Murphy holds meeting on
health care

Waterbury (WTNH) - Rep. Chris Murphy (D-5th district) hosted an informal meeting on health care reform in Waterbury this morning.

"We were born free and we want to stay free," said one resident.

Murphy was surrounded at Library Park, and for an hour, he took it from all sides.

"You took an oath when you were sworn in to uphold and defend the Constitution. Do you ever plan to do so," one person questioned.

The message from people opposed to overhauling health care was: don't change what works, especially if it costs money.

"Eighty-seven percent of the people who have health care now are happy with their health care and 70 something percent of the U.S. citizens have health care," said Cliff Atkin of Woodbury.

"We have a $9 trillion deficit now. Please, Congress and Senate, do not further indebt my children and grandchildren," said Art McNally of Woodbury.

"It would cost less and it would put some pressure on private insurers to bring their costs down," Murphy refuted.

But there were people who agreed with the idea of national health care, especially when it works in other countries.

"The prices are much lower, the costs are lower and yet the performance is better," said Tony Piel of Sharon.

For Murphy, health care reform means making sure people who get sick or get fired can still get insurance, but he says he's heard the public's other concerns, too.

"And so we've got to bring the cost of health care down for individuals and for small business. There were also a lot of people here who didn't want a government takeover so we've got to make sure that people who have insurance right no that they like that they can keep it," he said.