Evolution of the President's thinking on Health Care

[AllentownJake]

State Senator Barack Obama - 2003

“I happen to be a proponent of a single payer universal health care program.” (applause) “I see no reason why the United States of America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, spending 14 percent of its Gross National Product on health care cannot provide basic health insurance to everybody. And that’s what Jim is talking about when he says everybody in, nobody out. A single payer health care plan, a universal health care plan. And that’s what I’d like to see. But as all of you know, we may not get there immediately. Because first we have to take back the White House, we have to take back the Senate, and we have to take back the House.”

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2008/june/barack_obama_on_sing.php

Senator Barack Obama Democratic Candidate for President - 2008

"I mean, if a mandate was the solution, we can try that to solve homelessness by mandating everybody to buy a house. The reason they don’t buy a house is they don’t have the money."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoSnqofelsQ

President Barack Obama July 2009

“That’s why any plan I sign must include an insurance exchange — a one-stop shopping marketplace where you can compare the benefits, costs and track records of a variety of plans, including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest, and choose what’s best for your family.”

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/president-obama/flashback-last-month-obama-said-reform-must-include-public-option/

President Barack Obama - September 2009

"I think one of the options should be a public insurance option. Let me clear. It would only be an option, nobody would be forced to choose it. No one with insurance affected by it. But what it would do is provide more choice and more competition. It would keep pressure on private insurers to keep the policies affordable, to treat their customers better. I mean think about it. It's the same way the public colleges and universities provide additional choice and competition to students. That doesn't inhibit private colleges and universities from thriving out there. The same should be true on the health care front. Minnesota I have said I'm open to different ideas on how to set this up we're going to set this up but I'm not going to back down on the basic principle that if Americans can't find affordable coverage we're going to provide you a choice."

http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/president-obama-strongly-supports-publi

President Barack Obama - December 2009

"As a practical matter, this is not the most important aspect of this bill — the House bill or the Senate bill."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7293327&mesg_id=7293327

[leftstreet]

1. One termer n/t

[ThomCat]

20. I think he's going to beat Carter as the biggest failure of a

Democratic President that we have ever had. What are the odds that he will be nearly as good an ex-president as Carter though?

[AllentownJake]

24. Carter's failing in his last year was honesty

I can't see that happening with this bunch, therefore think more of a Clinton less of a Carter ex-Presidency no matter when it occurs.

[FiveGoodMen]

28. Zero, is my guess.

Carter had trouble getting things done, but he was a good man trying to do what was helpful. And that attitude continued after his term was up.

[Jamastiene]

39. Absolutely.

Carter was and is still a good man through and through.

[Jamastiene]

37. Carter's biggest downfall came from outside of himself.

The Republicans were gunning to destroy him in ways that still piss me off to this day.

Remember the Iran hostage crisis? The Republicans were behind that and destroyed Carter's presidency with their behind the scenes maneuvering.

I was very young at the time, definitely nowhere near old enough to vote, but that was my first lesson in politics and what Republicans are really like.

[ThomCat]

41. Absolutely. I still think Carter had the potential to be our Best

President if Republicans had been less evil. But Carter depended on Republicans being honorable, and they weren't. That was one of his flaws. He thought other people were like him. :(

[FiveGoodMen]

27. Got to be.

[the blues]

31. He's losing a lot of the liberals who provided the fuel for his campaign. n/t

[iceman66]

36. In your dreams.

[ThomCat]

42. Seems like a lot of people are agreeing with the sentiment.

[villager]

2. Read his lips?

:shrug:

[dflprincess]

3. Really, it's more of a devolution (n/t)

[pocoloco]

13. Got to give Social Darwinism a chance.

[coti]

4. What the hell happened? nt

[madfloridian]

5. I think you missed this one

"My health care plan will overhaul the current health care system by guaranteeing coverage for every American through partnerships among employers, private health plans, the federal government, and the states. The plan both builds on and improves our current insurance system, which most Americans continue to rely upon, and leaves Medicare intact for older and disabled Americans. Under my plan, Americans will be able to maintain their current coverage if they choose to, and will see the quality of their health care improve and their costs go down. My plan also addresses the large gaps in coverage that leave 47 million Americans uninsured. Specifically, my plan will: (1) establish a new public insurance program, available to Americans who neither qualify for Medicaid or SCHIP nor have access to insurance through their employers, as well as to small businesses that want to offer insurance to their employees; (2) create a National Health Insurance Exchange to help Americans and businesses that want to purchase private health insurance directly; (3) require all employers to contribute towards health coverage for their employees or towards the cost of the public plan ; (4) mandate all children have health care coverage; (5) expand eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs; and (6) allow flexibility for state health reform plans."

http://www.yourcandidatesyourhealth.org/profile.php?c_id=MjU1MjQx

[AllentownJake]

9. Good catch

[truedelphi]

21. Madfloridian, you missed the final sentence in that statement which was

"If I am elected to the Office of President, I will immediately worry more about my ability to raise campaign funds from Big Mega Insurance Interests and all you folks will be on your own - good luck with that public option thing-ee."

[chimpymustgo]

38. +1. Nailed it.

[amborin]

32. missed this! incredible!

[Karmadillo]

6. Well, he did use the words "bamboozled" and "hoodwinked" a lot during the campaign.

We just didn't realize that's what he was planning to do to us.

[Jamastiene]

35. +1

We've been bamboozled for sure.

[amborin]

7. good art here on importance of pub option, including: what happens to mandates if subsidies are cut

<http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/21/817661/-What-the-Media-and-Obama-Never-Understood-About-the-Public-Option>

[girl gone mad]

8. Kinda crazy to think that I worked, donated and voted for him..

on the grounds that anyone who saw the value in single-payer would at least fight for a public option and would never go for mandates.

:crazy:

[tblue]

10. I think I'm gonna ask him for a legal separation.

Not quite ready for a divorce, but I think we need some time apart, maybe see other people. Nothing hot and heavy, just a companion to spend some time with. Someone who'll stand by me, who's proud to be with me, and who'll keep his promises. But, in the meantime, my man's sleeping on the couch. I think I'll change my Facebook relationship status to "It's complicated."

[donheld]

11. Punked

[mcablue]

12. Major flip flops are common

In the above-mentioned evolution. Great job.

[Stinky The Clown]

14. This thread is worth bookmarking and saving for later quoting.

[chill_wind]

15. The GOP

and 3rd party campaign ads are already writing themselves.

[ProSense]

16. "As a practical matter, this is not the most important aspect of this bill" You forgot one.

He said this same thing in August when he made the "sliver" remark.

Obama can push, but he's only going to get as much as Congress is willing to give. Ask Bill Clinton. In fact, it was also true of FDR, and he was working with majorities of 69 to 76 Democrats.

[WT Fuheck]

17. sounds like bush talking about bin laden

[Zhade]

18. And all in his own words.

Illuminating. Thanks for posting this.

[burning rain]

19. Damn, you're cold.

:thumbsup:

[AllentownJake]

22. Just his words

No comments other than that.

[burning rain]

26. That was my point.

My remark was ironic. :D

[Vinca]

23. It makes me feel like a world class sucker.

[freddie mertz]

25. The evidence points to a total lack of principle and a willingness to say anything

To get elected and then, to get whatever kind of bill he could with minimal effort.

Massive failure.

[PassingFair]

29. You are wasting time with this...you should be building a pyre to burn Jane Hamsher!

Didn't you get the memo....?

Anyone who appears on FOX needs to be burned.




:eyes:

[the blues]

30. K&R& ty for assembling these quotes...

They tell a sad story of what might have been... what should have been.

[Bluenorthwest]

33. And his words stand as his legacy

and as his testimony. What a pitiful thing.

[Jamastiene]

34. I do wish the people who are constantly saying "He never said he was for (fill in the blank.)"

would take the damn blinders off and see the truth. This OP has SOME of it laid out, in no uncertain terms. Think of any issue so far, and similar posts could be made to show his all over the place thinking on those issues too. Pretty soon, people are going to tell us he never said jack shit about HOPE or CHANGE. My bullshit meter has been pegged for WEEKS now.

[slipslidingaway]

40. knr n/t

[TheWebHead]

43. unlike the troubling majority of DU'ers with Obama Derangement Syndrome

he could count the votes and helped get the best bill that could be passed... rather simple to understand evolution.