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Former Alaska Governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin posted a press release to her Facebook Page recently that characterized Congress’ Healthcare Reform bill as “downright evil.” She went further in claiming that “The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s ‘death panel’ so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their ‘level of productivity in society,’ whether they are worthy of health care.” Palin’s description of the bill could be more appropriate in describing the current privatized health care system where health insurance executives routinely deny services if they affect the company’s profit margin. But in the month before Congress returns from recess, the power of rhetoric, whether accurate or not, can have a major impact on the national debate. Palin’s remarks were defended by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who has openly encouraged conservatives to flock to Democrats’ town hall meetings across the country in defense of the current privatized insurance model.

GUEST: Mitch Jeserich, Pacifica Reporter and Executive Director of KPFA’s morning Show, host of Letters from Washington

Adam Schiff’s Health care Forum:

WHAT: Town hall meeting on federal health care reform, hosted by Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena
WHEN: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday
WHERE: Alhambra Civic Center Public Library, 101 S. First St.