Yes, it’s true, Republican House freshmen say, our party did help storm town-hall-style meetings to protest changes in the Medicare plan during the debate over the health care overhaul. But they would appreciate it if Democrats did not take that page from their playbook.

On Wednesday, 11 newly elected representatives held a news conference outside the Capitol to promote a letter sent to President Obama and signed by 42 freshmen Republicans asking him “join us to stop the political rhetoric” surrounding their Medicare proposal. In asking the president to work with them to untangle the issues facing massive entitlement programs, the letter further implores Mr. Obama to “condemn the disingenuous attacks and work with this Congress to reform” the programs.

Repeatedly, the members called for a “fact-based conversation” and criticized Democrats for filling town-hall-style meetings with political operatives and citizens who complained – often loudly – about the Republican proposal on Medicare at constituent meetings over the Easter recess. The Republican proposal would convert Medicare into a program that subsidizes future retirees in private insurance plans.



The freshmen conceded that Republicans used similar organized tactics during the health care debate over the summer of 2009, when Tea Party organizers and Republican groups spoke out against the overhaul.

“I’m not going to defend anything in the past,” said Representative Adam Kinzinger, a freshman from Illinois, who led the news conference calling on Democrats to stop their public critique of the plan. “Let’s get past the past.”

Representative Nan Hayworth of New York, a former doctor, said it was time to “have a civilized conversation” and her class was “standing ready to work with the president.”

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which has helped steer voters to town-hall-style meetings, was quick to jump on the issue. “House Republican freshmen used false and misleading scare tactics against seniors last year but are now afraid of the truth,” said Jesse Ferguson, a spokesman for the committee.

He pointed out that some members who signed the letter supported the protests in 2009, singling out Representative Renee Ellmers of North Carolina, who before running for office last year took part in Hands Off My Health Care, a movement against the health care law organized by the conservative group Americans for Prosperity.

“Health care and Obamacare is why she got involved in politics in the first place,” said Thomas Doheny, a spokesman for Ms. Ellmers. ”Basically, it is one of those things where we want an open debate and try to make sure when we have these things the correct information is out there.”