Last Saturday I took some time away from my family to attend a meeting at the Geneva City Hall with our 14th Congressional District Rep. Bill Foster. When I entered the building I was informed that only a limited number of people would be able to ask questions in a private room away from the public. Only 45 numbered slips of paper were given out, with each person rationed to a few minutes.

What I found interesting is that while Foster was taking numbers and seeing people in seclusion, Geneva's Mayor Kevin Burns was holding an open forum, right outside of Foster's private meeting room. Mayor Burns didn't hide. He took tough questions about recently installed red-light cameras and a possible water rate increase. Mayor Burns did not ask us to take a number or shuffle citizens to a side room. He took the heat.

After I waited for more than three hours for Foster, he finally came out of the City Hall building. As he came down the steps I wanted just a couple of minutes to ask about the impending health care bill and his voting record. He answered a question from an individual who supported him; however, after being introduced as the chairman of the Kane County Young Republicans, I was brushed aside and told, "Sorry, there isn't enough time."

Maybe by waiting in line, taking a number and rationing the amount of time each person had with Foster was a foreshadowing of what's to come. As we move closer to socialized medicine, maybe Rep. Foster was giving us some lessons. Health care will be politicized. Everyone will take a number and wait in line. And if you wait long enough, eventually your time will run out.

Cody McCubbin

Chairman, Kane County Young Republicans

Geneva