President Obama's Address to Congress re: Healthcare

[Jeannieb43]

I hadn't planned to, but I ended up watching every minute of President Obama's speech to the joint session of Congress tonight on the topic of the healthcare reform initiative. I had been wanting to know where he personally stood on all the various issues, and tonight I found out.

If you didn't hear it, go online and print out his speech. It's available in full. Now you can go over each item as the discussions proceed in Congress, and you can see whether the people you're hearing about are negotiating the remaining issues in good faith, or whether they're just out to block progress.

I thought his speech tonight was powerful! Just outstanding. And he was interrupted 30 times or so by standing ovations. I especially liked the time he gave credit to McCain (and the camera swung to show McCain as he sat in the chamber) for one of the best parts of the plan. Obama is not afraid to give credit where credit is due -- in order to settle this problem now, on his watch.

[Tom Wetmore]

TU

[Woody]

You are right about that one dgrimm.

[Dr. Shane]

I have always supported universal health care, and still do. The Democrats in Congress have made me very uneasy about how they are approaching the entire issue and I was hoping President Obama was going to demonstrate that he is running the show now. I was hoping to be inspired and enthused about the direction of this legislation. I was disappointed.

The purpose of his speech was to convince those against his plan, or those undecided, to get on board. I was watching with the hope that it would inspire me to do exactly that. He dismissed real concerns without addressing them.

He dismissed death panels as political rhetoric. Well, we have death panels now - they are run by insurance companies but can be overruled by the government. If there is a government plan they will have to have death panels just like the private insurance companies do. But who will be able to overrule the government death panels? He dismissed that.

He said everyone will have to purchase health insurance so no one is going to the emergency rooms without insurance but then he turns around and says the plan will not apply to illegal aliens. We have 12 million undocumented workers in the US. They make up a large portion of the uninsured people in the US today. If this plan doesn't apply to them, we are still going to have 12 million uninsured people in the US going to our emergency rooms. So what is he saying? No health care for undocumented workers? Are we going to have people dying from strep throat?

He didn't sufficiently address the issue of cost either. He talked about preventing insurance companies from dropping people and capping their benefits but did not explain how he is going to do that and reduce cost at the same time. How are the American people going to get more services for less money?

I was also disappointed that he took cheap shots at the past Administration. This health care bill should be about looking forward, not looking back. He mentioned that the Bush tax cuts were not paid for. However the tax cuts stimulated the economy and revenues actually increased as a result. So, in a way, the tax cuts paid for themselves. His comment was a cheap shot. Then he made the comment about the Iraq War not being paid for. Well, what war in the nation's history ever has been paid for? Nations always go into debt when they fight wars. Many will sell war bonds. And what does that have to do with health care reform?

If his object was to win over people that are against or skeptical of his plan, I would have to say the speech was a disaster. It almost seems he wants to push this through Congress with Democrat votes alone and irregardless of public opinion. I find that hard to believe but if that isn't the case, what was he doing last night?

[bonnie]

Quote:

He dismissed death panels as political rhetoric. Well, we have death panels now - they are run by insurance companies but can be overruled by the government. If there is a government plan they will have to have death panels just like the private insurance companies do. But who will be able to overrule the government death panels? He dismissed that.

No one can overrule the government. Obama and his friends have already explained. Most people just are not listening to them

Quote:

He said everyone will have to purchase health insurance so no one is going to the emergency rooms without insurance but then he turns around and says the plan will not apply to illegal aliens. We have 12 million undocumented workers in the US. They make up a large portion of the uninsured people in the US today. If this plan doesn't apply to them, we are still going to have 12 million uninsured people in the US going to our emergency rooms. So what is he saying? No health care for undocumented workers? Are we going to have people dying from strep throat?

CBO has said in the past there will be uninsured people no matter what. We have 10-15 chronically uninsured,for that we will turn the economy further on it's head

Quote:

He didn't sufficiently address the issue of cost either. He talked about preventing insurance companies from dropping people and capping their benefits but did not explain how he is going to do that and reduce cost at the same time. How are the American people going to get more services for less money?

He just didn't explain about the several pages of new taxes . If you can say the name it is on the tax table

Quote:

I was also disappointed that he took cheap shots at the past Administration. This health care bill should be about looking forward, not looking back. He mentioned that the Bush tax cuts were not paid for. However the tax cuts stimulated the economy and revenues actually increased as a result. So, in a way, the tax cuts paid for themselves. His comment was a cheap shot. Then he made the comment about the Iraq War not being paid for. Well, what war in the nation's history ever has been paid for? Nations always go into debt when they fight wars. Many will sell war bonds. And what does that have to do with health care reform?

Obama is responsible for nothing and will fix everything. He takes repeated pot shots at the past administration. It has worked so far why not for this.

Quote:

If his object was to win over people that are against or skeptical of his plan, I would have to say the speech was a disaster. It almost seems he wants to push this through Congress with Democrat votes alone and irregardless of public opinion. I find that hard to believe but if that isn't the case, what was he doing last night?

He doesn't care how it gets pushed thru. Even if it is not exactly what he wants. The foot in the door is all he needs.

Those that support him without question probably still do. Those that don't support him probably haven't changed their minds either.

[Woody]

Don't know about the rest of you but I am getting Obama fatique after his blabbering to Congress yesterday and then holding a news conference this morning. I am greatly fatiqued.

Some of the senators described his speech last night as 'combative' and 'divisive'. That is not what we voted for in a president. We need a bipartison bill with something as important as health care.

[bonnie]

Don't know about the rest of you but I am getting Obama fatique after his blabbering to Congress yesterday and then holding a news conference this morning. I am greatly fatiqued.

Some of the senators described his speech last night as 'combative' and 'divisive'. That is not what we voted for in a president. We need a bipartison bill with something as important as health care.

Oh the hand wringing when a republican finally said straight out that Obama is lying.

Just listening to the news. Doesn't seem the media has any better memory. Never has it happened that the opposition party acted as this senator. Terrible,Biden says he was embarrassed.

Wonder if he was part of the group of several that boo'ed President Bush. A clip was played with the booing and Bush'es message. Didn't seem any wanted to hear SS was in trouble and something must be done if it is to survive

[Dr. Shane]

Don't they yell like that in the House of Commons?

[bonnie]

Don't they yell like that in the House of Commons?

Not sure. I do know contrary to what dems and the media is saying is just flat out not true

[Guest]

Don't know about the rest of you but I am getting Obama fatique after his blabbering to Congress yesterday and then holding a news conference this morning. I am greatly fatiqued.

Some of the senators described his speech last night as 'combative' and 'divisive'. That is not what we voted for in a president. We need a bipartison bill with something as important as health care.

I sidestepped the fatigue, and the frustration of being lied to by simply switching off the TV as it was coming on.

[bonnie]

Quote:

I sidestepped the fatigue, and the frustration of being lied to by simply switching off the TV as it was coming on.

It is interesting that Obama calling some of his opponents liars and no one must call him one.

Democrats have refused to sign an amendment to eliminate illegal aliens.Wonder why?

Just once I would like to hear this man actually say something of substance. He keeps talking about his plan,he has none. There again was nothing specific except nothing is Obama's fault and everyone else is lying

Tell me how do you reduce medicare costs by 55 billion dollars without cutting services?

He said it is waste and fraud. There is of course but maybe Obama can explain why he needs this monster bill to pass before stopping the waste and fraud. This won't go into effect for 3-4 years. Lot's of waste and fraud in that time that Obama knows about. He could go after that as he did demonizing the AIG bonuses.

[Dr. Shane]

I was glad to hear him say that abortion coverage would not be included. However there needs to be language in the bill stating that. Otherwise it will be added later.

[bonnie]

I was glad to hear him say that abortion coverage would not be included. However there needs to be language in the bill stating that. Otherwise it will be added later.

There is no way abortion will be excluded. That is a "right' don't forget

[bonnie]

That was part of the questioning by congress. The person that was being questioned said everything except abortion won't be covered. Pinned down she did not answer yes or no

[Woody]

Bottom line. Don't believe anything BO says.

[Dr. Shane]

His speech just served to make me wonder how much he really knows about the issue. I was really hoping he was going to address all the loose ends in a nice way to inspire the nation to get behind him. Instead I raised my eyebrows and scratched my head.

[Guest]

I knew what was coming, That's why I turned off the TV. My blood pressure is better off because of it.

[Woody]

His speech just served to make me wonder how much he really knows about the issue. I was really hoping he was going to address all the loose ends in a nice way to inspire the nation to get behind him. Instead I raised my eyebrows and scratched my head.

Good one Shane. Me 2

[bonnie]

Originally Posted By: Shane

His speech just served to make me wonder how much he really knows about the issue. I was really hoping he was going to address all the loose ends in a nice way to inspire the nation to get behind him. Instead I raised my eyebrows and scratched my head.

Good one Shane. Me 2

If you listen closely to most of his speeches it is filled with what he wants and very little of how he plans on getting there.

This speech had nothing except he is going to have the vote on this bill.

What is in it seems to be immaterial.Getting at least the foot in the front door is what counts.

He denies what is actually in the monster bill and just goes with denials and demeaning comments towards all who question him.

People that question him are liars,unpatriotic,"bed wetters" we we'ed up,told to shut up,he has no interest in listening,and a whole lot more.

His not adding to the deficit is nothing but a lie. If not and he is that stupid he has no business in the white house.

His claim to not cutting services is another. If all he is doing is going to be cutting medicare waste and fraud,why not do that NOW instead of waiting for a bill most don't understand? You take 500 billion out of anything and you have cut services.

[CyberGuy]

Anything the government does is intrusive. They say that the middle class will not be taxed. They will be if not directly then indirectly via high taxes for goods and services and medical care.

Obama says he wants to control health care costs but by allowing the people who are already sick on board which I agree with by the way the costs will go up.

They say they will force people who are not covered to get covered or they will be fined. How will that work when you are unemployed? How will one verify someone who is self employed vs one who is Unemployed? Do you fine the unemployed because they do not have health care? What if the person simply cannot afford the health care premium. Fineing someone at tax time will do no good if they do not have the money to pay the fine.

So far a lot of these questions on unanswered.