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Loading...Obama Scolds Republicans, Defends Public Option
“We came here to build a future. I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last.” – President Barack Obama, September 9, 2009 to a Joint Session of Congress
For those who say that we’re moving too fast and there should be no rush to reform, the President reminds us that it’s been nearly a century since Theodore Roosevelt first called for health care reform. We’ve waited long enough.
The President spoke of middle class Americans who are charged outrageous fees for individual policies, denied policies due to pre-existing conditions, and risk having insurance rescinded when they get sick. 14,000 Americans lose their medical coverage every day. Calling it “heartbreaking,” he said that no one should be treated that way in the United States of America.
Speaking to both the far left as well as the far right, he appealed to Congress to build on what works rather than to focus on radical shifts. “The time for bickering is over; the time for games has passed. Now is the season for action. Now is the time to deliver on health care reform.”
Outlining his three basic goals — more security and stability to those who have insurance, providing insurance for those who don’t, and slowing growth of costs, he said, “If you misrepresent us, we will call you out.”
He tackled the opposition scare tactics used to score political points even at the risk of hurting the country as a whole.
Death panels — “it is a lie, plain and simple”
Insuring illegal immigrants — false
Government takeover — no
On the much-debated public option, he believes that consumers do better with choice and competition, which is currently not the case in many major markets. Rather than put insurers out of business, he said he just wants to “hold them accountable.” This would only be an option for those who cannot afford coverage elsewhere and he estimated that only five percent of Americans would sign up.
Challenging Republicans to submit other ideas worth exploring, he took a firm stand that he will not back down on the basic principal that if Americans need affordable coverage, they will be provided with a choice, and that no government or insurance bureaucrat will get between you and the care you need.
Vowing to protect Medicare, he said he will listen, but will not waste time with those who have decided to kill reform rather than improve it.
“We will not accept the status quo as a solution. Not this time. Not now.”
The republican rebuttal by Charles Boustany of Louisiana offered more of the same old arguments — while agreeing that “much needs to be done,” Boustany said that the President had the chance to take “government run health care” (public option) off the table and didn’t do it. His suggestion that we “start over” with a bi-partisan plan including areas on which we all agree is hard to take seriously.
Later on Larry King Live, John McCain voiced his opposition to the public option on the grounds that Americans will gravitate in that direction and private health insurance will be adversely affected. Like Boustany, he complained of the lack of bipartisanship in the bills presented so far. So where have these guys been since January?
President Obama took a stand. “We will not back down.” Now let’s see if Congress can get this done. It’s been a hundred years…
More on President Obama’s address to the Joint Session of Congress:
Obama Makes the Moral Case for Reform
Unremarkable – Rep. Boustany and the GOP Response
Breaking Health Care Reform into Distinct Logical Steps
Read more: congress, democrats, government, health care reform, health policy, obama, politics, public option, republicans
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
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43 comments
+ add your ownJudith, I agree there is a BIG difference between Bush and Obama, but not in the ways you've mentioned. That's not saying I agree with everything Bush did, but Obama is not the second coming. Democrats need to stop constantly blaming everything on Bush and concentrate on the good & bad of what the current administration is doing. From a Conservative, Libertarian and, yes, some Democrats' and Independents' point of view, they don't like the Leftist direction he's going in and from that standpoint don't want him to succeed. Maybe this "bi-partisan" president can try talking to the Republicans some more about healthcare. His last meeting with them was April. "even if you were able to access the information you quoted from some other source, you quoted them from the extremist websites and blogs, meaning you are reading them. That is why you hold little to no credibility." No, it means that I latched onto the first website with the information on Dr. Doig that came up in the search engine that I wanted. I did not pay attention to the other stuff on that site. I should have and I've already said that the poll about Michelle was appauling. If you don't believe me & think I lack credibility because of it...oh, well, que sera sera. I know I'm telling the truth. I could have gotten it from a website you personally approve of & you still would be critical of me, as if it matt
Sandra, there is a BIG difference between Bush and Obama, that being that Bush caused the problems Obama is trying to correct. And how can you honestly believe that Obama is trying to take over control of United States citizens when it was during Bush's watch that our phone calls were monitored and habeas corpus (a private citizen's protection against the government arresting him/her for no reason and with no representation) was taken out of the constitution? In the same vein, even if you were able to access the information you quoted from some other source, you quoted them from the extremist websites and blogs, meaning you are reading them. That is why you hold little to no credibility.
Marisa D. I don't remember that poll about Michelle being there at the time I was at the site. I think it's appauling, but as far as the substance of the article, it is accurate. These are Dr. Doig's concerns about Health Care in Canada. The same exact info about her can be found on other websites such as on ABC. I should have gotten that same exact info from a different site instead of taking it off the first one I came to that unfortunately has extremists on it. As far as wanting Obama to fail though, why would conservatives want Obama to succeed at things that conservatives believe will harm the country? I don't condone extremists & nutjobs on either side (e,g, Daily Kos, an extremist left website; Keith Olbermann, political left commentator). I'm not a birther or racist. Rant on about Conservative propaganda and continue criticizing me. It doesn't bother me and we all know that Liberals don't hate anyone, yell or call people names...at least people who agree with them. Conservatives and Libertarians get slammed all the time here for their opinions by some Liberals. Bush wasn't perfect and you guys sure as h*ll let him know it too. E.g. Booed and shouted at him at his 2005 state of the union speech, Bush was sung to with "Na Na Hey Hey Good-bye" as he left the White House in his chopper, called a liar by Reid and other Democrats, fictional TV documentary about Bush's assassination in "Death of a President"..... Pot calling the kettle black, Marisa?
Cindy Koestler, I'm referring to the quality of medical care, not the access to nor the expense of medical care.
Charlene R., I'm well aware illegals go to the ER for treatment & it's an expensive way to treat, but unless it's a life & death situation, why are illegals getting any free care at the expense of the taxpayer?
CHARLENE R, YOU WROTE:
"Regarding illigals, they already receive healthcare from hospital emergency rooms. This cost is much greater, than regular health care would be. Where have you been."
Undocumented foreign nationals fear deportation above all else. So they don't go to hospitals, except under extreme conditions. Nor do they call the police if they're being raped, beaten or otherwise abused.
What they do is perform work that is tacitly condoned by our government and sought by our employers. Then they have to hide, and thus don't get any of the protections granted to others who contribute to our society.
In that regard, our ancestors were fortunate. They labored under brutal conditions and were lucky if they survived the disease-ridden tenement their wages could afford. But at least they weren't branded criminals.
-cindy
Sandra S I would like to know where you get that we have the best health care in the world? It would be great if WE HAD HEALTH CARE. I live in Alaska 57 years old raised 6 children by myself a widow and have NO HEALTH CARE AND AM TRYING TO DEAL WITH ILLNESS THAT INVADE OUR HOME HERE. We are far from having the best I have worked all my life and still cant see a doctor due to PRIVATE CLINICS AND HIGH BS PRICES.Dont tell me we have the best we have none. President Obama just needs us to stop fighting and go with him on this. We are the ones who can do the change. healthcare, global warming we are affected by it worse than the rest of the states.
Sandra S.: No one checked out any of your links that you've mentioned in your comments. But I did. You actually referenced Mofo Politics?? A site with taglines like, "your daily dose of hoping Obama fails", "impeach Obama" and get this, an illustration of Michelle Obama with cornrows? And the radio station you were listening to, KMBZ 980, is a conservative, right wing station, where both Rush and O'Reilly's propaganda are broadcast. Not exactly reliable sources. So, Sandra S., spill, what is your gig anyway? A health insurance company shill? I see your comments on a lot of pages on the Care2 website and it's always the same old tired crap pulled directly from the neocon playbook. I'm not saying that you don't have the right to comment your little heart out with the same hate-based, fear-infused rhetoric that we can count on you for. It's just that I know what I come to this site for: to sign petitions for causes I believe in. To read intelligent, well thought-out comments, solutions, suggestions from other progressives and liberals. And EVEN to hear a conservative point of view now and again. But there are no real conservatives left in this country. Just people like you. But, by all means, keep up the show, bringing your guns to rallies and elect self righteous yahoos who yell at our President. In the meantime, we'll hold the people we've elected's feet to the fire (and a spine would be nice, thank you), vote with our dollars, and wrestle the country we love back on track.
To Val P.: If this isn't your government, any more, whose is it? What makes you think that the insurance companies have any ambition to lower the cost of insurance premiums, when they have no competition?
By the way, you don't have to have insurance from anyone; you can just do what illegals and others with no insurance do, go to the emergency rooms. Then, you can decide how you like that type of care.
To Sandra S.: It is embarrassing to admit, but our nation has abused the American Indian, since the pilgrims invaded. As unfortunate, as our behavior has been, in this regard, this has nothing to do with the issue. How many Medicare recipients, do you know who want to get rid of it?
Regarding illigals, they already receive healthcare from hospital emergency rooms. This cost is much greater, than regular health care would be. Where have you been
KEVIN G, YOU WROTE:
"You cannot have a affordable healthcare system without removing the bloated, useless Health Insurance companies. Universal, Single payer is the best system. Unfortunatly Obama and Washington are controlled by a very strong healthcare lobby and they are not going to let that happen. What we had from Obama was just more smoke and mirrors."
I agree with your premise wholeheartedly. But I think what President Obama is doing is the best that we can hope for in a climate of peddled influence. And the President is battling smoke and mirrors, not creating them.
The blame belongs to us for as long as we keep voting to retain representatives who peddle influence. If an employee publicly and overtly gave away products and emptied the till for themselves and their friends, but the boss continues to give the employee positive performance reviews, who's to blame? I think the boss is; and in the realm of politics the boss is us.
-cindy
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