by Mark Silva and Christi Parsons
With a nationally televised prime-time address to Congress tonight, President Barack Obama hopes to clarify and promote - but not insist upon - a "public option'' in the health-insurance overhaul that he is seeking as part of a plan that he intends "to get done this year.''
"There are some principles that, if they are not embodied in the bill, I will not sign it,'' Obama said in an interview aired by ABC News' Good Morning America today.
Yet the president and aides today have stopped short of drawing a line in the sand for the so-called public option, offering government-run health insurance to those who cannot find coverage privately.
The president most likely will not demand the public option, but will make an argument for it during tonight's address to Congress and the public, according to a senior administration official.
"This is not a national debate about whether we have a public option," the senior administration official said, requesting anonymity in advance of the president's speech. "It is whether we bring choice and competition" to the marketplace.
Obama, asked if the must-have elements of his plan include that public option, spoke instead of other requirements in the interview aired this morning: "I will give you an example - if it's adding one dime to the deficit, if it's not fully paid for,'' then he will not sign the legislation.
The president plans tonight to set the same basic requirements that he has mentioned often in a series of "town-hall'' styled sessions over the summer: A health-care plan that is fully financed, without adding to the federal deficit, one that improves the insurance coverage that Americans already have and one offering coverage to those lacking it.
For the president, the challenge during a rare address to a joint session of Congress will be focusing a divided Congress and a doubtful American public on what he expects to accomplish on health care by the end of the year. The president will address the House and Senate at 8 pm EDT, with polls showing that most Americans plan to tune in.
The additional problem for the president is convincing a resistant audience of skeptics about the need for his plans, while assuring ranks of supportive Democrats that he is heeding their concerns as well. The public option, in particular, has become a point of contention for some of the Democrats whom the president will count on to win a plan in the Senate, and House Democratic leaders have deemed it essential.
"It's my belief that a public option cannot pass the Senate,'' Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) told reporters today.
With Baucus suggesting today that Democrats are prepared to advance a bill in the Senate with or without Republican support, GOP leaders are complaining that the public option is not the only problem.
"There's been a lot of focus on the government option in the plan that a lot of Democrats are supporting,'' House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said today. " But let's understand that it's not the only bitter pill in their plan. ''
He pointed to a requirement that employers provide insurance plans for workers or face a tax for failing to offer that. "At a time when we are trying to create jobs this will make it more difficult to create jobs, and, as a matter of fact, probably cost our economy jobs,'' Boehner said.
White House aides are defending the president's strategy of pressing for principles over details in the health-care debate. The senior aide says this has "flushed out a lot of ideas." Now Obama's plan is to take those ideas, "bring the strands together" and suggest a way forward.
"The president will bring clarity," the senior administration official said, by outlining health insurance reforms that will stabilize coverage for those who have insurance, make it affordable for those who don't and bring the overall cost of health care down.
These are principles that the president has emphasized time and again, but aides said today that Obama would narrow down the range of options and make a case for a combination he thinks will work.
Obama will have a broad audience tonight. Most Americans surveyed - 56 percent - plan to watch Obama's prime-time speech to lawmakers, the Pew Research Center has found. However, more Democrats - 72 percent -- plan to watch than Republicans - 41 percent.
And two-thirds of those surveyed - 67 percent -- say that, after months of debate, the health care debate remains difficult to understand. The survey of 1,005 adults was conducted Sept. 3-6.
"The president, I think, has a few main goals tonight,'' said Robert Gibbs, the White House Press Secretary
"For those that are fortunate to have insurance,'' he said, the president plans "to demonstrate for them that his plan will bring them security and stability. For those that don't have health insurance, that we'll provide an affordable way for them to get accessible insurance...
'"It's a good opportunity to once again talk directly to the American people about how important health care reform is and why we have to get it done this year,'' Gibbs told reporters.
The president said in a Labor Day address in Ohio that he still wants a public option as part of his health-care insurance overhaul, and the White House says the president will address that issue tonight - though the option does not represent "the totality'' of his plan.
"The president will talk tonight about the public option and about the necessity for choice and competition,'' Gibbs said.
The president has personally worked on the speech that he will deliver, returning from a Labor Day weekend stay at Camp David with handwritten notes for his speechwriters. And he was working on a draft with speechwriters as recently as this morning, according to Gibbs.
"I have given some broad principles and parameters,'' Obama said on Good Morning America. "It must not increase the deficit, it must improve coverage for those who have it and offer it to those without out.''
While hoping to clarify his own goals, the president allowed that he has "probably left too much ambiguity out there, which allowed opponents to come in and fill up the air waves with too much nonsense.''
That includes a summer-long debate over so-called "death panels'' handing government officials say over end-of-life issues for the elderly, or a broad government "takeover of health care,'' as well as the notion that illegal immigrants will be covered under the health-care bill.
Obama, insisting that bills under debate contain none of that, said he hopes to "dispel some of the myths and frankly silliness'' out there.
In hewing to his basic principles, the Democratic president maintained that he remains receptive to ideas from both parties.
"I am open to new ideas,'' Obama said. "We are not being rigid and ideological about this thing, but we do intend to get this done this year...
"I have tried to maintain a tone, and my White House has tried to maintain a tone, that is open to all-comers,'' the president said. "In spite of all this, there is this unyielding partisanship, and I think in some ways it has gotten worse.''
Baucus, however, indicated today that he is prepared to advance a bill in his committee this month without the help of any Republicans.
Reasonable voices have been "shouted down'' in the process, the president said, with his appearance before Congress arriving at the end of a summer of tumultuous congressional town halls.
"I hope that the Republican Party can rediscover that voice,'' Obama said. "I think they'll find they have a partner in the White House on a whole lot of issues.''
Comments
NO PUBLIC OPTION????
STOP THE MSM PRESSES!!!!!!!!
OK LEFTY LOONIES, TAKE IT OVER FROM HERE . . .
Posted by: Bobby Mobby | September 9, 2009 3:16 PM
With all due respect... At this point, I think I will just wait to hear it from the man's mouth himself thank you very much!
Posted by: Old Hat | September 9, 2009 3:33 PM
As I understand it, while he "technically" won't insist on a "public option," Obimbo and the Democraps will get a variation of it in there, so the public won't know it and it gets passed in Congress.
If we want true health care reform, then let's have a bill that allows people and companies to search for insurance across state lines (opens up competition), TORT reform, enhances medical savings accounts, and leaves the decisions between the doc and the patient? Isn't that what the Left always tells us about abortion: that it should be between the woman and the doctor and no one else?
Leave the government out of it. Medicare is failing and going bankrupt. We have $10 TRILLION in deficits for the next 10 years. We don't need more defricits, we don't need more taxes, we don't need more government. Period!
Posted by: John D | September 9, 2009 3:34 PM
Nobody wants a public option. No sale Mr. President. Don't cave to Nancy.
Posted by: Lee Hauser | September 9, 2009 3:35 PM
Public option - R.I.P.
Now it's about BO snowing his liberal base, which he is exceptionally good at. He'll act like he is "fighting" for a public option tonight, but my guess is that he has already agreed to sacrifice it.
Posted by: Herbie H. | September 9, 2009 3:39 PM
The people that supported Obama and got him elected to the office of President have drawn a line in the sand. And that line is the public option.
Posted by: Quippy | September 9, 2009 3:58 PM
Instead of giving his 29th (count them) speech on health care again without specifics, why doesn't Obama draft a simple bill dealing with one issue: providing health insurance to those who cannot afford it? Of course, that would not give Obama and Congress control over your health care...and resultingly control over you, now would it?
Posted by: Lyndon | September 9, 2009 3:59 PM
Lee - don't dare speak for me! Speak for yourself only. Herbie - you're mistaken. That's how the RIGHT has always done things....... I'm glad you all can afford your health care. I can't, thank you very much.
Posted by: rob | September 9, 2009 4:00 PM
"...I'm glad you all can afford your health care. I can't, thank you very much..."
Posted by: rob | September 9, 2009 4:00 PM
And how is this my problem?
Posted by: heartburn | September 9, 2009 4:11 PM
Choice and competition only occur if markets are open across all the states.
Bring Tort Reform to the table and then you'll have something to negotiate with.
Posted by: Mary | September 9, 2009 4:18 PM
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Nobody wants a public option. No sale Mr. President. Don't cave to Nancy.
Posted by: Lee Hauser | September 9, 2009 3:35 PM
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Despite how a steady stream of right-wing lies and delusional fantasies (see above) about health care proposals have led to decreases in support for the public option in some quarters, particularly among Seniors currently on the single-payer plan known as MEDICARE!, who are worried that their amazingly effective socialist government-run program might somehow be compromised by an extension of the same courtesy to those unlucky enough to be under 65 years of age. It's important to note that there is still overwhelming (77%) approval for the public option.
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/20/new-poll-77-percent-suppo_n_264375.html
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Posted by: freddy | September 9, 2009 4:20 PM
And how is this my problem?
Posted by: heartburn | September 9, 2009 4:11 PM
----------------------------------------------------
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Pre Puke,
How were tax cuts for multi millionaires and the Iraq war my problem?
Posted by: antacid | September 9, 2009 4:23 PM
"And how is this my problem?"
--heartburn
It's not. And nobody expects you to concern yourself with anything beyond your reptilian needs. That's why we have government, to help bear the burden that you are too weak to support.
Posted by: scarzo | September 9, 2009 4:32 PM
BO was once defeeated by Lifeboy.
This BO is going fro President Barack Obama to President Back Off.
He is retracting every he starts on his a genda - what a jerk.
Posted by: John Q. Public | September 9, 2009 4:41 PM
That we refuse to provide adequate health care to everyone and push it back to the emergency room and then pick up minimal care anyway is ridiculous. I'm appalled at the sheer lack of human decency. They'll be a lot of political hacks who will lose my vote including the president if we once again trash our population.
Posted by: fed up | September 9, 2009 4:44 PM
It's not. And nobody expects you to concern yourself with anything beyond your reptilian needs. That's why we have government, to help bear the burden that you are too weak to support.
Posted by: scarzo | September 9, 2009 4:32 PM
So you are ok with government taking hard earned money from me and my family because Rob can't afford his health insurance?
And you call me reptilian?
Can you find any justification in any of our founding documents that says that the role of government is , in your words "..to help bear the burden that you are too weak to support"
Rob- this country has infinite possibility if you are willing to work for it- the only thing you are guaranteed is your God given human rights- everything else is completely up to you... so wipe your nose, quit your whining, and find a way to get yourself what you need in life.
Posted by: antacid | September 9, 2009 4:23 PM
Chances are you, or whoever supports you, have a job thanks to those evil "multi millionaire" tax cuts- as for Iraq- the cost of this Health care nonsense will dwarf the spending in Iraq in its first few years ..
Posted by: heartburn | September 9, 2009 4:48 PM
Flip - Flop - Flip - Flop
Yes - No - Yes - No
Must - Maybe - Not without it - Who cares, it's not an absolute
Reform - Change - Hope - Uniter - Freebee's - Stop the War - Close Gitmo - Lower taxes - My wife has great bicepts!
What do the polls say this afternoon? Somebody, quick call the pollster's and make sure they propose the right questions in the right order to give us the results we want.
Posted by: springfield | September 9, 2009 4:49 PM
This BO is going fro President Barack Obama to President Back Off.
He is retracting every he starts on his a genda - what a jerk.
Posted by: John Q. Public | September 9, 2009 4:41 PM
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Wow, another mouth breathing right wing nut job, who is obviously a victim of Bush Jr's "no flat earth Repug left behind" program, shows their complete ignorance by not even being able to spell what they think they know.
Thanks for weighing in, Biff..
Posted by: I wanna be a Republican idiot | September 9, 2009 4:51 PM
Just because the public option is being pulled off the table doesn't mean that the government won't still want to run health care. It is in our best interest to continue to insist on transparency in what any health care reform bill will include. The last pass at reform was anything but transparent.
I thought that the Obama administration was going to bring transparency to a much higher level?
Posted by: zermatt | September 9, 2009 4:53 PM
I think if we pulled our occupation forces from Afghanistan & Iraq, we would have more than enough money to set up a single payer national health insurance system. In the long run this would be good for business and our country too. Much better than creating more and more terrorists, right?
Posted by: JohnW | September 9, 2009 4:55 PM
If the Obama Health Reform Bill passes with "Public Option" we will have Socialized Health Program" in this country. The private Group Health Insurance Carriers will never be able to compete against Health Program subsidized by the Federal Government. We will have a Government National Health Program and our taxes will go up dramatically. Money does not grow on trees as some of the Obama Cult believe. The only way they will be able to pay for a Nationalized Health Program will be through higher taxes.
Posted by: Depot Jim | September 9, 2009 5:11 PM
Chances are you, or whoever supports you, have a job thanks to those evil "multi millionaire" tax cuts- as for Iraq- the cost of this Health care nonsense will dwarf the spending in Iraq in its first few years ..
Posted by: heartburn | September 9, 2009 4:48 PM
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Spare us the fear mongering PrePuke,
If the gov't is so incompetent and can't run anything then why are all of the tax cuts for the rich Wingnuts so afraid of it?
I'll tell you why, because the big health insurance companies are running a racket right now, where they answer to no one but their Wall Street cronies and almost every single Republican in Congress is bought and paid for by the big health insurance lobby.
And the multi millionaires that your Republican overlords give tax cuts to are really doing a bang up job of "creating" jobs!.......not.
It's more like they're doing a bang up job of taking those "profits" from the tax cuts that Republicans gave them and putting them in off shore accounts in the Cayman's.
Posted by: antacid | September 9, 2009 5:18 PM
Pre Puke,
How were tax cuts for multi millionaires and the Iraq war my problem?
Posted by: antacid | September 9, 2009 4:23 PM
Ummmm AntOnAcid: How are they your problem? The tax burnden of the Top 1% of taxpayers now exceeds that paid by bottom 95% 2007
How much do you want them to pay? All of it? Pick up your tiny little piece and pay your own freakin' way.
Posted by: Bobbie Mobbie | September 9, 2009 5:21 PM
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If the Obama Health Reform Bill passes with "Public Option" we will have Socialized Health Program" in this country. The private Group Health Insurance Carriers will never be able to compete against Health Program subsidized by the Federal Government.
Posted by: Depot Jim | September 9, 2009 5:11 PM
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Waaaaaaaah, Oh no! Those poor little MULTI BILIION DOLLAR HEALTH INSURANCE CORPORATIONS won't be able to compete with the gov't!!!
If the gov't can't run anything like you Repugnuts claim then why should big health insurance companies be afraid of them? And why are they spending BILLIONS trying to stop it?
Idiots!
Posted by: former Republican | September 9, 2009 5:24 PM
Since tort reform is supposed to be important, why not do that FIRST and prove that Obama and the Deceitocrats really mean what they say.
Posted by: escaped from ny | September 9, 2009 5:33 PM
Money does not grow on trees as some of the Obama Cult believe. The only way they will be able to pay for a Nationalized Health Program will be through higher taxes.
Posted by: Depot Jim | September 9, 2009 5:11 PM
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Yeah money doesn't grow on tree's, which leads me to wonder why you Wingnuts were standing up on your hind legs and clapping like trained seals when Bush and Cheney gave tax cuts to the richest 1%, big corporations and big oil and started a phony war in Iraq?
BushCo's excellent adventure in Iraq is going to cost waaaaay more than health care ever will, we're not going to be totally out of that mess for years.
And by the way, where is this final health care bill that the Wingnuts are claiming is going to cost more than Iraq? They haven't seen a final health care bill yet because it doesn't exist yet.
Posted by: former Republican | September 9, 2009 5:35 PM
" freddy": Sure lots of people support a public option as long as it does not apply t them nor do they have to pay to support it.
Unlike you, I actually chased down the "poll" and looked at the data. It was not even a poll. They took 5 questions from the NBC poll and tried to draw conclusions from there. The whole idea was designed to get the result it got. This survey was commissioned by MoveOn.org. It would be hard to find a more useless and less informative piece of work than that SurveyUSA data. It was designed solely as propaganda. You got propagandized. Congratulations.
Rick
Posted by: Rick Caird | September 9, 2009 5:44 PM
Spare us the fear mongering PrePuke,
If the gov't is so incompetent and can't run anything then why are all of the tax cuts for the rich Wingnuts so afraid of it?
I'll tell you why, because the big health insurance companies are running a racket right now, where they answer to no one but their Wall Street cronies and almost every single Republican in Congress is bought and paid for by the big health insurance lobby.
And the multi millionaires that your Republican overlords give tax cuts to are really doing a bang up job of "creating" jobs!.......not.
It's more like they're doing a bang up job of taking those "profits" from the tax cuts that Republicans gave them and putting them in off shore accounts in the Cayman's.
Posted by: antacid | September 9, 2009 5:18 PM
Wow- Keith Olbermann posts on the Swamp! Way to think for yourself.
Lets look at this nugget of spittle stained logic a little closer...
"..If the gov't is so incompetent and can't run anything then why are all of the tax cuts for the rich Wingnuts so afraid of it?..."
The fear isn't ONLY that the government is incompetent in administering large social programs the fear is that while they are being incompetent at one thing, they are really competent at tapping into whatever money they need to shovel into their horribly run programs...
Thats called drawing a logical conclusion you knuckle head!
BTW-
If you think the problems we have with Health Care can all be boiled down to the evil corporate health care insurers you are delusional... go to your room and finish your homework.
Posted by: heartburn | September 9, 2009 5:44 PM
"JohnW": You say "I think if we pulled our occupation forces from Afghanistan & Iraq, we would have more than enough money to set up a single payer national health insurance system". You do? How about telling us how a declining expenditure in Iraq and Afghanistan will work with an increasing expenditure in a single peyer health care. The costs of Iraq and Afghanistan will go to zero. I guarantee you single payer health care will never go to zero.
However, with financial thinking like that, you are qualified to be in Congress.
Rick
Posted by: Rick Caird | September 9, 2009 5:49 PM
Dear rob, scarzo and antacid,
Worry not...someone from the "burden bearing" government will be along shortly to help you wipe your back-sides as well.
Posted by: Chris | September 9, 2009 5:51 PM
Heartburn and Antacid (what a pair!) - I didn't say I didn't have health insurance, I said I can't afford it. And if this is what you call whining, then it must suck to be you. And you're right, it's not your problem. I have taken care of myself for a very long time. Don't do anything for anyone else, ok? But don't expect anyone to do anything for you either. Have a lovely day.
Posted by: rob | September 9, 2009 5:56 PM
"antacid": Those are pretty dumb assertions. Every public company in the US, except for the nationalized car companies and banks, report to their stock holders. You know, the people who actually own the company.
If you keep government out of their business, no company would be concerned about legislators. The more control the legislators have, the more people try to influence the legislators. The legislators encourage that because they love power and the money that follows.
You really are a most unknowledgeable guy.
Rick
Posted by: Rick Caird | September 9, 2009 6:02 PM
The fear isn't ONLY that the government is incompetent in administering large social programs the fear is that while they are being incompetent at one thing, they are really competent at tapping into whatever money they need to shovel into their horribly run programs...
Thats called drawing a logical conclusion you knuckle
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Really PrePuke?
So you're saying that those vast government run programs, LIKE THE VA, are just a waste because you're afraid of them?
Ha ha ha!!
Yeah, we can always depend on those multi-billion dollar private health insurance companies, they would NEVER screw us!....not
Try again, Sparky.
Posted by: antacid | September 9, 2009 6:14 PM
The whole idea was designed to get the result it got. This survey was commissioned by MoveOn.org. It would be hard to find a more useless and less informative piece of work than that SurveyUSA data. It was designed solely as propaganda. You got propagandized. Congratulations.
Posted by: Rick Caird | September 9, 2009 5:44 PM
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Lil' Ricky Caird,
You're not doing a very good job of hiding the fact that you're a paid stooge for the Big Health Insurance Lobby.
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http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/rachel-maddow-show-wendell-potter-health-c
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Posted by: Mick Hendrix | September 9, 2009 6:23 PM
I'm so confused. Aren't the right wing conservatives the ones who invoke Jesus all the time? Are we to think that Jesus would deny health care to the poor and say "how is that my problem?" I mean, even a basic understanding of Christianity would lead you to understand that one cannot say that you love Jesus and all that and then say that we should not help people and that it is all about the survival of the fittest (richest).
The conservative movement is just a bit confusing. Pro life AND pro death penalty? Pro Jesus but against social health care.
Please, someone, help me to understand this movement!
Posted by: Confused | September 9, 2009 6:25 PM
Worry not...someone from the "burden bearing" government will be along shortly to help you wipe your back-sides as well.
Posted by: Chris | September 9, 2009 5:51 PM
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Hang in there Chrissy, we'll send someone over from Halliburton to wipe the spittle off your chin. The bill is already in the mail.
Posted by: I wanna be a Republican idiot | September 9, 2009 6:26 PM
Why A Strong Public Option Is Essential - By jacksmith — Working Class
Robert Reich explains the pubic option: http://bit.ly/19tHF4
It's not just because more than two thirds of the American people want a single payer health care system. And if they cant have a single payer system 77% of all Americans want a strong government-run public option on day one (86% of democrats, 75% of independents, and 72% republicans). Basically everyone.
It's not just because according to a new AARP POLL: 86 percent of seniors want universal healthcare security for All, including 93% of Democrats, 87% of Independents, and 78% of Republicans. With 79% of seniors supporting creating a new strong Government-run public option plan, available immediately. Including 89% of Democrats, 80% of Independents, and 61% of Republicans, STUNNING!!
It's not just because it will lower cost. Because a strong public option will dramatically lower cost for everyone. And dramatically improved the quality of care everyone receives in America and around the World. Rich, middle class, and poor a like.
It's not just because it will save trillions of dollars and prevent the needless deaths of millions more of YOU, caused by a rush to profit by the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX!
It's not just because every expert in every field, including economist, and Nobel laureates all agree that free market based healthcare systems don't work. Never have and never will. The US has the only truly free market based healthcare system in the World. And as you all know now, IT IS A DISASTER!
It's not just because providing or denying medically necessary care for profit motivations is wrong. Because it is WRONG! It's professionally, ethically, and morally REPUGNANT!, Animalistic, VILE and EVIL.
THE REASON THE PUBLIC OPTION IS ESSENTIAL:
The public option is ESSENTIAL because over 200 million of you are trapped in the forest of the wolves. Which is the forest of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! With no way out except through needless inhumane suffering, and DEATH. While the wolves tear at your flesh, and rip you limb from lib. Then feast on your lifeless bodies like a dead carcase for transplant parts.
At the most vulnerable times of your lives (when you were sick and hurting), millions of you have had to fight and loose cruel, but heroic battles. Fighting against the big guns of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! in the forest of the wolves. All because you have no place else to go. You have no other CHOICE!
But the PUBLIC OPTION will give you someplace safe to go. And it will give us someplace safe to take you. The public option will be your refugium (your refuge). Where the wolves cannot get at you when your down, hurting, and vulnerable. Where everyone who needs it can find rest, security, comfort and the care they need. Protected by the BIG GUNS of We The People Of The United States. THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE AND COUNTRY ON EARTH.
This is why it is so critical that we do not lead another 50 million vulnerable, uninsured Americans into the forest of the wolves, without the protections of a Strong Government-run public option. We The People Of The United States MUST NOT LET THAT HAPPEN to any more of our fellow Americans. If healthcare reform does not contain a strong public option on day one. YOU MUST! KILL IT. Or you will do far more harm than good. And millions more will die needlessly. Rich, middle class, and poor a like.
To those who would continue to obstruct good and true healthcare reform for the American people, and who seek to trap millions more vulnerable Americans in the forest of the wolves. We will continue to fight you. We are prepared to wage all out war against you, and will eagerly DESTROY! you. Time...is...UP! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! No Co-op's! No Triggers!
Healthcare reform can be the GREATEST! Accomplishment of our time and century. A time when future generations may say of us, that we were all, AMERICAS GREATEST GENERATIONS.
BUT WE MUST ACT!
I therefore call on all my fellow Americans and the peoples of the World. To join us in this fight so that we may finish becoming the better America that we aspire to be for everyone.
SPREAD THE WORD!
I have been privileged to be witness as many of you fought, and struggled to take your first breath, and your last breath on this earth. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. Life is precious.
Whatever the cost. WE! MUST SUCCEED.
God Bless You My Fellow Human Beings
jacksmith — Working Class
Senator Bernie Sanders on healthcare (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSM8t_cLZgk&feature=player_embedded)
Posted by: jacksmith | September 9, 2009 6:47 PM
Really PrePuke?
So you're saying that those vast government run programs, LIKE THE VA, are just a waste because you're afraid of them?
Hey Tums - It's not fear of the VA or other organizations (Medicare, Medicaid, Fannie, Freddie, etc.), it's that they do not run well, and if they are not currently insolvent, they are predicted to be in the near future.
Posted by: Barry J | September 9, 2009 7:01 PM
If you keep government out of their business, no company would be concerned about legislators. The more control the legislators have, the more people try to influence the legislators. The legislators encourage that because they love power and the money that follows.You really are.
Posted by: Rick Caird | September 9, 2009 6:02 PM
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Yeah Lil' Ricky,
I loved it when gov't "got out of the way" so that Republicans on Capitol Hill, whom you cheerlead for, could shovel money into the coffers of their private business cronies like Halliburton, KBR, Blackwater etc. I mean, what good is government if rich doughy Republican white guys can't steal from it, right?
Posted by: Mick Hendrix | September 9, 2009 7:03 PM
Obama lost his luster soon after being elected when he kissed the enemies of The People and his (our) critics rather than the majority who believed his bull and gave him a shot. Don't get hoodwinked twice. Change is just another word for sucker. Obama is stupid (or in the coffers of big insurance) to think that giving up public option is "compromise" . Giving up single-payer was the compromise for long-term American citizens. No one should ever have Obama as a union rep. He's management in union clothing. He's a Pug in Dem clothing. He's corporate--as are the Blue Dogs and the Emanuels three. Calling on all in the House and Senate to do reform correctly, or not at all. Why should I pay more to get exactly what I have now so that insurance companies can get more wealth and continue to drop good Americans while newly made citizens--who were ALL law breakers getting a foothold here--get treated with our finite health services????
No blanket amnesty giving illegals citizenship or health care after health reform is passed. That would be a stab in the heart to real Americans. Health care only for those here the legal, respectful and responsible way. No rationing ever due to giving health care to law breaking illegals who are made into quick amnesty citizens. How many of the 45 million uninsured are illegal anyway?
How about trading unwinnable wars for health care fo real Americans? How about trading politicians who are in the pockets of health insurance companies for health care for real Americans? Many things can go wrong with this "reform". Don't want it to be the new TARP for health insurance companies or for illegal aliens made into quick citizens. There are too many long-term, born here real Americans who want honest health care without propping up yet another private corporation at their (the citizens) expense. The Cheney/Bush maladministration made or enhanced enough privatizations of everything good. Obama, or Bush the third, seems to want to continue the madness on many Bush fronts.
Posted by: Vivian | September 9, 2009 7:22 PM
Mick: You have to be kidding me. You're still on the Halliburton, KBR, Blackwater trip?? by your logic, because Bush did whatever you accuse him of doing with those companies Obama is hence entitled to bankrupt the country with his heathcare plan? Tit-for-tat?? Grow up, man. I just saw some text of Obama's speech. Instead of "taking control of the debate" as we've been promised we are set to listen to another Chicken Little speech telling us if we don't act today the healthcare system is going to fail tomorrow - all while blaming "misinformation" and Republicans for his failure to get a bill through both house of Congress his party controls! Great Leadership there, BO!!
Posted by: Robert | September 9, 2009 7:27 PM
It's not fear of the VA or other organizations (Medicare, Medicaid, Fannie, Freddie, etc.), it's that they do not run well, and if they are not currently insolvent, they are predicted to be in the near future.
Posted by: Barry J | September 9, 2009 7:01 PM
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Yeah, and if we can keep Republican politicians from screwing with the funding for gov't run programs and prostituting themselves out to big corporations when they're in power then you won't have anything to worry about, right BillyBob?
Posted by: Darksyde | September 9, 2009 7:28 PM
Rick, I respectfully suggest you look into the costs of our occupation of Afghanistan & Iraq and investigate the concept of single payer national health insurance.
Posted by: JohnW | September 9, 2009 7:31 PM
Mick: You have to be kidding me. You're still on the Halliburton, KBR, Blackwater trip?? by your logic, because Bush did whatever you accuse him of doing with those companies Obama is hence entitled to bankrupt the country with his heathcare plan? Tit-for-tat?? Grow up, man. I just saw some text of Obama's speech.
Posted by: Robert | September 9, 2009 7:27 PM
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Robby,
I've been saying all along that the Dems should ignore the corporate loving Republicans and go ahead and implement the health care reform that they were voted into office to do - thanks for reminding us.
And as far as BushCo goes, it's only been 7+ months since those crooks left office and we're going to be cleaning up the mess they made for years. So you better prepare yourself to hear about it for a long time to come. You aren't getting off the hook that easily.
Posted by: Planet Wingnuttia | September 9, 2009 8:17 PM
Heartburn
Didn't you know antacid and the othe flatliners believe this is the first line of the Preamble of the Constitution
"From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs"
To all you flatliners, name one large gov't social program that has been run and the customers are happy and it has come in under budget. Just one.
Posted by: Terry | September 9, 2009 8:50 PM
For 6 of the last 8 years the Repubs had complete control of everything. My insurance premiums doubled in that time span. I don't give a rats arse what that Republipuke party thinks or wants. They're only motivation is to protect the insurance companies and corporate America.
Posted by: clifford | September 9, 2009 9:11 PM
Yeah, and if we can keep Republican politicians from screwing with the funding for gov't run programs and prostituting themselves out to big corporations when they're in power then you won't have anything to worry about, right BillyBob?
Posted by: Darksyde
Keep the Repubs from screwing with the funding? Are these the same Repubs that you bash for all of the wasteful spending over the last eight years? Noone in Washington has met a spending bill or program they didn't like.
Posted by: Barry J | September 9, 2009 9:27 PM
"From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs"To all you flatliners, name one large gov't social program that has been run and the customers are happy and it has come in under budget. Just one.
Posted by: Terry | September 9, 2009 8:50 PM
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Trickledown boy,
We've already seen what a full blown case of deregulated cowboy trickledown economics does to a country, why don't you do us all a favor and move there.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QDv4sYwjO0
Trim your toenails before you leave, they may be a third world country but they still don't like Repugs like you stinking up their stuff.
Posted by: anti terry | September 9, 2009 9:27 PM
Trickled On,
It was the over-regulation of the banking industry that has led to this recession. It was forcing banks to make loans to people that could not pay them back.
Have fun in 3rd grade - again.
Posted by: Terry | September 10, 2009 8:32 AM
" clifford": The cost of your insurance is based on the individual state's re3quirements. So, if you live in New Jersey, New York, of Mass, your insurance costs go up because the state demands more coverage or the covering of pre existing conditions.
Do you have so little understanding of how the process really works?
Rick
Posted by: Rick Caird | September 10, 2009 11:12 AM
" Mick Hendrix": You seem to have an inability to actually address a post. How about telling us why the SurveyUSA data was both correct and reliable. Oh wait, you didn't bother to actually look at it, did you. You are just one of the limited thinking kind of guys who thinks they can contribute to a conversation with a little name calling and considers himself some kind of a success.
Really, that is pretty pathetic.
Rick
Posted by: Rick Caird | September 10, 2009 11:17 AM
I think obama is doing a great job leave him alone...
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