markey-betsyLocally, there were no reports of anyone carrying an assault rifle to a town hall meeting on health reform, which actually happened in Phoenix yesterday (via CNN). Rather, crowds here were calm and somewhat orderly, if still slightly on edge, particularly in conservative Colorado Springs.

There, Republicans and other anti-government types cheered one questioner at Congressman Doug Lamborn’s forum after the questioner called President Barack Obama “a pathological liar,” reports the Colorado Springs Gazette.

Lamborn, a Republican, opposes the so-called public option, which could be part of Obama’s plan to insure every American.

On Tuesday, Democrats said they had given up on trying to get Republican support for reform and were prepared to go it alone (via The New York Times). Yet Dems don’t seem to have the stomach for a public option and could instead turn to nonprofit co-ops, which some reform advocates say won’t drive down the cost of private insurance (via Salon).

Congresswoman Betsy Markey said in a forum yesterday that she believes what’s being considered now is too expensive, although she also believes that reform is desperately needed (via 9News). Some of Markey’s constituents complained to the Fort Collins Coloradoan that Markey (pictured) is being too vague about what should be done. Markey’s forum was mostly civil, perhaps because she invoked the “Rules of Civility” used by George Washington (via the Coloradoan).