Obama's Health Care Speech

[Apollo]

The speech part was 27 minutes..All the b.s. before it added more time to it..

Yeah I came in during that part.

I wasn't going to watch, but I decided why not. So I came in where it got good. I just missed him talking about John McCain's good idea and went from there.

 

[chance1]

hello hello

2 red dresses

 

[JB3]

The disrespect these Republican bottom dwellers show the elected President of the United States is shocking. It's even more mind -blowing knowing this self proclaimed "family-values" political party demands respect from people they consider their lessers. To make matters worse, that despicable Karl Rove laughed about this on The Fox Propaganda channel. What would they say if someone did this to that boob Bush? Karl Rove is someone who is heading to prison along with the snarling Dick & the idiot W.... Criminals!

The Republicans keep on shooting themselves in the foot, and they will keep on doing this until they are erased from the political scene. What a bunch of arrogant, bankrupt, insane assholes! But then again what do you expect from a group that gets its politics from imbeciles like Palin, Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck......none who are elected politicians (and Palin is a quitter)!

About 15 minutes ago I sent Wilson an e-mail blasting him about his lack of respect and he should apologize to the President and to all of America. I'm sure he will be censured for this. But then again, his childish outburst drags the Republicans down into the slime again....

Oh don't kid yourself. There's documented video of Hillary Clinton on national television being extraordinarily disrespectful (rolling her eyes etc) during one of Bush's speeches. You're also coming from this false notion that these speeches are meant to be all laudatory. That's a relatively new thing. Outbursts like this were common place before television. I'm not excusing what he did, but there's precedents for it on both sides.

 

[JB3]

I also don't understand why we can use deficit spending to fund the wars, but not for healthcare..

Another thing that bothers me is he is STILL trying to find ''common ground'' w/republicans.He doesn't seem to get it.They hate him,and will oppose just about anything he proposes...

Funding wars using deficit spending is very different than funding a permanent healthcare system. This is what people like you don't understand. Every war in our history has been spent using borrowed money. There has never been a war that was bought and paid for using funds from the treasury without borrowing.

When you're talking healthcare, you're talking something that will not just last 5-10 years; you're talking about something that's permanent. If you start off paying for it using deficit spending, you're already starting the system in the red, and it will only go downhill from there.


As for republicans, he's working with them because as it stands right now NONE of his proposals will pass either house. If a public option is included, it will not pass the Senate and would have a strong chance of not passing the house. (I think something like 44 democrats in the house have said they will not, under any circumstances, vote for a bill including the public option.) If the public option is not included, he won't have the votes for it to pass the house. (55 liberals have said no) So right now, he's trying to find a common ground that will get enough support from both parties to eek out being passed.

On the speech; it didn't do what he needed it to do. It certainly went a long way. For the first time it actually feels like Obama's leading the conversation instead of the doofuses in congress. Offering his specific ideas of what he wants in the bill, and NOT staking the entire thing on a public option, was the single smartest and most productive thing in the speech. It probably won't move the needle much for citizens, but it may help the conversation in congress.

 

[HenryReardon]

The only person who told the truth during the speech was Joe Wilson.

Pelosi's glare was best part of the speech.

Bravo to the brave Congressman who had the courage to tell the truth.

[]

Yeah, it's good to see at least one Republican develop a backbone and grow some balls.

He looked Obama's evil in the face and called it by its name. Good show.

 

[Apollo]

lol it took the trolls a bit of time to get started. but looks like they are getting in the groove on things.

 

[Apollo]

Yeah, it's good to see at least one Republican develop a backbone and grow some balls.

He looked Obama's evil in the face and called it by its name. Good show.

But what did you think of the speech? Where he laid out the plan, in laymens terms, squashed the misinformation, and isn't taking anymore republican bullshit.

Oh, and I have a thread I would like you to comment in: Here Please read about the first 5 or 6 posts on the first page before commenting. Thanks!

 

[Lostlover]

It was a great speech other than him not sticking it to the people on Medicare (yeah them again) that like their medicare but are against others having a government run plan too.

Obama should have threatened to cut them off...

 

[JB3]

It was a great speech other than him not sticking it to the people on Medicare (yeah them again) that like their medicare but are against others having a government run plan too.

Obama should have threatened to cut them off...

That would have gone over well.

 

[lostnfound]

I didn't know what Obama was talking about... I was busy looking at Aaron Schock LOL

Just kidding. I think it clarified a lot of things, for me at least. He's a good salesman, but from the speech, I think he knows a public option isn't going to pass, so he has to sound like he at least tried. At the end of the day, it's all about lowering costs, keeping insurance companies accountable, and provide access for all. With or without a public option, these objectives can be accomplished, and he signaled that tonight.

 

[TheTalkingAsshole]

lol did you watch the entire thing? he addresses how is going to prevent insurance companies from jacking up rates. a big part of the speech was making sure insurance prices didn't keep going up in crazy numbers.

as for the republicans. sounds like he will accept real and honest input, if they have any. but if they don't, fuck em and let's move forward with reform. or atleast i hope that's what happens.

So how is that not the government taking over the insurance industry when he said he's going to make sure prices don't go up?

At least my misinformation helps to get shit passed and helping Americans. Unlike the republitards.

And no, I haven't found time to sit down with some coffee and a good 1000 page health care bill.

First, how does calling someone a "republitard" help anything? And your misinformation? You mean your uniformed misinformation? Sounds kind of Machiavellian. Seems that ignorance about this issue is rampant on both sides.

But what did you think of the speech? Where he laid out the plan, in laymens terms, squashed the misinformation (that you know nothing about), and isn't taking anymore republican bullshit.

 

[JB3]

C'mon Republicans...... don't be frightened. Everything changes and it's just your fear of the unknown. Not one single anti-progress person in this forum has come up with a rational, sensible argument against reform. What we get is the typical Republican negativity and scare tactics. People naturally are afraid of things they don't understand.

Republicans were against Social Security and Medicare and look how Americas love it.

You know it's going to happen.... don't be on the wrong side of history again. God I'm embarrassed for you!

The biggest reason is cost. Social Security and Medicare might not be bad programs, but they're financial train-wrecks. We HAVE situations proving that government involvement in healthcare is NOT a positive thing in the long term in regards to costs and taxpayer outlays, which is why any public option should give EVERYONE pause.

 

[hotatlboi]

Lied you say? About what? Cite. Link. Proof please.

There will be no cite. He heard that someone screamed Obama lied. Naturally, this must be right.

 

[Kulindahr]

the ted kennedy open this when i die thing was pretty fucking effective

I thought so, too.

how can u respond a few minutes after a speech? makes no sense to me

In many situations like this, people are given courtesy copies beforehand to look over and analyze.
That's one reason that Ronald Reagan drove so many crazy every time he departed from the prepared text and winged it: what he said may have appealed to ordinary Americans, but it totally threw off all the responses being prepared.

Too funny. I have weapons of mass destruction fresh in from Iraq to sell too.

Boy, are you behind the times!
Those are in Syria, now.

Obama should have threatened to cut them off...

I thought he should have told Congress that they'd be required to carry a policy equivalent to the median coverage for Americans....

 

[Kulindahr]

The only person who told the truth during the speech was Joe Wilson.

Bravo to the brave Congressman who had the courage to tell the truth.

Since the only evidence at hand was Obama's statement, how could Wilson have been telling the truth? He had nothing on which to base that -- nothing at all. So what he really did was declare the President to be a liar, with no basis to support it... and that means he was merely stating a negative, unsupported opinion, which most people call a prejudice.

So you're applauding a man who yelled out his prejudice in public. I hope you also applaud if anyone ever yells, "Die, fag!" at you.

Yeah, it's good to see at least one Republican develop a backbone and grow some balls.

He looked Obama's evil in the face and called it by its name. Good show.

What evil? Again, there was nothing on which to base any evaluation of what the President said, except... what the President said. To say "You lie!" requires knowledge to the contrary of the statement referenced, and in this case such knowledge was impossible, because the President hadn't yet made his position on health care clear.
Or are you contending that somewhere there are secret documents outlining Obama's real position, and that they show this to be at odds with what he had to say? and that Wilson somehow got his hands on those?
If he had such a thing, some solid documentation that what Obama means to implement, what he intends to get passed by Congress, is not what he described, then I would applaud him as well; until, however, evidence of such a thing appears, he was merely expressing a prejudice.

Obama lost a hell of a lot of credibility tonite. Very disappointing and yes he lied. It will be interesting to see poll figures tomorrow and in subsequent days. I hope this is not a trend...it can't help his constituency.

The few people I know who watched it thought he did well, and liked most of what he had to say. The only way for him to lose credibility is if his actions differ from his words, and we have yet to see any evidence of that.

As for lying -- I addressed that already. Get us copies of the secret documents that lay out how Obama is going to fight for something different than what he said, and then we'll have a basis for the charge of lying.

 

[Kulindahr]

Must be a lib with such a brilliant insight. Yeah that's exactly right. I hear I speak I am...
Brilliant ...

That has virtually nil cognitive content.

 

[NickCole]

I like to rewind and watch Pelosi's reaction over and over. She looked like she was this close to telling Biden, "Girrrrl, hold my gold..."

Pretty much what I thought!

 

[NickCole]

Well. Obama was charismatic, forceful and presidential. The speech had some great lines and he delivered them perfectly.

And the Congressman who yelled out "You lie!" was out of order. Adults in America have to learn to control themselves.

But as usual with Obama, high marks on seduction and not so much on policy.

His numbers will get a lift from this. Solid substantive health care reform probably will not. This is the way it usually goes with an Obama speech -- he benefits personally but the larger goal does not.

 

[Apollo]

So how is that not the government taking over the insurance industry when he said he's going to make sure prices don't go up?

Because we won't be directly involved in their day to day operations. Simply telling them that they cannot screw their customers by raising rates 10 times faster than inflation. And that they cannot drop customers because they have cancer or some illness.

Have you checked the republican stance on this issue? Even they want to lower insurance costs.

First, how does calling someone a "republitard" help anything? And your misinformation? You mean your uniformed misinformation? Sounds kind of Machiavellian. Seems that ignorance about this issue is rampant on both sides.

I feel it is a insult to Abraham Lincoln to call these people who identify as republicans republicans. They are nothing like the original party, and shouldn't be allowed to have the same name.

 

[NickCole]

^^ Well to be fair, this process can't be driven right now (except at the margins) by presidential decree; it has to go through the often-ugly Congressional legislative system. In that vein, it doesn't matter how much, how little or in what form Obama pumps for the public option at this point, if there aren't the votes to get it through this process. And as far as making long-term judgments on success or failure...as of now, there is no bill -- or, put better, there are many bills, four of which have already been passed containing this public option.

The sticking point for now is getting ANY bill past the Senate Finance committee, a sine qua non of any such bill, and that committee has been by far the most conservative of any to have considered the issue. I'll freely concede, it will likely not include the public option in what it passes.

But this has, if not nothing, then nothing definitive to say about what's in the final bill. Because once something gets through Senate Finance -- and few doubt something will -- the various bills go to a House/Senate conference, where a composite will be put together. And it's there -- in the process of negotiation -- that the final details will be made clear (also where we'll find out whether we'll be going the 50-not-60 reconciliation route or not). It would be foolish for Obama to have shot his wad prior to the beginning of this process...however satisfying it would have been for fired-up liberals who (unrealistically) want to ramrod through the system.

What you say is essentially right about producing a final bill, but your implication that Obama has little influence over it is either wrong or the sign of a very troubling situation. Obama was elected by a substantial margin, with a lot of support for health care reform, and he has a mandate. He was and remains popular, he's leader of the Democratic Party and Democrats have a substantial majority in both House and Senate. Given all that, if he can't influence the final bill on basic elements of HCR like public option, he is a very weak President and leader.

It was a good speech excellently delivered. Unfortunately, I think, he doesn't have the leadership qualities to make it more than just words.