"What I think a town hall meeting is, is when you put out the word to a community a week ahead of time, you secure a location and you tell people it's either a general town hall meeting on any issue or a specific town hall meeting on an issue like health care, and you let everybody speak." Ironically, those were the words of our Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick back in 2010 when he was calling on his opponent to hold town hall meetings. But 2010 seems like the distant past. Avoiding town halls like the plague is the new strategy many members of Congress are using to steer clear of backlash over controversial votes on the Ryan Budget, the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy and earmarks for their wealthy donors. Unfortunately, Congressman Fitzpatrick is no different. Over the last eight months, Congressman Fitzpatrick has held no public town halls. That’s right, ZERO. That’s why we are calling on our Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick to hold a large public (publicized in advance) town hall in the coming weeks before the election. Congressman Fitzpatrick’s absence is not going unnoticed. Last week, the Bucks County Courier Times ran a front-page article on the fact that Congressman Fitzpatrick no longer holds public town halls. In the article, Rep. Fitzpatrick’s chief of staff claims that groups like PA Working Families are scaring him away from having town hall meetings. As a member of Congress, Mike Fitzpatrick controls military funding, foreign policy and the budget of the wealthiest nation in the world. He should not be running scared from us. We are Medicare recipients afraid of losing our benefits. We are retirees counting on Social Security to be there when we need it. And we are cancer survivors whose lives depend on health care reform. We want Congressman Fitzpatrick to know that we are his constituents and we won’t bite. We just want him to answer some questions on his votes on Medicare and other issues that affect our lives. We want real communication from him, not more campaign ads paid for by corporate donors and lobbyists. Please join us in calling on Rep. Fitzpatrick to live up to his duties as a public servant and meet with all of his constituents, not just the ones who agree with him. As long as Congressman Fitzpatrick collects a $174,000 salary provided by our tax dollars, he should be willing to meet with us. Thanks for helping us hold our elected officials accountable. Sincerely, Walter, Monica and Brenda Walter “Budd” Heinz, Levittown resident, cancer survivor Monica Tomlinson, Bristol resident, Medicare recipient Brenda McCullough, Newtown resident, future Medicare recipient

The difference between society and jungle is the health care and how the health care works. If the health care is only for the reach, this is human jungle. If the health care is for every one and the doctors don't look at you as at piggy bank, this is society. The health care is necessity as air and water. It's basic human right part of the right of life.

Not able to afford Cobra

One of my best friends has cancer and medicinal marijuana is the only thing that helps ease the pain and restore her appetite. The state of Florida should join over a dozen states and allow sick people to purchase medicinal marijuana prescribed by their doctor. To jail seriously ill patients over their medicine is cruel and wrong.

We have a right to know when buying food what it is we are purchasing. Let's Label GMO foods so we can avoid purchasing it. It should only be made for fuel for automobiles not animals or humans!

We need to start giving our children "real" food in schools. Studies have shown that the more children eat processed and sugary foods and beverages the more likely they are to become obese, diseased and have violent tendencies. If we all got together and spoke with local farmers and growers we could easily be able to give our children real nutrition. We must change policies to make it easier to accomplish this. I am not a mother but I am witnessing what these deplorable disease causing foods are doing to my siblings children. I am also a Holistic Nutritionist and know how harmful these foods that are being offered to our children are.

People leaving the work force or 'retiring' before they planned who have 10 years or less to Medicare should be able to purchase insurance through COBRA until age 65 when REAL healthcare coverage begins. Additionally, if within 10 years of Medicare Eligibility, one forced out of insurance should be able to purchase insurance through COBRA or reasonably priced policies from the 'exchange' for more than 18 months and until Medicare eligible. While losing a job at any age is not a pleasant experience, an unexpected job loss at an age when many have preexisting conditions can be devastating in many ways, including healthcare coverage. Not that COBRA is cheap, it is FAR cheaper than premiums for those with preexisting conditions that have real needs to be covered. Having to pay anything, especially MUCH MORE than the COBRA costs is just one more slap in the face of a willing, formerly hardworking person and their dependents.

Ban perscription drug advertizing and pass the millions of dollars saved onto the consumer, thus lowering medical cost for all.

Medicare for all. Our present insurance system is to expensive and makes us uncompetative in the world economy. We don't need insurance companys. Their CEO' s are the highest paid on Wallstreet.

The Texas Legislature and Governor Rick Perry want to eliminate Planned Parenthood from the Women's Health program in the state of Texas. Thousands of Texas women rely on Planned Parenthood for breast exams, pap smears and other preventative care as well as birth control and prenatal care.

Maine's decision to sue to drop people from Medicaid puts us on the front line in the battle for basic healthcare coverage for those of us who can't afford healthcare on our own. I have a family member that will be directly affected by Maine's attempt to drop people from Medicaid. She will not be able to afford her anti-seizure medication on her own leaving her very vulnerable life threatening grand mal seizures. This is an issue that might have consequences for the whole country while we fight to get everyone affordable healthcare. So lets show our elected officials that we do have a voice and will not be manipulated into giving up what the whole country has fought so hard to secure.

Governor Lepage is planning to cut Medicaid from 36,000 young people and low income parents in order to "balance the budget". This effort is not only shortsighted but it will save any money. This cost will be shifted to the taxpayers and many more people will suffer from poor health.