Rep. Pascrell's Senior Citizen Forum: Never A Dull Moment

The idea of a senior citizens forum at the Montclair Municipal Building might—to some—sound as dull as a 20-year-old pair of scissors that has never been sharpened. But they'd be wrong. Indeed, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. probably got more than he bargained for when he invited residents to share questions and opinions at his 2010 Forum on Senior Issues on Monday afternoon.

A crowd of nearly 100 seniors packed into Council Chambers including Roland Straten, who is challenging Pascrell this year after losing in 2008 in the more than 2-1 Democratic 8th Congressional district.

Straten has expressed anger that—unlike Pascrell—he hasn't been afforded a venue as public as the Township building to hold gatherings.

Minutes into the senior forum, a man distributing flyers promising that Straten would vote for a "repeal of ObamaCare" caused a minor furor when he raised his voice after someone tried to stop him.

Pascrell and others told him to sit down, but he wasn't having it. "This is America," he shouted.

Eventually, Pascrell was able to continue, talking passionately for a full hour about healthcare reform and the troubled economy.

"I've lost 20 percent to 28 percent of my retirement savings," he moaned.

At one point Pascrell said that he would never vote to privatize Social Security, a line that was met with a burst of applause.

Pascrell has admitted that healthcare reform legislation—which he voted in favor of in March—needs some work while Straten has vowed to repeal the measure.

But Pascrell said there are a number of misconceptions about healthcare reform. For example, he said that it does not cut Medcare benefits and that it does, in fact, make many preventive services free.

What Pascrell would like to see more of, however, is competition in the insurance industry.

"I want to have more people out there writing insurance," he said. "In most states there are only three or four companies writing insurance.

"And these companire are enjoying some kind of a party," he said.

After his talk, seniors were invited to stand up and ask questions.

One person asked what might happen now that states such as Missouri have voted to reject a federal mandate to purchase health insurance in a clear rebuke of  President Obama's administration.

"Each state has to make its own decision," Pascrell said, adding that ultimately a federal judge likely will decide whether states can have the ability to opt out.

Another person asked whether requiring everyone to purchase health insurance was really such a good idea.

Pascrell said that, currently, it's mandatory that those with insurance pay for those who don't have insurance.

"We pay about $1,000 a year for those who don't have insurance," he said. "We have to have a healthcare system that we all buy into."

Pascrell said that while government doesn't force everyone to buy a Honda it does indeed require everyone to buy car insurance.

Still another person asked what happens when government dips into Social Security funds.

"Both parties have dipped into the reserve," Pascrell said.

In the end, Pascrell was adamant that all sides listen to one another.

"The problem is not the Tea Party. Some of their ideas are pretty good," he said. "We've got to listen to everybody. We can't be absurd about this."