 Numerous dissenters attended Rep. Jerry Lewis’ forum on health care Thurs. night at the University of Redlands Orton Center, but their voices were silenced by being shut out from asking questions of Lewis at the forum in print and by voice.
 Here are comments made by a few attendees after the event.
 Carol Robb, Chair, San Bernardino County Democratic Party:
 “Since the administration of President Harry Truman, Democrats have worked for health care for all Americans. They passed Medicare for seniors and Medicaid for the poorest citizens. Today our country is closer than ever to making sure every citizen has health care.Â
 But the Republican “Party of NO†responds by fear-mongering and conjuring up phony images of “killing granny.†Health-care rationing with their great ‘straw man’
 In reality your health care is rationed right now by your insurance company.  I had the misfortune to watch a young teacher colleague die of breast cancer because her insurance company would not provide the treatment her doctor wanted for her!
  Jerry Lewis and his minions think this kind of rationing is okay. I guess they like it because it adds to insurance companies’ profits so they can contribute even more to Lewis’ campaign coffers.â€
 Tim Prince, 2008 Democratic nominee for 41st Congressional District:
   Rep. Jerry Lewis did not come to listen Thursday night. He came representing his insurance and special interest donors to oppose President Obama’s efforts to offer uninsured Americans access to health care.
 Mark Westwood, 2008 Democratic nominee for the 63rd Assembly District:
  The former insurance salesman turned Congressman has the right to his own opinion, but he seems to think he has the right to his own facts.
  Thursday night’s forum was an exercise in delusion through confusion.
 Shirley Harlan, Democratic health-care advocate:
   Rep. Jerry Lewis characterized the public health option as “a bill in search of a problem that does not exist,†yet he expressed personal concern about several health issues raised by audience members.    He indicated that reform could be managed in small increments regulating insurance companies’ policies to exclude pre-existing conditions and carrying insurance from one job to another.
  I was appalled that an elected Congressman would continue to scare Americans with a false threat government would not value the lives of the elderly and children with disabilities.
 Nancy Ruth White, former Chair of the SB County Democratic Party:
   Rep. Jerry Lewis said Obama may triple the national debt, but, as I remember it, Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush both tripled the national debt.
 Carol Bouldin, independent voter:
   It is astonishing to observe the extent to which people on the right delude themselves with the belief that private enterprise has their best interests at heart and government is the villain.
  Government only becomes villainous when it colludes with the corporate world to protect corporate interests over the interests of the people. This fact is lost on these people, however.