Turbulent town meetings raise interesting questions

This August has experienced record-breaking heat and turbulent conditions ... and the weather was hot. Health-care reform, cantankerous town-hall meetings, government-subsidized auto purchases, and accusations that our African-American president is a racist and wants to kill grandma are dominating national headlines. These political thunderclouds raise interesting questions:

Why have the Utah town meetings been so quiet when compared to other gatherings across the country?

Webb: Utahns are nice.

Pignanelli: "There must be a shortage of nuns. Anyone raised by nuns would not behave like the protesters at the town hall meetings." — Cokie Roberts, ABC News. Congressman Jim Matheson conducts his town hall meetings electronically and telephonically to ensure greater participation (over 10,000 "nice" Utahns participated this month — an amazing amount). Left- and right-wing extremists hate this modern approach, because they are itching to scream and shout at Matheson for the benefit of media. (Congressmen Jason Chaffetz and Rob Bishop utilize traditional meetings, but apparently no one wants to yell at them.)

Are the much-publicized problems with the proposed health-care reform real or just manufactured by the opposition?

Webb: Some conservatives have adopted liberal tactics in making extreme and outlandish arguments about components of Obamacare. But the problem for Obama is that elements of truth exist in all the criticism. For example, rationing will happen, despite Obama's protests to the contrary. Any health-care system (including our current system) has rationing, either by insurance companies, by government-appointed panels (Obama's preferred method) or by individuals self-rationing by choosing what they will and won't pay for. In reality, rationing has to be part of any realistic reform plan, especially one that will reduce costs.

Obama promised that we could have it all: reduced costs, great quality, universal insurance coverage and Cadillac health-care services. Everyone wins; no one loses. In reality, that is fantasyland. And when citizens learn the details, they're disappointed.

There will be winners and losers. Sacrifice will be required. Health reform isn't easy.