Today's (8/25) lunch featured a speech by Andre Carson, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the 7th District in Indiana. I found myself daydreaming during most of it; as I do when speakers read word-for-word from a prepared text.  The CEO of Lilly did the same thing.  If that's what they're going to do just send me a PDF and save me the time.

The real entertaining part came when a member indulged himself with the microphone and about 15 minutes of air-time challenging the semi-prepared Carson to explain the current health care bill, (which is over 1000 pages,) requiring Mr. Carson to defend page 16!  What ensued was comical!  The member asked why we didn't just leave well enough alone - there are only 15 million uninsured??  Carson heard 15 million in the earlier part of the question (several minutes before the later part of the question,) and inferred he was referring to coverage for the 15 million illegal immigrants.  The dialog was worthy of a Saturday Night Live skit!

About the best explanation of how the American healthcare system compares with those in other developed nations was written last Sunday by former Washington Post reporter T. R. Reid: 5 Myths About Health Care Around the World.  As for me, I'm paying about $10,000/yr in health care premiums for a family of three basically healthy people and if that's not screwed up I don't know what is.  I believe president Obama when he says our system is broken.  He may not have the best answer, but the status quo is intolerable.

Our member's behavior bordered on rude and was clearly disrespectful of the other members and Carson.  Guests must have wondered who this wing nut was and why we gave him 15 minutes to harangue the Congressman.  I'm sure Executive Director Susie Harmless was preparing the Sergeant-at-Arms for an assault on the podium and President Julian was looking for the microphone switch!

We can (and will) disagree about important public policy issues.  As Americans that is our right and legacy.  But spreading confusion and adding noise isn't the way to arrive at consensus.  A Rotarian lunch ought to be a place where ideas compete on the merits, not the volume of the PA system.

 P.S. WISH TV's Jim Shella covered the event in this story (with video.)