ANDERSON — Unlike many raucous town hall meetings across the country this summer, Rep. Mike Pence’s forum on health care Thursday was greeted with a degree of civility as locals expressed outrage over health care reform.

Pence’s audience included at least 500 people who crowded into the lobby of the Madison Park Church of God and patiently raised their hands as the microphone circulated.

As the town hall opened, Pence assured the crowd that he understood the importance of the health care debate raging across the country. “Since I was elected in the year 2000, I have probably heard of no issue that has created greater pain for the working families, small businesses and farmers than the spiraling cost of health insurance. I’ve literally had small business owners in tears on the phone with me.”

The answer, he said, is not a government-run system, but an answer is needed. “It is important that as Congress returns, that we find some way to lower the cost of health insurance and lower the cost of health care in this country. Inaction is not an option on health care reform in this country.”

After a few minutes of speaking, Pence encouraged audience members to let him know what they thought.

Across the packed church lobby, hands darted into the air.

One resident said that all bills passed through Congress should be no longer than five pages and expressed support for term limits for members of Congress.

Another, who could not be identified by press time, compared President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler, claiming that the president wants members of Congress to be treated as a superior race.

Local resident Jerry Shelton had his own label to offer. “ I wouldn’t say Obama’s Hitler. Obama’s more like a socialist, more communist.”

He’s less than pleased with the president. “On a scale from 1 to 10, I’d give him a minus 10.”

Since the Democrats have the majority in both houses, Shelton believes legislation will pass that includes the controversial public option as presented by Democratic members of the House of Representatives. “I’m confident that whatever comes out of Washington will be screwed up.”

Robert Marsh said he spent 25 hours reading the health care bill supported by the Democratic House, and wasn’t impressed. “It’s legalese mumbo jumbo. It’s the scariest thing I ever read.”

Although she was not willing to make a comparison between Obama and Hitler, Karen Turner, a former South Madison Community Schools educator, said Americans should be careful when it comes to the government. “I think it’s easy to fall into the pattern of letting somebody else make decisions for you, and that would put you on the road to that. Anything is possible when people give up their opinions of what they know is morally right and they get lazy.”

Contact Brandi Watters: 640-4847, brandi.watters@heraldbulletin.com