Obama's health town hall (infomercial?)

Can the Republicans get any stupider ? That remains to be seen !! That the President of the United States can not talk to our nation, is about as absurd an idea, as I have yet to hear, from the Party of No !! To criticize a sitting President for wanting to outline and present to the nation, his programs, doesn't get any dumber than that !! Unless, of course, you are of the Party of No !!
That President Obama must fend off attacks by a herd of Hydras, the healthcare Corps, who now make the lying claim, that they are in the business of making patients healthier, is about as absurd as the nightmarish, Dynamic Duo of Bush&Cheney, claiming their tenure in office, was tranquil and prosperous !! It would be laughable, if it weren't for the fact, that their lying is covering up all of the misery they have inflicted on our nation's life !!
If that is what it will take, to inform our nation, of his programs, than I hope President Obama holds infomercials, every week ?!! There is nothing more powerful, in terms of a democracy, than a well informed electorate and the Corporations know that !! That is why they have their water-carriers, members of the Party of No, out there, attacking our President !! Once again, the Party of No, proclaims their incompetence and their mean-spiritedness !! After all, aren't we, all Americans and isn't this our nation, "... one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all !! ".
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.

ABC. The All Barack Channel.

No wonder nobody watches the network news anymore:

"TVNewser has learned the CBS Evening News has once again set an all-time low last week with 4.89 million Total Viewers and 1.42 million A25-54 viewers. But it was also the lowest (since records began in the 1991-'92 season) for ABC's World News with Charles Gibson. The Gibson program drew 6.42 million Total Viewers and 1.77 million A25-54 viewers."

ABC has turned in to a Socialist Mouth Piece for Obama.

From Investor's Business Daily, more on the All Barack Channel:

"ABC insists it will present a balanced picture — as balanced, we suppose, as the political contributions of ABC News employees who gave 80 times more to Obama's campaign ($124,421 to $1,550) as they did to his opponent, John McCain.

With numbers like that, it doesn't take a genius to know what ABC's political atmosphere is like. ....
The best proof that the public is getting propaganda is that ABC is refusing to take ads from critics who are offering to pay for them. Among those turned away: the Republican National Committee and a group called Conservatives for Patients' Rights."

Hey Don, way to miss the entire point. Nobody is saying the President shouldn't talk to Americans, they are saying that Americans should be allowed to hear different perspectives on the issue. That is how people become "informed," not as you seem to think it happens: by hearing one slanted side of the story and preventing opposing views from being heard. How's the Kool-Aid?

Maybe with Universal Health Care people like Don Fitzgerald can finally get the meds they seem to desperately need!

Hugo Chavez and all the authoritarians get their free airtime without any opposing viewpoints, so why not Obama? Just like Chicago: one party rule.

In the 2012 elections, maybe ABC will hold presidential "debates" with just Obama. Doesn't matter who else runs, they won't be allowed to speak, there will just be an empty podium. The GOP candidate can watch the "debate" from home.

As long as we are going to be a socialist country, why not let Obama have a free network infomercial every day? He can "educate" us about his economic miracle already taking place, his fine government run car companies, and of course, government health care. ABC clearly supports Obama so why wouldn't they just show his side only? Why even bother with a pretense of fairness? Heaven forbid they allowed a counter-point. As in Venezuela: "Hello Mr. President!"

I'm sure President Obama could make another " infomercial " about America's ranking in the world, concerning healthcare:
http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html
Is this the real America ? Is our healthcare system that third-rate, that inadequate a system? Apparently, it is, when you have 50-70 million citizens without coverage, or inadequate coverage !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.

"Is our healthcare system that third-rate, that inadequate a system?"

Don, that's your Kool-Aid talking. You just referenced an extremely unbalanced poll. The fact remains that by multiples, more people come to the US for treatment than any other country in the world. Hardly 3rd rate. The fact remains that by any parameter that the average person would consider important (wait time, technology, access to specialists, cutting edge medicines, etc.), we are one of the top 5 in the world. One of the factors in the study you referenced was "fairness of cost". Well, better care DOES cost more. I've worked in and around the health care industry my entire life. I had a heart attack in Curacao and discovered what a difference there CAN be in health care. Don't be so quick to denigrate what we've got.

Be careful what you ask for.....

Frankly I think this event is disturbing when looked at all the other moves this administration and the Congress have made into the private sector with the buying of auto industries and banks. I hate to use the "F" word but does anyone else find our government (both sides of the fence included here) moving in a Fascist way?

And I just saw that the admin and the House worked together to sneak through the approval of the sale of gold by the IMF in a security bill. Which some think will suppress the price of gold which right now according to the widget ExactPrice (http://www.learcapital.com/exactprice )is trading at $937.40. My guess is China will gobble it all up and the price will go up.

But that's beside the point, what I want to know is when will the underhanded attempts to fool the people stop? What happened about transparency?

You point to gimmickry, well publicized cases of mercy, as proof of the caliber of our healthcare, generally sponsored by one Corporation, or organization, looking for publicity !! I point to 40-70 American citizens, without healthcare, or inadequate healthcare, as proof of our woefully inadequate healthcare system. To those citizens, without healthcare, or inadequate healthcare, they have the worst healthcare system in the world, not the 37th best !! I am quick to, and will continue to, denigrate a healthcare system that ignores 40-70 million citizens' healthcare needs !!
As far as what I am asking for, I am asking for a fair and equatable healthcare system, not one that favors the greed of the healthcare Corporations, or those wealthy citizens, or those with jobs. All Americans deserve accessible healthcare and if that means that our government, we, the people, shall play a role in reforming a broken system, than so be it !! Your " rush " to judgement, has left your position, one of propaganda and not a reasoned position. I am very surprised that I would have to point out such obvious flaws in your propaganda, " Prof. Dan ", unless of course, your professorship is from the Party of No, which wouldn't surprise me !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE.NOW.

Seems like Don is working for the DNC or maybe he is even Saint O himself. Don, maybe if people like you were not trolling on websites all day and instead working and contributing to society we might all have that coverage you claim we are lacking. Of course people like you would want to cover those illegal aliens first.

Don seems to think the phrase "party of no" cuts deeply -- look how many times he repeats it. He seems to want it to catch on. I am at a loss to see what good he thinks having it on everyone's lips would do. As a matter of propaganda strategy, wouldn't it have to be a BAD thing for that to do his side some good?

Beats me. Who can fathom these socialist propagandists? Propagandists, I can fathom, usually. But most of this guy's side are just so foolish about it. It''s like they think all they have to be is loud and shrill, and they'll be all set.

Posted by: Hal | June 24, 2009 12:09 PM

Hall, I think I can calm your worries about fascism. The Administration which got the United States into ownership of banks and autocompqanies is no longer in office. I do agree with you that George W Bush was a proto-fascist, not only in his domestic policy, but in his aggressive expansionist foriegn policy. Thankfully for the United States he is no longer in power. I'm sure you join me in celebrating that fact.

Hal: Don't celebrate yet. The current president has expanded those policies exponentially. Get him out as well, and we can celebrate.

The President should absolutley have this town hall meeting to address the nation about health care and he should do it every week until we get health care bill signed into law, WITH A REAL PUBLIC OPTION, no trigger. As far as giving the opposing side, we get that everyday all day long on Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, etc.etc.etc. I pray that for all of the people who haven't taken a positive position for the President, call your congress people, call the President. Write to your newspaper.Take action now, If you want health care, vote democrat, the reupublicans will never get it. I have medicare. It's wonderful and IT IS A GOVERNMENT PAID PROGRAM, with health insurance providing it. Let's do it NOW!

We do have the greatest healthcare system in the world. If you are fantastically wealthy like Steve Jobs.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/24/liver.transplant.priority.lists/index.html

There goes the Kool-Aid drinking from the Liberals. Its always blame Bush on this, blame Bush on that. Let's think about this, the Democrats were the majority leaders during part of the Bush administration and they still are during Obama's. The Democrats attacked Bush on everything, and now the Republicans are doing it to Obama. But every Liberal has convinced themselves (at least it seems that way) that Conservatives are morons and need to keep their mouths shut? Anything that is Government run spells trouble. I certainly don't want the Government telling me which doctor I have to see. They already are telling me that I have to start driving a hybrid or I'll get taxed heavily.

If Obama wanted to do this town hall meeting right he would have done it on Fox News. Even though they are a right winged network they are the most balanced and fair.

2012 cant come soon enough

Obama is evolving his concept of health care - this shows an open mind. Perhaps the evolution of American thought on health care will elevate the idea to the status of education, military, and infrastructure. .........

http://thefiresidepost.com/2009/06/23/is-ten-percent-too-much-for-health-care/

All of a sudden Republicans have decided they want a fairness doctrine. Just not on Fox News or talk radio. Whether Republicans like it not this is what the Bully Pulpit brings you.

Liberals are starting to get antsy for this healthcare reform bill. Some liberal media stations believe his honeymoon period is over. Is he going to "change" as much as he campaigned he would? I'm starting to doubt it. And here's what liberal news sites are saying. http://www.newsy.com/videos/leaving_the_fold

Obama can't afford to have an opposing voice in any debate. His plan is deeply flawed and is based on faulty premises, if not outright lies.

There may be 47 million "without" health insurance but it has been shown repeatedly by reliable sources that the number includes about 11 million illegal aliens, about 13 million who are eligible for SCHIP or Medicare but have neglected to sign up, and another 10 million who make enough to afford health insurance but choose not to purchase it.
That leaves only a small number who actually need some financial aid to purchase insurance on the private market or be made eligible for existing programs.
For that small number of people, we do NOT need to completely screw up close to 20% of the US economy.

This is a scam.
Obama and the Democrats depend on falsehoods, and they depend on ABC and the rest of the MSM to cover their asses by not reporting the truth.

Hey, Zach.
You've been watching too much of your "fair and balanced" station. Keep using slogans like "kool-aid" to push your credibility to zero. The comment to which you refer, about everyone blaming Bush, simply states the fact that W was the one that pulled the trigger on the first bailout and it, unlike the O bailout, has NO TRANSPARENCY or OVERSIGHT. Simple. Like you. It's not all Black and White. Feel free to not be a talking point for either side; it makes our whole country look foolish.

Hey, Zach.
You've been watching too much of your "fair and balanced" station. Keep using slogans like "kool-aid" to push your credibility to zero. The comment to which you refer, about everyone blaming Bush, simply states the fact that W was the one that pulled the trigger on the first bailout and it, unlike the O bailout, has NO TRANSPARENCY or OVERSIGHT. Simple. Like you. It's not all Black and White. Feel free to not be a talking point for either side; it makes our whole country look foolish.

The ABC "Special" was just a big photo-op, nothing more. The word "Dud" comes to mind. Obama didn't give one REAL anwer to any of the questions, but reinforced the idea of severe limitations for coverage by his sheepishness and vague non-answers. If this "special" was designed to "sell" the program, it just lost big time. Much worse than I even thought it would be.

People without health care insurance are incented to be healthier - why?

Government run health care at the same cost for all creates risk behavior and hence raises the cost for all - why?

Comparative Effectiveness is code for the grim reaper (rationer...) - why?

Governments, businesses and individuals operate with different motives (and only one can deny being sued, its the same one that can legally sanction violence and oppression against its people in so many ways) - why?

The best healthcare in the world will slide, we will stop innovating and researching, we will lose young persons interest in the profession... - why?

Government entitlements beget self loathing, a decline in human dignity, corruption, freedom of thought, self reliance, responsibility, pandering, economic inefficiencies and (ughhh) sloth - why?

Medicare is adored by seniors enrolled - why?

You know why - you really do - its the nature of humans.

No good can come of a health care program organized and managed by a large central government responding not to the needs of the individual but to the political whims and expediency of politicians.

ABC, Exemplar of the Media that Once Was

The Constitutional guaranty of freedom of speech is contained in the First Amendment and is but one of six guarantees spelled out in that amendment. The section relating to free speech is actually limited to 10 words, “Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech.”

As with most rights, free speech has limitations and those limits go far beyond the old example of yelling “Fire!” in a crowded theater when there is no fire, a very reasonable restriction.

However, it’s worth remembering that the First Amendment and, indeed, the Constitution itself relates to the government “abridging” free speech, also called censorship. The non-governmental private sector suffers from no comparable inhibitions when it comes to such abridgement although voluntary censorship is common. That becomes bias, for example, with the media.

If and when government censorship becomes so intertwined with media bias that they are indistinguishable, with a supposedly independent media acting as government surrogates, we then have a state-run media for all intents and purposes.

In large part, that is what America has deteriorated into today, and it’s far from a healthy situation in our former free democratic republic.

That is the precise situation on June 24th, 2009 with the extended inf0mercial being staged by ABC, an allegedly independent media outlet telecasting “news” from within the United States’ executive mansion, the White House, promoting a government plan for “health care reform” while denying any dissent or opposition.

What was that comment Obama made about “transparency?”

Adolph Hitler, Joe Stalin, or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad couldn’t be . . .

(Read the rest at http://genelalor.com)

What is really disappointing about the Republican attack on President Obama's healthcare initiative, is, they continue to lie and distort and scare the good citizens of this nation. They are protecting their " good " and easy life, while the rest of us, are lucky to have any semblance of healthcare. In which case, it is our healthcare needs verses their small-minded insistence on having their greed and eating it, too !! Is that what America has been reduced to, a cabal of over-sated citizens, denying their fellow citizens the basic human right of decent healthcare, decent jobs, decent education and decent, affordable housing. They and their representatives, the Republicans, are too busy saying no to the majority of citizens, in need of the healthcare reforms, President Obama is championing. If this vociferous, well-financed minority thwarts the will of the majority, America will, once again slither, back into, disappointment, disillusionment and despair. President Obama must remember, success is all in the fight, if you believe in your principles and your cause. This is his first real test, concerning what America truly needs and is he willing to take the chances, that the voters took, when they voted for him !! I think, he will not let the middle class and the working class continue to suffer, for lack of some basic right, specifically, decent affordable healthcare. After all, if the Senators, the Representatives and our President and Vice-President can have free healthcare, free, good healthcare, why can't the least of our citizens !!? There are a lot of lives in the balance. on this issue and they are hoping and praying, that President Obama will fight for their needs. They have no one else to count on !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.

Health care in the senate and the congress is a big big obama charade:

If the republicans would have read only once the whole budget which has been passed through the parlament in february they would have realized, that the money for the new health care system has already passed the parlament and that Obama is using the whole discussion only to make big publicity for his and the democratic party's cause.

@Anti-fascist, totally agree that the past admin helped lead us down this road with the bailout push. I was against it then as much as I am now!

But to say this admin is any different is ludicrous. Look at what they are attempting to do with the healthcare. It's a policy that will either require the government bailing out insurers just like the the auto and banking industries or just eliminate them all together in the long run.

I'm reminded of a quote I was this morning:

"Giving money & power to government is like giving whiskey & car keys to teenage boys." -P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian

ABC threw a health care party and nobody watched, we did find out through rush that the obama health care plan is so great, that neither the president or members of congress will be participating in a plan that provides so many benefits to the average american, they prefer to keep the health care their already getting.

As some of you might not know, some of the 40 million people not insured include illegal aliens, foreigners and people in between jobs. If the government stayed out of the way, the free markets could handle this with competition. The government control with PPO's and HMO's has worked out miserably. We have had managed health care since Nixon, who started these programs. So how is that working out for us? Haven't you people had enough of failed government programs. When is the last time the government ran something that works? Look how they treat our returning vets concerning their health issues. They can't even run and efficient working government. I am not a dem or a repub, but even though we had a stupid repub prez we had a stupid democratic congress.

Has anyone out there heard of ambulance stacking that is taking place in England? Have you talked to someone from Canada and asked them how they like their healthcare? Do you really want the government making your healthcare decisions? They will appoint people who know nothing about healthcare on commitees that will make the decision whether you will live or die just like they have appointed people who know nothing about how to run a car company in charge or tearing down and rebuliding the auto industry. He will probably put in place a Health Czar that only has to anwer to him. That would be real neat. I can't believe some of you really want government controlled health care.

I WANT MY SINGLE PAYER AND I WANT IT NOW!

Why is Single Payer off the table?

Jeez it's just a televised town hall mtg, people! What a marked contrast to W's under-the-radar presidential decrees he attached to all those congressional bills before signing them. Not to mention the Republicans' failed attempts to gerrymander congressional districts to ensure a "permanent Republican majority" (Rove's words). Who are the real Fascists here?

It's simple. If both sides aren't represented, debated and seeking truth and understanding, then it's a sham. A sham is a sham is a sham, no matter how carismatic it is. I voted for Obama but had no idea he was a nicotine addict. No wonder he was so calm during the campaign! Take away his cigarettes and watch him blow himself up! I regret my vote.