The President of the United States just backed me up in a dispute I had on DU. Yes!

[quiet.american]

:P :kick:

Obama just said loud and clear - "Starting this year, Americans with pre-existing conditions will be able to purchase insurance, some for the first time, some for the first time in a long time."

I was called a liar here (by "here" I mean "out there") the other day for saying that Michael Moore was wrong, and that there would be a high-risk pool created this year for adults with pre-existing conditions.

Even Howard Dean missed it, by what he said on Maddow last night -that the bill would only immediately benefit children, but not immediately do much for older folks.

To be fair, the language was confusing, but it had become clearer to me - insurance companies will not be able to deny children with pre-existing conditions; adults with pre-existing conditions will be able to purchase insurance through a government-subsidized high risk pool.

Thanks, Obama!

Edited to add: And here it is in writing - (Item #12 on Page 2):
http://docs.house.gov/energycommerce/IMMEDIATE_PROVISIONS.pdf

[NYC_SKP]

1. Michael Moore, much as I sometimes like him, is an expert on promoting Michael Moore...

Sometimes at the expense of reality and the truth.

:kick:

[quiet.american]

2. You know, I think he does good work --

-- but I've come to realize, yes, he was anti-Bush, but that doesn't mean he's pro-Democratic Party. Especially since he was a fervent Nader supporter in 2000.

Watching him and Lawrence O'Donnell do their macabre "thousands will be dead in the streets" bit on Countdown -- with an interpretation of the bill that was dead-wrong -- was so disappointing. Lawrence should have known better, but he's had a weird "angry-jealous" vibe going on about this throughout the whole process.

[CBR]

3. Great news!!! nt

[Clio the Leo]

4. Once he gets a bill that Congress cant fiddle with.....

... THEN the message machine will go into full force.

It has always been my belief that ONE of the reasons why the WH let the message get so confused was they had no EXACT control over the process and couldn't ultimately control what was in the bill. For example, you cant go out and SELL a public option if you cant guarantee it will be in the bill. This is where the Clinton folks (bless them) ran into trouble.

*I think* the President's strategy has been to set the foundation and then let Congress come up with the bulk of it, that way you KNOW you can get a bill passed. It may not be ideal, but it's better than anyone else has done.

THEN when it's locked in, the 'splianin can start.

[quiet.american]

5. Makes sense to me. But my God, I hope they get out in front of the "August Crazies" this year.

Meaning, we know the despicable Republicans kick their mobs into high gear around August every year.

The WH has GOT to get out in front this time. Simply saying, "well, you know that's Washington, that's what they do, it's silly season," is simply NOT going to be good enough. I pray they agree.

[Clio the Leo]

6. I think they've learned their lesson....

... now that Gov. Dean is working full time for the DNC and Plouffe is helping out, things have picked up.

One of the best changes I've seen is how they're using Twitter. Obviously Gibbs is using it, has already "broken" news on it once and says he will continue to do so and the @barackobama tweets are written in 1st person voice unlike before. Case in point, the most recent tweet said, "I need you to call Congress...." (rarely do they use personal pronouns because they're trying to get around subjecting the @barackobama tweets to the Presidential records act I think. Another recent one in this push to get Tweeters to name who're here for read "I'm here for my mother...." So they're writing them as if HE is personally Tweeting ... and I guess it's possible he may be.

Anyway, I doubt we will ever see another August nightmare .... not during this Presidency anyway.

[Cha]

9. Dean is working full time at the DNC?

Hadn't heard that!

[Clio the Leo]

13. lol no....

.... but at least he isn't publicly opposing the bill anymore. I"ll take it where I can get it. :)

[quiet.american]

10. Knew about Plouffe, but not Dean. Makes me wonder even more - what is going on w/Dean?

The first words out of his mouth on Maddow yesterday were disparaging to the bill - calling it "Romneycare," and saying it would only in the short-term help children -- and I thought to myself then - look, he's the former Chairman of the DNC, he's got to know that the GOP will take clips of what he'd just said to run in an "even-the-former-chairman-of-the-'Democrat' Party-thinks-it's-a-bad-bill-type" ad.

Granted, later on, Dean also said the bill is worth passing, yet the first words out of his mouth were disparaging to the effort. And while I'm on the subject, Dean keeps boasting that his efforts as governor covered 96% of all children in Vermont - I wish someone would ask him -- and how many adults are currently covered - because he keeps pointing to how what he did in Vermont should be taken as the example for the country, yet, he only cites the 96% figure as it pertains to children. But he also has to know that it might not be doable to transplant a system that works in a state the size of Vermont to the entire country in one fell swoop.

I've been most disappointed through this whole thing by those whom I've 100% supported in the past - Howard Dean, Dennis Kucinich - I used to really like Lawrence O'Donnell, too - I understand that they may not think the bill goes far enough, but what has really disappointed me about their public comments, is that they have misrepresented the bill almost as much as the right does. /end rant

It looks like I'm going to finally have to give in and get Twitter-ized. Things had come to a point where I'd gotten tired of keeping up with every new tech - but -- I think it's time to get Twitter-ized. Thanks for the info on that, Clio.

[Clio the Leo]

12. Yeah, but ultimately, Dean is in favor of the bill....

.... and that's all I care about.

I'm CliotheLeo on twitter, here's my follow list if you want to do some digging..

http://twitter.com/CliotheLeo/following

[quiet.american]

14. Cheers for the link. Gives me a good place to start. :) nt

[Cha]

7. You've been golden on this Health Care Reform

business, QA~ :D

[quiet.american]

11. Thanks for that, Cha. :)

And I'll admit, I'm sure I haven't been right on everything, but before I post, I try to ensure I've understood the bill language.

It's occurred to me that I'm now spoiled by having access to all this info!

Thank you, Obama!

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

8. Can he kindly tell people (again) that there are cost controls in the bill?

Because the morons aren't getting it.

[graywarrior]

15. I cannot believe how many experts there are on this issue

Why they can't wait for the bill come out first before they start bitching about it.