Obama pitches health plan in spirited appearance

[NJmaverick]

GLENSIDE, Pa. – Stirring memories of his campaign for the White House, President Barack Obama made a spirited, shirt-sleeved appeal for passage of long-stalled health care changes Monday as Democratic congressional leaders worked behind the scenes on legislation they hope can quickly gain passage.
"Let's seize reform. It's within our grasp," the president implored his audience at Arcadia University, the first outside-the-Beltway appearance since he vowed last week to do everything in his power to push his health care plan into law.
The president's pitch was part denunciation of insurance companies — "they continue to ration care on the basis of who's sick and who's healthy," he said — and part criticism of his Republican critics. "You had 10 years. What happened? What were you doing?" he taunted members of a party that held the White House for eight years and control of Congress for a dozen.
The outcome could affect almost every American, changing the ways they receive and pay for health care — and extending coverage to tens of millions more people — if the legislation gains final approval

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_obama_health_overhaul;_ylt=AlIUNacbBbFLycEoSeDFq3ys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNwZDFnYjR2BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzA4L3VzX29iYW1hX2hlYWx0aF9vdmVyaGF1bARjY29kZQNtb3N0cG9wdWxhcgRjcG9zAzMEcG9zAzEwBHB0A2hvbWVfY29rZQRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3J5BHNsawNvYmFtYXBpdGNoZXM-

[Cha]

1. Thank you, Maverick~

[jaxx]

2. The President was great today.

On fire, telling them like it is.

[NJmaverick]

3. Do you know where I could see the video?

[jaxx]

6. Obama in PA:Pass Health Care Reform Now

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtIkMLC_5UI&feature=player_embedded

[NJmaverick]

17. Thanks

:hi:

[jaxx]

8. 12 mins into it he really gets going.

He is great!

[philly_bob]

4. I saw it on CSPAN. He had the old fire, the crowd loved him.

For the first time in a while, I'm optimistic for 2010 election after seeing him connect with the crowd. He asked them to stand up with him against the Tea Partiers' disinformation and the insurance company abuses.

He's got his campaign issue!

And it ain't bipartisanship.

In a debating sense, which side would you rather take: the insurance companies and the tea-baggers or the long list of Americans harmed by insurance company abuses?

The question is, who else in his administration can make a speech like that? Joe Biden, probably.

[RC]

5. Where are the teeth in the laws reining in the health insurance companies?

Where are the prison sentences for the frauds they are perpetuating on their customizers?
Nice words, but to no avail unless the government get involved and gets tough in getting control of our health care system. That includes the hospitals also.

[jaxx]

7. Prison sentences?

That's downright radical.

[Coyote_Bandit]

9. Ummmm......

Talk is cheap. I want to see him put up a proposal for meaningfulhealthcare reform. But I sure as hell ain't holding my breath. All he has done with respect to hrealthcare reform is continually revise his expectations and demands downward. He doesn't really care about delivering meaningful healthcare reform - he cares about the political expediency of being able to pretend that he did so.

[jaxx]

10. Wrong.

He cares very much. Otherwise he'd not have started it, and certainly not have kept it going like he is today. That takes guts. What a shame that he's being knocked for putting himself on the line by people who will never be satisfied.

[smiley_glad_hands]

11. +1 eom

[Coyote_Bandit]

12. Oh, Please

He was for single payer before he was against it.

He was for a strong public option before he was for a weaker one. And now he is willing to accept so-called reform that includes no public option.

But it does include mandates - which will benefit the health insurance industry.

The man is a frickin self-interested opportunist.

[jaxx]

14. Wrong again.

An opportunist would have walked away. Tough stuff doesn't interest an opportunist.

[NJmaverick]

13. First you guys accuse him of not using the bully pulpit to support reform

now you are saying talk is cheap. There appears to be only one consistent factor and that is you are not about to give a fair assessment of President Obama.

[slipslidingaway]

15. At the end of 2008 Obama talked of politicians who offered up...

detailed health care plans only to go to DC and make deals with lobbyists that went against their plans.

Enough is enough he said, that is Not who we are!

Well???


BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN’S PLAN TO LOWER HEALTH CARE COSTS
AND ENSURE AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HEALTH COVERAGE FOR ALL

9 page pdf
http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/HealthCareFullPlan.pdf


Barack Obama: Newport News, Virginia
October 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9PIN03qGjg

[Coyote_Bandit]

16. Ummmm......

I never had high expectations of Obama - based on his own legislative history. I paid more attention to that than to his campaign rhetoric.

I did hope to be pleasantly surprised. Hasn't happened. On many counts. Iraq. Afghanistan. Economic stimulus and bank bailouts. Don't ask don't tell. Healthcare reform. He's just another corporatist and only slightly more tolerable to me than GWB. I'm hard pressed to name much of anything he has done to advance and protect me needs and interests. On many issues.

Meaningful healthcare reform is my line in the sand. If he can't deliver something better than what's currently on the table then he will not be getting my vote again. Consequences be damned.



Oh, and I'm not "you guys". I speak for myself. No one else. I have my own expectations and standards and reach my own decisions. I could care less what you or anyone else thinks of Obama. IMHO, based on his performance to date, he is not deserving to retain his position.

[Edweird]

18. That's because he is advocating EXACTLY WHAT HE CAMPAIGNED AGAINST.

That's why talk is cheap.

[leftstreet]

20. +1

[t0dd]

24. +1

[AllentownJake]

19. Doesn't have the votes

He might get them, but after reading that, I can say with pretty good certainty, there isn't the votes right now, or he'd be talking about his next initiative.

[Stinky The Clown]

21. A day late and a dollar short

[GeorgeGist]

22. spirited, eh

getting old.

[GeorgeGist]

23. unrec for drivel