Heck town hall meeting sparks passions
The crowd didn't just argue with Republican Rep. Joe Heck at a town hall meeting in Boulder City on Wednesday.
The 50 people in attendance often shouted at each other, indifferent to whether the Republican federal budget Heck was there to discuss would hurt or help Medicare and the job market.
Heck repeatedly spoke over the vocal crowd just to get a word in.
Heck, who represents Henderson, Boulder City, North Las Vegas and parts of Las Vegas and unincorporated Clark County, reiterated his support of the Republican budget proposal even though members of the crowd opposed restructuring Medicare.
The GOP plan calls for making Medicare a voucherlike system that subsidizes purchases of private insurance instead of having the government pay medical bills directly.
Heck corrected audience members who claimed senior citizens would lose Medicare benefits under the Republican plan, saying those 55 and older wouldn't experience any changes "whatsoever."
The plan also proposes tax breaks for the wealthy.
"I'm not saying it's the best idea, but it's the only one and the best being proposed now," Heck said, emphasizing that the government needs to cut back spending to reasonable, sustainable levels.
Heck's strong stance on the budget has garnered negative attention from labor groups, such as the AFL-CIO. The federation of 55 labor unions consisting of 12 million workers told its Nevada members to pack the hall Wednesday.
"This is a great opportunity to hold Heck accountable for his anti-worker positions, and his recent vote to end Medicare as we know it and replace it with underfunded vouchers," wrote Danny Thompson, executive secretary-treasurer of the Nevada State AFL-CIO in an email calling for action.
Union members didn't turn out in force as Thompson had requested.
Heck is facing re-election pressure, however. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has targeted the freshman representative's seat as one of 25 they can likely take in 2012.
Heck narrowly won in the 3rd Congressional District by less than 2,000 votes in 2010.
Contact reporter Trevon Milliard at tmilliard@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279.
