The "idea" vs the real thing?

[kentuck]

Chuck Todd, who is sometimes like the blind pig with an acorn, touched on a very relevant point this morning. He referenced the last press conference by President Obama where he talked about health care reform.

But, it was a difficult speech to make because he was not talking about a specific plan or bill passed by the Congress. He was simply talking about the "idea" of health care reform. In this context, it is easy to attack and to defeat.

Once there are specifics in a plan, such as portability if you lose your job or catastrophic coverage so you do not go bankrupt and lose your home and life savings. Or where you do not lose your coverage or are denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. Once those specifics are out there, then they will be more difficult to attack or defeat.

President Obama needs more than the "idea". He needs a plan. Unfortunately, the Democratic Congress is having difficulty coming up with a plan that he can present to the people. The President cannot create the plan - that is up to the legislative branch.

[Ms. Toad]

1. There are (at least) two very specific plans

which address the issues you have raised in detail. One is Senator Kennedy's bill, the other is the bill introduced in the House. There is also a single payer bill.

Obama doesn't have to talk about an idea, he can talk about specifics and endorse one or the other of the two bills - or point out where they need to be fixed (and there are portions of both which need to be fixed.

[kentuck]

2. I don't think anything has been passed yet...

Once it is passed, then the President can sell it. At the present time, it is all part of the "idea" for health care reform.

[Ms. Toad]

3. You are misunderstanding the process.

Once it is passed, the president's only remaining option is to either sign it or veto it. The time for selling is long gone.

Obama needs to be pointing out portions of the respective bills that are unacceptable to him BEFORE they are passed - that is the only time they can be changed without additional legislation.

In the alternative, if you are concerned about him acting as a salesman for the bill, he needs to read the bills that have been introduced and refine his "concept" with further essential features that either match or need to be added/changed in the bills and sell that. Congress can react and modify the bills in response to either his essential features - or to constituents communications in response to Obama's selling job.)

Either way, it is well beyond concept stage, and he needs to (and can be) more specific.