This Tuesday, October 20, from 10am to noon, Congressman Michael McMahon (D-Staten Island & Brooklyn) will hold a town hall on the topic of health care reform at the Shore Hill Community Room (Shore Rd. and 90th Street).

Rep. McMahon held a town hall on Staten Island earlier this month. I know someone that attempted to attend, and was turned away because the auditorium had already been filled. Even among those left outside, according to this anonymous Friend of BK Southie, emotions and tensions were running high.

For those of you that haven’t been keeping score at home, there is a single health care bill in the House that is believed to have, just barely, the support of the 218 Representatives needed to pass the bill. There are six bills in the Senate, five of which have the strong public option that has been at the core of the debate, but the option-less Finance Committee bill is the one that has the most attention and possibly the favor of Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has control over the merging process. There’s no question that the Senate bills have the 51 votes needed to pass outright, but 60 votes are needed to end debate, leaving the bills prone to filibuster if all 40 Republicans are joined by any one Democrat in a procedural vote.

House Leader Nancy Pelosi is said to be looking for more support so that the House bill passes with a comfortable majority… enter Congressman Michael McMahon, one of roughly 20 undecided House Democrats.

Tuesday’s town hall is inexplicably and inexcusably in the middle of the morning. I realize there are plenty of people who can make a midday appointment like that, but I would think such an important and high-profile issue would deserve a prime time slot to accommodate people with day jobs (especially since the Staten Island town hall was in the evening).

I wish I could attend. Mike McMahon is almost my Congressman! And if I moved to the other side of the street, he would be! Funny, that gerrymandering thing. Perhaps another Friend of BK Southie (apparently, one with very flexible hours) can fill me in on the details.

P.S. 26 days between the last post and this one. Oops. Sorry about that, but I gotta go now. I have a kid’s room to paint.

Tags: Health Care Reform, Michael McMahon, NY-13