UPDATED: Friday, October 2, 2009 --- 8:24 p.m.

Area lawmakers have been in the cross hairs for months and tonight the face to face health care debate continues.

U.S. representative Tammy Baldwin just finished going one on one with a crowd in Stoughton.

This was one of the most calm and civil events we've seen.

For about 2 hours Baldwin listened to opinions and fielded questions from a crowd of more than 50.

Health care was definitely the main topic but concerns varied from the availability of ammunition, to a loss of voter rights, to a back and forth about the Tea Party movement.

Others questioned how much their health care opinions matter at this point.

Baldwin says, "I think it's really interesting in elective office when you first run for office you tell people what your core values are and they can decide to vote for you or against you and there are some things that are core values that I don't shake on. "

Baldwin says she strongly supports a public option and says she's confident there will be a public option when everything shakes out in the legislature.

Tonight's crowd was split on their health care opinions.

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POSTED: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 --- 9:45 p.m.

A passionate health care debate takes center stage across our area tonight.

We start in Madison where nearly two-thousand people gather to rally against the president's plan.

Long before you even step inside the front door at the Marriott Conference Center there is an indication of how popular this event is and how polarizing this debate has become. Second and third parking lots are full and thousands of people are here to voice their opinions.

One couple drove and hour and a half from East Troy, Wisconsin just to be here.

Don Ciardo says, "We felt we needed more information to better understand the health care situation."

Inside nearly 2-thousand people gathered, most saying they're concerned, angry and frustrated.

One man asked, "Why are we even disputing or debating HR 3200? It's unconstitutional."

A woman took the mic to stand up and say, "How can a patient make judgments when the hospitals don't even know what things cost because of the cost shifting game that's gone on? How are we getting to transparency?"

This town hall forum was put on by Americans for Prosperity Foundation, a nationwide group that says they believe in reducing the size and scope of government.

They obviously don't exactly see eye to eye with legislators pushing health care reform that includes a public option, government run insurance.

Panel member and doctor Pamela Galloway said, "Decide if you want to be in control of your health care and your families health care or the government."

An opposing progressive group, One Wisconsin Now, released a statement calling the forum a rally for failure. They said Americans for Prosperity is a foundation aimed at defeating the democratic president at any cost. But those who showed up say they just have real worries.

Ciardo says, "I don't know that it's anger versus justified concern. These people are from every walk of life that I could see just looking at the crowd and they're concerned about where this country is going and they have a right to be."

For the overwhelming majority of those here tonight the opinion is obvious. They're against the health care reform bill as it stands that's making it's was through the house. They're just hoping their voice is heard before it's too late.

Organizers say they invited Democratic US representative Tammy Baldwin to speak on their panel and were disappointed she didn't join them.

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POSTED: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 --- 9:30 p.m.

The health care debate is raging across the country, and here in our area some are adding fuel to the fire.

Congressman Paul Ryan is back in Janesville tonight, where he's taking the criticism and support head on.

It's back home and back to the same high school he graduated from, Janesville Craig, for Ryan.

He took the stage for an hour and a half but there was nothing fun about this homecoming.

Ryan drew several hundred people to this town hall forum and despite a few outbursts things were cordial for the most part.

Ryan spent time clearing up confusion and myths about the reform bill out there right now.

He made it very obvious he opposes that bill.

He says his biggest concerns are the possibility of increased taxes, which he said would be especially tough for Janesville, and he's worried about too much government control and putting private insurance companies out of business.

Jan Stebbins came out of the forum saying she wished there could be a meeting like this where both sides are represented and the information isn't slanted.

Keith Fox said he was just looking for more information because this is such a big decision. He says he's concerned about what will happen if the government makes the wrong decision.

Congressman Ryan agrees there are problems in the health care system that need fixing but he says he wants to fix whats wrong without destroying whats working well.

When Ryan boiled it down, he said the public option is at the center of it all and he "just doesn't support moving to a more socialized system."
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POSTED: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 --- 9:00 p.m.

His name may be in the mix for Governor but today's main focus for Representative Ron Kind was health care.

For over an hour here today emotion poured out.

There were tears, screams and a lot of applause proving like many places in the country, health care reform is dividing people in Wisconsin.

Well over 300 people packed into the Richland Community Center and of those that were called on to speak more were against the reform bill than for it.

But at some points it turned into what could only be called a clapping competition with both sides supporting their speakers and it appeared to me the room was split pretty evenly.

There were sad personal stories about people not being covered by insurance during personal tragedies, countered with concerns that the country is turning to socialism and our freedoms are being taken away.

The Congressman himself is for health care reform, but says the current plan still needs work.

There were police on hand but none were needed.

There were no signs or protesters outside.

The congressman himself said all things considered he thought it was a very civil conversation.