At a Town Council meeting in Chestertown, Councilman Harrison C. Bristoll Jr. said he could "see nothing worse than having health care controlled by the government." Reached later by phone, Bristoll said that he and his wife were covered by Medicare and had no complaints about the program, then said he preferred not to discuss the matter further.
Before Kratovil addressed the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce, he spent several minutes with real estate agent Flo Wootten, trying to answer her questions. She told a reporter afterward that she was unconvinced by the congressman's assurance that there are no mandatory "death panels" in the Democratic plan, a misconception widely promoted by conservative opponents of the Democratic plan.
"I don't know what to believe," said the 72-year-old Republican voter. "People are just scared."
From the other side, a small group of social workers implored Kratovil to resist the opponents, invoking his mother Lynnda's career as a psychiatric social worker to help stiffen his spine.
"Please don't let the public option get compromised out," pleaded Pam Black, 60, an oncology social worker of Easton.
She and the others listened, with growing concern, as the congressman advised them that the House Democratic plan "has been so overwhelming to people, I'm not sure we're going to be able to convince the American public - regardless of what we do - that what we are doing is a good thing."
Kratovil, 41, whose political assets include an earnest manner, outsider rhetoric and choirboy looks, has staked out a position on the issue that is almost as complex as the legislation that he says he's been studying for weeks.
He opposes the measure currently under consideration in the House and will vote against it unless there are significant changes.
Among his objections: the price, which would add $239 billion to the deficit over 10 years, according to a preliminary estimate by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. He's also concerned, he says, that the measure is too generous to the poor, at the expense of the middle class, and potentially harmful to rural areas of Maryland, like the Eastern Shore, which already have trouble attracting and keeping doctors.
At the same time, Kratovil speaks with evident passion about the need for change. He said in an interview that he "absolutely" would support a more "reasonable" plan, though he acknowledges that he doesn't know how to close the cost gap.
