Obama Health Care Speech Promises More of the Same
What can we expect from Obama's prime-time health-care speech tonight? It's being touted as a pivotal moment in the health-care debate, and a chance for Obama to put reform back on track after a rough month. But if the segments released to the media so far are any indication, the speech won't offer much except more of the same.
As always, it appears unlikely that he'll take a firm stand on the public plan; instead, he'll say it's good but not necessary. As always, he'll employ a bit of rhetorical sleight of hand by saying that the government won't require anyone to change plans (technically true, though structural changes in the health-care system will likely end up shifting people away from their current plans anyway). As always, he'll call for increased regulation of private insurance companies. And as always, he'll stress the importance of this particular moment and this particular presidency to achieving the goal of universal coverage.
One other thing to expect: Like Obama's last prime time health-care address, this one will probably result in low ratings, particularly since it's competing against the season premiere of So You Think You Can Dance. But that's probably to be expected from what is, after all, little more than a rerun.
I'll post my reaction after the speech, but for up-to-the-minute commentary, check out Cato's panel of health-care experts who will be live-blogging the whole thing.
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LOL, yet another useless speech from our useless leader. he is starting to remind me of a pit bull dog with no teeth! All bark and NO bite!
Jeff
http://www.privacy-web.pl.tc
One other thing to expect: Like Obama’s last prime time health-care address, this one will probably result in low ratings, particularly since it’s competing against the season premiere of So You Think You Can Dance. But that’s probably to be expected from what is, after all, little more than a rerun.
So, it’s a choice between watching young, talented urban dancers and a forty-something doing a clumsy soft shoe?
President Who?
All that phony fucking applause when he’s introduced. Jesus, I almost expected a bunch of people to hold up lit cigarette lighters as “Freebird” plays in the background.
And he starts off as if the economy is better NOW than a year ago. What a maroon…
I also expect the usual it’s-all-the-Republican’s-fault-cuz-they-hate-seniors-and-sick-children posturing.
The irony is that “moderate” Republicans will buckle anyway without the speech. In the Senate Collins and Snowe are a lock to vote for whatever slop Democrats serve up, and Graham, Lugar, Grassley, Alexander, Voinovich, Enzi, McCain and (possibly) Hutchison could be enticed with a few vague promises.
Not to mention having to go up against two teenaged blondes in short skirts on ESPN… (though the way Wozniacki’s playing, the match might be done before the speech.)
I couldn’t make it past the opening crap about “every president since Teddy Roosevelt has tried to do something about healty care…” He used to say “every president since Harry Truman.” Now he’s back to TR. Soon it will be “every president since George Washington,” or “every leader since Julius Caesar…”
“it’s time to give every american the opportunity that we give ourselves…”
give give give, from where does it come Barry?
“while there remain some significant details to be ironed out…”
That line had them laughing out loud. Obama didn’t look like he appreciated it.
First few minutes and he’s going full-on with pies, chips and ponies arguments, promising everything from insurance companies without consequences. He might as well shout out, “We will free irrational minds from the tyranny of math and actuarial science!!!”
More vague platitudes without an actual explanation of what this monstrosity will be composed of.
And he terms as “irresponsible behavior” people’s right to go without the insurance he demands that we have. He makes a stupid analogy between car and health insurance. The difference, you stupid fuck, is that people who don’t drive and own cars are not required to carry car insurance while they are NOT driving or using a car. Why should someone be forced to carry insurance if they are, to the degree that they define for themselves, “healthy”?
He finally got to the coercion part. If you “irresponsible” freethinkers don’t want insurance, we’ll force you to have it. Because we own you. You’re part of the collective.
Ah, the scapegoat: insurance companies!
All dictators require a scapegoat.
Make them wear identifiable flair, Barry!
What? I’m missing something else on TV that’s good?
I note that BHO is – at least in this speech – not lying as he has about the number of those w/o ins. In the past, he’s included millions of foreign citizens as “Americans” and “U.S. citizens” when they’re in fact citizens of other countries.
I note also that for once shouting seems to have been welcome, when BHO falsely stated that IllegalAliens won’t be covered.
P.S. If there are any tea party/townhall types who want to do something effective, go to a public meeting and press your representative on these questions. And, ask yourself why your leaders didn’t suggest that you ask questions like that but sent you out knowing that most people would get snowed by their representatives.
P.S. In case anyone replies to this, their responses will almost assuredly be ad homs, thereby conceding my points and showing the childish, anti-intellectual nature of libertarians.
Derwood just made another “Post Office” analogy. “The public option will have to be self-sustaining.” Yeah, right. And then, like a jackass who’s never had a real job in his life, he still speaks as if government has been a success somewhere at sometime. Tell all the veterans who got AIDS from unclean equipment, erroneous terminal illness letters, or denial of coverage for OBVIOUS amputations and combat wounds about how great “public health with no private company overhead” has worked out.
It won’t add a dime to the deficit?
He’s right. It’ll add 10 trillion dimes.
I note that BHO is – at least in this speech – not lying as he has about the number of those w/o ins. In the past, he’s included millions of foreign citizens as “Americans” and “U.S. citizens” when they’re in fact citizens of other countries.
It’s not ad hominem to point out his “hundreds of millions” of uninsured remark earlier in this speech.
Ta-dah! No additional deficit additions! Everyone gets quality care! There are no trade offs!
Hey, “Married with Children” on TV Land! Let’s celebrate Kelly Bundy, the epitome of Obama voters!
The Listener In Chief!
the republican standing ovation when he mentioned tort reform was amusing. i think it threw him off his groove a bit.
then he essentially discounted it. douchebag.
Dragging out a dead Kennedy now. Sheesh.
He’s shrinking before my very eyes.
I must admit, it’s fun watching the shine come off this cigar-store Indian.
Good night and good luck.
he’ll stress the importance of this particular moment and this particular presidency to achieving the goal of universal coverage.
In my half-awake state I read that as universal sufferage – and I don’t mean anything about voting rights either.
Damned tags
Good Gawd, he is putting a spit shine polish on that turd by evoking the fat, drunken, and stupid guy.
Help us Zombie Ted, you are only hope!
Which congress-thing called him a liar?
He’s invoking Ted Kennedy to let every one know that drownings will be covered in the health care bill.
Public Dole-a-mite | September 9, 2009, 8:51pm | #
Hey, “Married with Children” on TV Land! Let’s celebrate Kelly Bundy, the epitome of Obama voters!
Lay off of Kelly. She is alright. You couldn’t get her to find the way to a poll if the Democrats were offering free boob jobs.
Like Obama’s last prime time health-care address, this one will probably result in low ratings, particularly since it’s competing against the season premiere of So You Think You Can Dance.
Kind of appropriate, since our political system has devolved into one long season of So You Think You Can Govern.
One thing surprised me about the speech. Obama’s anger level was very high. There was the usual obfuscation and dissembling, but the volcanic temper we saw tonight is certainly new.
I had to say amen to one part: when he said that he wasn’t the first president to target health care reform, but he’ll be the last. May that prediction come true (just not in the way he intends it)…
The official Republican response includes an emphatic statement that reform should include the ability to buy health insurance across state lines, to encourage competition and provide choice.
So, the official Republican platform now includes the absence of States’ Rights with regard to insurance, I guess. What is next to fall? State’s differing preferences for the regulation of firearms? Oh, wait … too late … already a plank. What the hell is going on?!?
There was the usual obfuscation and dissembling, but the volcanic temper we saw tonight is certainly new.
Perhaps he’s going to replace Gibbs with Samuel Jackson?
“Look, y’all BITCHES betta pass THIS HEALTH CARE SHIT or I’m gonna kick yo MUTH-A-FUCKIN’ ASS!!!
So, the official Republican platform now includes the absence of States’ Rights with regard to insurance, I guess. What is next to fall? State’s differing preferences for the regulation of firearms? Oh, wait … too late … already a plank. What the hell is going on?!?
Uhhh… Could what’s going on be the fact that individual rights trump states’ “rights”?
Can you name anything else that your state tells you that you can’t buy from another state?
Re states rights. Getting rid of state departments of insurance is surely better than giving the people who think Van Jones is an economics genius control of the healthcare and insurance industries.
Don’t forget, coercing other people to help their fellow man is “TEH SLAVERY!”
If I am surrounded by D.C.s, I wanna live in a Montana. This Republic is an experiment in States’ Rights, remember?
“Can you name anything else that your state tells ‘you that you can’t buy from another state?
Alcohol in PA, yay for outdated liquor laws.
Can you name anything else that your state tells you that you can’t buy from another state?
Wine, fireworks, firewood, cigarettes, handguns,….
President Obama’s heath care promises won’t be kept. Costs will rise exponentially, NOT fall. Therefore, our taxes will be the ones to pay for it. We need to support the goal of covering all individuals through private health insurance. We are NOT prepared to turn our health system over to the government.
http://www.friendsoftheuschamber.com/issues/index.cfm?ID=300 .
Snark aside, can someone give me a libertarian argument in favor of “tort reform” in all this health care rigmarole? Seems to me like nothing more than a statist excuse for helping gigantic corporate tortfeasors avoid responsibility for their actions by precluding juries from trying facts and determining the extent of damages to plaintiffs.
Speaking of “Married With Children” I see that Hill Harper is going to be Fox tomorrow to defend Obama’s health care boondoggle. He was more believable as Al Bundy’s understudy.
Can you name anything else that your state tells you that you can’t buy from another state?
Cigarettes (over 3 cartons), car insurance, Any large purchases must be claimed on state income tax returns. A washer and dryer bought in Delaware must be claimed in a special column of the state income tax return, and state sales tax must be paid.
Don’t forget, coercing other people to help their fellow man is “TEH SLAVERY!”
Is this supposed to be sarcasm, or something?
Okay, it’s pretty clear that you all live in some pretty sucky states.
Now, aside from more mundane issues such as tax equalization, why should states have the authority to place such limits on individuals?
More to the point, why should states be empowered to abrogate your inalienable right to purchase something as amazingly important as health insurance from whomever you please?
Can you name anything else that your state tells you that you can’t buy from another state?
Almost forgot, contractor’s liability and worker’s comp insurance.
Shit, my state decides which insurance companies are allowed to sell any kind of insurance.
On the whole, state-regulated insurance companies did much better in the recent financial meltdown than did federally regulated financial institution. AIG would be the very notable exception, but even there, the part of AIG that caused the meltdown was a subsidiary that was beyond the reach of the state regulators.
Guys,
I think people don’t realize that the law setting up State regulation of insurance companies is a federal law.
It was part of the corporatism pushed by FDR democrats when fascism was in vogue in the US.
This is a cool website. My first visit. Like taking a hot shower after rolling in that field of verbal horse manure just spread by our commander in chief. Thanks all for helping me to clean up a bit.
Constitution preserves all powers to the several states not otherwise enumerated as being under federal jurisdiction. The big question was whether insurance qualified as interstate commerce. Didn’t used to be, is now, so the state insurance regulation is an anachronism. But, dammit, it’s a good anachronism, and it ought to be kept.
I tried to listen to the whole speech.
I really, really tried.
But fuck me with a barb-wire wrapped pogo stick.
My chest waders were overflowing with bullshit long before the the Holy One hit the five-minute mark.
I only caught a few snippets of the speech directly. I got home after it had already started and couldn’t stand to watch the whole thing anyway.
What part I did hear was the usual liberal blather about how “every other developed country provides healthcare” and ” nation as wealthy as the United States” – blah blah blah.
I’ve heard it a thousand times before.
Hey Barry O – wealth doesn’t belong to the “nation” it belongs to the specific individuals who have legal title to it. You have no business trying to redistribute it in your attempt to hook as many people as possible on government dependency.
Anyone care to hazard a guess as to how, if at all, this speech will alter the game as far as the passage of healthcare “reform” this autumn? Did he save the dreaded public option from a near-death experience?
lou – welcome to h&r.
to be honest, i think he was off his game tonight. i also don’t have any faith in congress, so the worse case scenario for me is that they do anything other than breath (until i figure out how to seal them into Yucca Mountain).
“until i figure out how to seal them into Yucca Mountain).”
I’m afraid that’s just not secure enough.
Better to deposit them at the bottom of the Marianas trench.
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“…until i figure out how to seal them into Yucca Mountain”
Please. Not in my backyard, good sir.
I’d much prefer to fill that incredibly expensive hole in the ground with the glow-in-the-dark zoomies for which it was originally intended.
Let Kenya deal with it’s own toxic waste….
and you see a difference…?
damn im trying to give the brotha the benefit of doubt but im starting to see an overflow in the “allotted empty promises” section.the analogy of car insurance and health care kinda got me. that insurance better be dirt cheap because i cant afford car insurance either…..lol
obama Doing good | September 9, 2009, 11:02pm | #
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This guy should be in the Administration. His talking points make sense. I’ll have to take another look at Obama’s Hand Good Health Care.
Okay, it’s pretty clear that you all live in some pretty sucky states.
Then I guess they’re all pretty sucky, since they all prohibit you from buying most of that stuff out of state.
Anyone care to hazard a guess as to how, if at all, this speech will alter the game as far as the passage of healthcare “reform” this autumn?
Not at all. It was his 29th speech on healthcare reform, and had nothing really new in it.
I donated to Miller, to help bring down that monster who called our President of the United states a liar. $25 and I’m unemployed. I cannot believe he did that, how un-American!
I’m so tired of these hard-wired, uncompromising people attacking the man the MAJORITY of this nation voted for! I’ve had ENOUGH! If I was on the fence before, I am completely off of the fence. I try to discuss ideas with people on websites and they call me names like Hitler, communist, marxist, etc. ENOUGH!
I donated to Miller, to help bring down that monster who called our President of the United states a liar. $25 and I’m unemployed. I cannot believe he did that, how un-American!
A foole and his money is soone parted.