U.S. President Barack Obama and members of the opposition Republican Party are calling for the increasingly angry debate on health-care reform to move forward in a respectful manner. During his weekly address Saturday, Mr. Obama urged Americans to, in his words, "lower our voices" and "talk about differences that really exist".
Lawmakers in Washington are on a break and some majority Democrats are facing loud and angry citizens during town hall meetings on Mr. Obama's health care plan in their home districts.
President Obama said critics with a stake in preventing reform are trying to scare people into being against his plan.
During the weekly Republican address, Senator Orrin Hatch also encouraged a respectful debate and agreed that health-care reform is needed.
Senator Hatch said ensuring "affordable and quality health care for every American" is not a Republican or Democratic issue. But, he said, "more spending, more taxes, and more government is not the answer."
At a town hall meeting in the northern state of Montana Friday, Mr. Obama said there is broad agreement in Congress on about 80 percent of his plan.
Mr. Obama said he wants Americans to have the option of buying into a public health insurance plan that competes with plans offered by private companies - a proposal that critics say could put the insurance companies out of business.
Some opposition Republicans say the president's reforms will cost too much and amount to a government takeover of health care.
By VOA News.
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