Did Obama Signal To The Repugs That If They Put Up A Fight Over Health Insurance......

[global1]

that if it don't get passed this year - it never will?

Seems to me he gave them a hint that they should mount a real offensive to stop any progress on a health bill.

[Uzybone]

1. are you trying to be funny?

[atreides1]

4. Here's what their talking about

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says that if Congress doesn't deliver health care legislation this year, it will never happen.

Obama on Thursday told his re-election campaign-in-waiting that volunteers must pressure lawmakers to support the White House's goal on health care — or else the opportunity would be forever lost. He says delay is unacceptable.

Obama's political organization, Organizing for America, plans a nationwide June 6 kickoff to pressure lawmakers and demonstrate support.

Obama spoke by phone with supporters as he flew on Air Force One back from a West Coast fundraising trip.

[Uzybone]

6. Yeah I know, but how can anyone with a brain interprete it they way the OP is?

Its a simple ultimatum, a tactic that has been used at bargaining tables and marketplaces since humans could communicate.

He is just raising the stakes, like he did with the stimulus and like all other presidents have done with legislation they want passed.

[global1]

12. No - I'm Not Trying To Be Funny.......

I'm just saying if I were a Repug or a Health Insurance Company or Big Pharma - a statement like this would give me some impetus to do everything in my power - $'s, filibusters, bending the truth, etc - to try and get this legislation to crater.

Those are strong words "....to support the White House's goal on health care — or else the opportunity would be forever lost."

Forever Lost!!!!

I believe there are some on the other side that would take those words to heart and fight tooth and nail to crash healthcare reform legislation.

I know what Obama meant - but I think he should have said it slightly differently - so as not to lay down the gauntlet.

[DrToast]

14. Then you suck at interpreting meaning from words

Sorry.

[global1]

16. The Counter Program Is In Full Force - Check Out This Link.......

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8437856

[Orangepeel]

17. they wouldn't have done everything in their power anyway?

The Rs and Health Insurance Companies and Big Pharma are going to fight tooth and nail in any case. It seems to me like Obama is trying to get the other side to fight as hard.

[atreides1]

2. That's one way to look at it.

Anyone else want to tackle the context of what the President said?

[Pirate Smile]

3. Oh FFS

:eyes:

[atreides1]

5. This is what he said

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says that if Congress doesn't deliver health care legislation this year, it will never happen.

Obama on Thursday told his re-election campaign-in-waiting that volunteers must pressure lawmakers to support the White House's goal on health care — or else the opportunity would be forever lost. He says delay is unacceptable.

Obama's political organization, Organizing for America, plans a nationwide June 6 kickoff to pressure lawmakers and demonstrate support.

Obama spoke by phone with supporters as he flew on Air Force One back from a West Coast fundraising trip.

What do you make of it?

[TheDebbieDee]

7. His way of telling voters to call their congressional representative

and tell him or her that WE want a healthcare plan THIS YEAR.

[dflprincess]

30. I'm sure that will work well for Senator Baucus' constiuents.

I've been trying to get a straight answer from Amy Klobuchar about her position on health care and I keep getting the same non-response email that tosses about meaningless terms like "affordable healthcare". I'm guessing she does not support a single payer option and probably not even a public option.

We can and should call our reps just so we know we did all we could - but until we can match the bribes the insurance companies give them I doubt if most of them will listen to us.

[Pirate Smile]

11. This is the best chance we've ever had to get it done and these opportunities don't come around very

often so you better seize it now.

It means Seize The Day not psst, Republicans, try to block it.

Republicans are aware of the situation. He isn't cluing them in on a big secret.

I think some people just want to bitch and complain about whatever he does and they assume the worst motives - and I'm not talking about the RW'ers.

President Obama wants to pass universal healthcare which will put him in the league of FDR re Social Security.

The idea that he is trying to undermine it is insane. He is trying to motivate his supporters.

[global1]

13. He Could Have Said It Slightly Differently That We Need To.....

pressure lawmakers to pass a most sweeping change in health care reform and not let them cower and back down to the corporate interests and dilute the package. And go on to say that a weakened healthcare bill is unacceptable. Seems that this would have been more positive. It would still be used as a kickoff to the nationwide June 6 campaign to pressure lawmakers and demonstrate support.

But to say that it is now or never - seems a little to harsh and fatalistic. Sorry - this is just my interpretation of his remarks.

If all of you on DU think what he said was perfectly acceptable - who am I to argue.

[Occam Bandage]

26. It is now or never. Presidents never get a second shot on an issue.

Sorry he didn't sugar-coat it, I guess.

[Occam Bandage]

25. He's saying that we need to get out there and fight for it,

because we've only got one real chance.

[Karenina]

32. It's a CALL TO ARMS that I hope Americans heed.

The RW has its dogwhistle. Obama has an EAGLEWHISTLE. I know it's a new sound to many, but to those whose ears can hear the frequency,
It's time to get MUCH LOUDER.

How come Max Baucus' offices haven't been SURROUNDED yet??? HMMMMM??? Where ARE those damn pitchforks? Anybody seen 'em?

[Cali_Democrat]

8. And if Obama said health care reform doesn't have to be passed this year....

Well....I'm sure some folks here would be outraged by that.

[Uzybone]

10. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't...

[11 Bravo]

9. Yup,he told them via his secret decoder ring. Then he headed off to kick a puppy ...

harpoon a baby seal, and burn down an orphanage.

Damn, I wish I'd voted for McCain!

[Cha]

28. Yeah, just think..we could

be all be outraged by getting sold further down the river and having the corporatemedia putting palin on tv 24/7 and not having one DEM to counter.

[tranche]

15. It's not a hint. It's reality.

No one in the Senate or House wants to do this. Campaign donors (lobbyists) don't want it. If if fails this time, forget about it. It's a secret message to everyone with a stake in this fight.

[dionysus]

18. points added for creativity.. points deducted for insanity.

[HopeOverFear]

19. He said today on the conference call that if we don't get healthcare reform passed this year

we'll never get it passed. That kinda worried me, but then I realized it was his way of getting us riled up for a big fight.

[Adelante]

20. He is signaling US and I hope we are hearing

Obama: it's now or never
BY AMIE PARNES

On a conference call with Organizing for America volunteers Thursday, Obama urged thousands of callers to ...

... “work in your communities” to help pass health care reform this year.

“If we don’t get it done this year, we’re not going to get it done,” Obama cautioned.

Obama urged volunteers to build on their experiences from the campaign and “remobilize” to pass health care reform, calling it “one of our biggest priorities.”

“This is our big chance to prove that the movement that started during the campaign isn’t over,” he said. “We know what’s at stake. We know we need reforms. Businesses and families are just getting hammered… Millions of Americans have lost their health care.”

The president argued to supporters that Americans “want action.”

“Inaction on health care leads to unsustainable lives…everywhere,” he said. “If we want to cut our deficits…the most important thing we can do to close our budget gap is to rein in health care costs.”

http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0509/health_care_ultimatum_991bdf52-4897-4afe-aad5-01993613a0d3.html

[dionysus]

21. how one could draw the conclusion that he is conspiring with the repukes is disgusting to me.

[chieftain]

22. If Obama signaled or hinted to the Republicans

to mount a do-or- die effort to defeat health care reform, that must mean that he is opposed to it. What in the President's history would lead you to believe that he wants to sabotage the last best chance for meaningful reform?

[dflprincess]

31. The fact that he won't even discuss single payer

makes me think he's more interested in protecting the health insurance companies than in any real reform.

[MessiahRp]

23. I want to fight for healthcare reform but I have no interest in fighting for his plan

It's just a huge giveaway to HMOs and WHEN (not IF) it fails, we'll never get another chance because it will be spun as a failure of "Socialized Medicine" rather than the pro-corporate garbage it is.

When he makes Single Payer his plan, then I'll fight for it. Until then I am not fighting for HMOs to steal more of our money and deny more of our care.

Rp

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

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[Clio the Leo]

27. I think it's probably more like the end of the campaign...

... when he kept saying not to take his election for granted and we all had to keep working down the home stretch.


Even though we all knew deep down we were gonna win. :)

Doesn't want ANY complacency I think AND it's always handy to be able to say to your Congressional opponents "remember all of my supporters and how they turned out for the health care bill? Want to see me do that again?"

AND ...... it's always important to keep everyone on their toes .... it's easier to mobilize an army of voters to work for you in 2012 when they've BEEN working for you for the last four years.

[TheKentuckian]

29. The Republicans need no signal to go balls to the wall against public healthcare.

They've been all about it for decades.

If the fix is really on then there would be no need for any hints, signs, winks, or nods.

Shadow hunting creates paranoia based on half thoughts things glimpsed out of the corner of the eye. I'm not advising you keep your powder dry but usually it is wisest to at least be able to see you your target. Wild shots will scare off a pest or the passing threat but a determined predator is something altogether different.

[redqueen]

33. Good one.

:rofl: