KWES NewsWest 9 / Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, TX: newswest9.com | Tempers flare at town hall health care debate in Clovis

Tempers flare at town hall health care debate in Clovis

by: Kristen Guilfoos

Clovis, New Mexico - Tempers were flaring on Tuesday evening in Clovis... Hundreds came out to US Senator Jeff Bingaman's town hall meeting about health care. 

To say folks got riled up at this meeting would be an understatement... They filed into the Clovis Civic Center holding signs and shouting about the federal government they call way too far left for it's own good.

More than 200 people packed the main ballroom at the Clovis Civic Center.

One woman at the meeting told us, "I haven't heard any straight answers."

So they came out, hoping to get some answers from Senator Jeff Bingaman, a Democrat who whole-heartedly supports President Obama's health care plan.

He says "We need to fix the medicare system."

His opinions were met with skepticism, to say the least.

The ballroom was packed with folks waiting to have their voices heard. Here's a brief sampling of what went on inside that meeting.

Angry Resident: "Why can't the government leave us alone?"

Senator Bingaman: "If you think medicare going broke in eight or ten years is as it should be, then that's where you come out. I don't come out there myself."

Angry Resident: "Medicare is broke. Social Security is broke. The Federal Government is broke. Why should we entrust another 6.5% of our gross national product to you?"

Senator Bingaman: "Let me just answer the questions as fast as you're yelling."

Angry Resident: "Why don't you show the American people how to save money? Nobody has ever done that before. Nobody."

Angry Resident: "Are you going to vote for a bill that gives healthcare to illegals that we are going to have to pay for?"

This was the Senator's first town hall meeting. At the end of the hour long meeting, many say they went home without the answers they were looking for.