160px-john_kline_official_photo1Rep. John Kline is holding a health-care forum this evening in Lakeville. The four-term Republican is notorious for his lack of interaction with his constituents, so it’s a rare opportunity to question him about his views on health care proposals currently being hashed out in Washington. As the ranking Republican on the House Committee on Education and Labor, he is theoretically in a position to influence the debate.

Somebody might want to ask Kline about his views on a single-payer health-care system. Such a system is generally supported by folks on the left side of the aisle, but in July Kline actually joined 12 other Republicans in voting for an amendment brought forward by liberal Rep. Dennis Kucinich to allow individual states to set up single-payer systems. The strange bedfellows vote was flagged at the time by The Huffington Post’s Sam Stein.

“So why would 13 House Republicans, after bemoaning Democratic plans for public health care for months, attach their names to the provision?” Stein asked. “Depending on who you ask, it’s either a philosophical belief in states’ rights or childish political shenanigans.”

Whatever their motivations, the amendment passed by a 27-19 vote. That means it could be part of the final House bill.