Tele-Town Halls and Health Care Reform

Town Hall meetings are your moment to shine. It's when you, as a voter, get to stand up and tell your representative what you think about his or her performance in office and share what you think about important issues.

Lately, they've also become a cross between a post-apocalyptic battle ground and scenes from a bad Frankenstein movie, complete with spray painted swastikas and frightened mobs. The monster? Health Care Reform.

It's the hot-button issue right now, even the economy has taken a back seat to government weighing in on the future of American Health Insurance.

CNN talked today about the impact the Internet is having on the public's response. Specifically, they mention how easy it has become to rally support for Town Hall meetings.

What they don't talk about is how the presence of real live constituents has prompted many officials to hold their Town Halls over the phone, a practice usually reserved for times when said officials are required to stay in Washington. Many Senators however, Harry Reid included, have looked to this option to shield them from the heat during this session break.

Reid is planning a Tele-Town Hall in which Nevadans will be called and asked if they have a question for the senator. If they do, they'll be asked the nature of their question and what area.

Tele-Town Halls are a bit tidier than the regular version, in thatanyone can listen but a phone line must be "activated" from the other side before someone can speak, silencing anyone who hasn't been pre-screened.

Call me a skeptic, but I don't think all sides of the health care issue are going to be presented. I was going to advise all of you to e-mail the senator to tell him what you think about Health Care or the Tele-Town Hall, but e-mailing him doesn't seem to do much good.

So I figured, why wait for Harry to call me. I'll call him. Here are the senator's phone numbers:

Washington Office: 202-224-3542
Las Vegas Office: 702-388-5020

Remember, you're not going to get Harry Reid on the phone. You're going to get a staff member, probably an intern. Don't lose your cool. Your goal isn't to be the loudest voice, but part of the multitude. Pass this article, or at least the numbers along to someone you think will call and do the same.

It's probably too much to hope he'll change his mind and schedule a real Town Hall, but if enough people dial him up, he'll have to address the issue.

Updates as they occur.