To the editor:

Todd Tiahrt should be ashamed of himself. By pandering to the crowd at his town hall forum and repeating the myth that health reform will result in ending care to the elderly, he shuts off any possibility of reasoned debate. Tiahrt claims to have read the House health reform bill — he carries it around with him — so he knows full well that it doesn’t say anything about ending care or euthanasia or death squads. In fact, the provision he refers to will enhance Medicare benefits, not cut them or reduce services.

There are reasonable arguments on the pros and cons of most approaches to health care reform. Unfortunately, because of hysteria stirred up by Tiahrt and others, it doesn’t look like we’re going to hear them. Is an honest debate really too much to ask?