Obama Downplays Health Care Pushback: "We Want It Done By The Fall"

President Barack Obama responded to Thursday's news that the Senate would not be considering health care legislation before the August deadline by de-emphasizing the importance of the deadline.

Speaking at a town hall in Cleveland, Ohio, the president insisted that his interest in the legislative process is to ensure that progress is being made, not that arbitrary timeframes were being met.

"We just heard today that well, we may not be able to get the bill out of the Senate by the end of August or the beginning of August," said Obama. "That's OK. I just want people to keep on working. Just keep working. I want the bill to get out of the committees, and then I want that bill to go to the floor, and then I want that bill to be reconciled between the House and the Senate, and then I want to sign a bill. And I want it done by the end of this year. I want it done by the fall."

The fall time frame is in line with what the president has said in the past. But, even during his press conference on Wednesday night, Obama was touting the August recess deadline as a useful tool for spurring congressional action. Publicly, officials close to the White House and in Congress insist that the prospects of reform remain unchanged. And in the hours after it was announced that the Senate would not be voting on a final product until after Congress returned from its break, the Democratic National Committee was already out with a television ad stressing the need of reform.

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But were Thursday's developments all that bad for Democrats? The conventional wisdom among party operatives is that it's a political hit for the president, even if it was somewhat expected that the deadline would be missed. That said, days before Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that the Senate would vote on a bill only after recess, a prominent strategist with ties to leadership and the White House made the case that missing the deadline would actually be politically beneficial.

"Why push for the bills to be done before the recess?" the strategist asked. "It just means that Republicans will have three straight weeks to rail against it and rally opposition. Plus, it will be harder to be on the defense with all the members back in their districts."

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Comments

[PaxEterna]

The disappointment people feel is real . . . and justified.

There has been no change we can believe in coming from this President or this Congress.

He gives a good speech, but that is all.

Where is the leader for the people?

[kcmookie]

Way to give up 6 months in and become a part of the problem.

[roudy]

The momentum is lost, any "reform" now will be nothing but subsidies to health care companies with no benefit to the American people. The only question left is whether the voters across the country reelect the congressmen that stopped affordable health care for all.

If we return them to congress, then as a country we deserve what we get. If by some miracle the obstructionists are defeated, then there may be a chance going forward for true health care reform.

[Marcospinelli]

= It started at this drive-thru window more than a week ago. A customer wanted to pay for the next customer's drink, in addition to her own. And it's continued on ever since. Since that customer paid it forward at The Steamin Bean in Blue Springs, more than a thousand others have followed. Even though their drinks have been free, they're paying for the next customer.

Owner Garin Bledsoe says no one, it seems, wants to break the chain of good deeds. "It's hard times, but people are wanting to be part of something, knowing their 5 cents, their dollar goes to a greater good. They may not be able to change the economy, but they can change one person a day by doing a simple little gesture."

Customers have even donated more money so that if someone in need does take advantage of a free drink, there's money available to keep paying it forward. In a week's time that fund amounted to more than $160 [It's now up over $600]. =

[Read the rest of this @ http://ozarksfirst.com/content/fulltext/?cid=167331 ]

The American people are ready and willing for change. To pay more for others who can't, if necessary. All that is lacking is leadership. Goldman Sacks and the rest of Big Corporate are up to their same greedy, thieving ways; nothing has changed. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=axo2pKtl0rts

Where is the leader for our time?

It ain't Obama.

[swift goat pet for truth]

Today the Dow went up 188 points.
It it in the black for 2009.

Recall months ago when the GOPers were whining DAILY how the dropping Dow reflected Obama's inability to do anything on the economic front?

I do.

[wdw505]

it is a start.....­...it still has a long way to go

[GEM-592]

Another thing to thank Harry for.

[Clayton139]

Distractio­n's-GOP-Re­publicans. We the people will vote them all out !

We are behind you Mr. President Barack Obama !

We want change and that still means business as usual Mr. President
Go to the people and talk to us, we are behind you all the way !.

"Stick with Healthcare"

[Badger84]

Many Senators and House members will be returning to their states/districts during the recess. They should hear loud and clear from their constituents on this issue.

[Raster]

He's caved on strong health care reform...a­nd on his Presidency.

[loki]

looks like Obama is settling into the presidency just fine. He is learning that to get past all those silly promises he made during the election he has to make a big deal out of it, then postpone until it fades from the spotlight and all but goes away. No politician will keep a promise to anyone but the very rich and powerful.

[TJCole]

The reforms of our economic system aren't going any better either let's hope he snaps out of it and gets with the people and blows off all these corrupt swindlers he's surrounded himself with from Insurance companies to these Wall St. Goldman Sachs and Fed guys..

[Ohsherri]

Dem...Repu­b....Dem..­..Repub

no matter where you look..

BigIndustry and Lobby $$$$ and fly-fishing trips have taken over.

Whats the point?

The W@r Industry..­.and Big Insurance has got both parties by the b0lls.

[ECB]

True

[Grim Truth]

Plus other industries, but yup, bingo.

[robinhood1]

The Obama plan is running into opposition from fiscal conservatives. Should that surprise anyone? If you were a basketball pro making $3 million a year, would you want to pay $100,000 or more a year just to subsidize someone else's health insurance? The pain needs to be spread out much more broadly, even though the rich would still pay much more. How much would a 10% entertain tax raise? Ontario, Canada has had one for decades, even before there was national health insurance, when the tax was used to subsidize provincial hospitals. The tax on a $5 ticket at a neighborhood movie house might only raise 50 cents. But the tax on a box seat at Yankee Stadium might raise $100 or more. How about a 5% Federal tax on soft drinks and junk food and higher Federal taxes on alcoholic beverages? If a significant section of the population needs to have its health insurance premiums subsidized, at least the government should discourage unhealthy behavior. Do you really have a problem with skid row alcoholics paying more for their ripple? You can be sure that the many people who might get their insurance subsidized under a Federal program will not lobby as hard for the program as the people forced to pay the bills will lobby against it. Federal income taxes are already expected to increase significantly for the rich when the Bush tax cuts expire at the end of 2010. Obama should not push his luck.

[JayeSF]

...could you just explain the part about "The Pain" of someone making $3M/year having to pay a very slightly higher percentage of tax....???­?

....I kinda missed that line of thought...­..

[TSAQ]

(ANYBODY) opposing (HEALTHCARE INSURANCE REFORM FOR ALL)=(MATTHEW 9:12) and (LUKE 16:19-26) THE LIVING BIBLE PARAPHRASED

[MichaelGr]

In appointing the likes of Geithner and Summers and in doggedly endorsing their egregious diversion of taxpayer dollars to Wall Street., Obama himself can be said to have given the Blue Dogs some very compelling talking points.

If health care reform is hopelessly watered down, however, it won't be because of the nasty Repugs or the Blue Dogs, but because a president whom we all expected much more of performed in a manner that at best could be described as disappointing. His poll numbers are dropping like a stone. There is no surprise here, seeing as his theft of several trillion dollars was so publicly transparent.

For my part, I am done with all Democrats. I have resigned from the Party. There will be those who say that there are some good Democrats, and that is undoubtedly true. But it is also irrelevant. If Kucinich ever gets my vote, it will be only when he publicly renounces his grandiose intent to do "missionary work" with the Dems.

Newsflash: The Democratic Party consists of Pelosi and Reid. They represent its soul. If you like these people, vote for their shills. If you don't, mass resignation is very much in order. If ten million Democrats suddenly decided they were leaving and said so publicly, that would have a far deeper effect on the DNC than any missionary work Dennis a few good Democrats might otherwise envision.

[RiceStarz]

By "BlueDog", i am certain they mean "BlueBlood". Get my meaning?