supposed to be a town hall discussion on health care reform turned into a shouting match with protesters on both side of the debate demanding answers from one person, Senator Ben Cardin.

Seconds into his presentation on health care reform, Cardin was met with boos and jeers from angry Marylanders outraged over the proposed health care reform making its way through Congress. Some people in the audience were shouting back in an attempt to get his point across.

The Democratic senator tried to defend the bill saying it would provide more choices when it comes to health care coverage.

Not everyone agreed.

“How are you going to keep my employer from stopping offering insurance and forcing me onto the public option if that’s cheaper for their bottom line,” said one protester.

WMAR

It was a carnival like atmosphere outside the Health Care Town Hall meeting at Towson University.

An estimated 2,000 people showed up for the forum called by Maryland Senator Ben Cardin.

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We talked to people from as far as away as Fort Washington and Potomac.

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Opponents far out numbered supporters of health care reform. Many carried signs opposing what they called socialized medicine and Obamacare.

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The biggest fear among opponents was that the public option being debated in Congress would one day replace privitized [sic] medicine.

The large number of opponents didn’t bother supporters like Sissy Bryant of Baltimore.

Bryant told ABC2 “the health care train is rolling and no opposition would stop it”.

Amy Barlow of Rockville Maryland said she simply wanted her voice heard. She made the trek with a group of friends only to find out seating was limited to about 500 people.

There were widespread rumors that union members and other supporters were allowed in first, leaving few seats for others.

Police officers on the scene denied those rumors.

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