Obama To Take On Health-Care Critics

Washington Post :

President Obama is embarking on a final public relations push on health care Friday before heading off on vacation, wading into the same kind of often hostile town hall meetings that members of Congress have endured for much of August.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[ultrabop]

12:14 AM on 08/24/2009

He needs a vacation because he seems to have lost track of the American people that elected him. He was not elected by red necks. He is presenting them with a vacuum.

[chriss0114]

05:07 PM on 08/14/2009

I think its time we call Republicans on the carpet; call them out--make them come out FOR repealing MEDICARE and SOCIAL SECURITY altogether

Then we'll see some kicking and screaming!

Does anyone know if Medicare covers living will/end of life counseling now? --We should encourage a bill for the R's to repeal that as well!

Let's get the R's to come out AGAINST what they SAY they are AGAINST and prove it!

[Mahi Joe]

06:03 PM on 08/14/2009

I think it is time to call them out about their rants and attacks on socialized healthcare. Ask these Repubbies if they wish no socialized healthcare for anyone. Then point out the simple fact that there are currently 17,000,000 federal/state/local employees getting currently getting Private health insurance free or in part from tax dollars. Also, there are approximately 44 million people now on the medicare (not medicaid) roles of which approx. 95% are senior citizens and the remainder have disabilities. Then sweeten the pot and throw in approx. 1.5 active military getting free medical. See if the Repubbies wish to end those socialized programs and have approx 60 million more people scramble and try to get affordable coverage elsewhere. If they do, how much you wish to bet they will lose their next election. My figures come from the medicare webpage, US bureau of Census and from the US government healthcare options webpage. Go check it out.

[factotem]

09:47 PM on 08/14/2009

I just heard (radio) that the Dems caved (as usual) on the end of life language. It's gone from at least one of the bills. How do you like this spinelessness? If Obama can't be bothered to be seen fighting for this stuff, why did he even run for president? He's going to have 6 months with nothing to show for it if he blows the health bill.

[chriss0114]

03:36 PM on 08/14/2009

I guess Sarah decided AGAINST honoring the American soldier because she wants to make things up!

Silly Sarah used to be FOR death panels when she was governor...I wonder what changed?

http://gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=1094&type=6

Also, those on Facebook can vote on a poll to get her Facebook account revoked for abuse:

http://apps.facebook.com/realpolls/m/76g5ulg1k

[Reginald Greene]

03:32 PM on 08/14/2009

At this point, although the debate and spin continue, this bill is essentially dead from an emotional and mandate perspective, even if some version gets passed. Whether it ultimately proves to be of any benefit to society, or a detriment, will take years, if not decades, to appreciate.

This bill, and virtually anything that might be done to improve our healthcare system, involves too much complexity with which we are emotionally motivated to deal.

There's been too much arguing about the details. People can not describe in 2 or 3 sentences the conceptual parameters of the effort and what it is supposed to accomplish. Unfortunately, people can describe how they feel about it in 1 or 2 words, and that's not good.

If either side of the debate has to work this hard arguing about something which theoretically should improve the lives of the masses of people, there's a big problem.

Even more so than how something is done, people are interested in results, not the details. And once again, as is frequently the case with much of human processing, the facts don't really matter. How people view the world, what they value, and what they want, matters.

And there is nothing collaborative in nature about that. Factor in the strong individualistic American DNA, and this effort is emotionally toast.

[sawheat1]

03:13 PM on 08/14/2009

GET YOUR HEALTH CARE RIBBONS FREE !!!!!!
GET YOUR HEALTH CARE RIBBONS FREE !!!!!!
GET YOUR HEALTH CARE RIBBONS FREE !!!!!!

http://twibbon.com/join/welovetheNHS

[Supplysideeconomist]

02:04 PM on 08/14/2009

another OFA fake plant at town hall sheila jackson lee! Claimed to be a doctor but was busted by great journalism that the MSM has failed to do.
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/08/13/video-obamacare-fans-take-astroturfing-to-a-new-level/

[AceInTheHole]

01:45 PM on 08/14/2009

THE FORCES WORKING AGAINST OBAMA ARE FORMIDABLE BUT ARE NOT INSURMOUNTABLE.
BUT OBAMA NEEDS COURAGE AND LEADERSHIP FROM HIS DEMOCRATIC PARTY MEMBERS IN THE CONGRESS TO SUCCEED. THESE PEOPLE HAVE JUST BEEN MARKING TIME FOR MANY YEARS AND NOW IS THE TIME FOR THEM TO GET OFF THE DIME AND GET SOME GOOD THINGS DONE FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THEY NEED TO LEAD ,FOLLOW , OR GET OUT OF THE WAY. PERIOD. AND WE NEED TO LET THEM KNOW THAT.

[Supplysideeconomist]

02:16 PM on 08/14/2009

Good luck getting this from his party members especially the congressman and women. He is allowing them to be scourged at their townhalls while he is sheltered by his fake and trumped up town hall meetings. What I hear is they are less likely to vote for HCR because of how he let them h@ng out to dry!

[Arrecho]

01:29 PM on 08/14/2009

With a strong public option. it will be possible to reduce the size of the Insurance Industry Mafia until it will be possible to drown it in a bathtub

[Supplysideeconomist]

01:35 PM on 08/14/2009

And you will be first to drop off the unemployment rolls and not to be counted as one looking for work because you will be too busy blogging rather than looking

[Wiseup2Day]

03:24 PM on 08/14/2009

Iagree..what a loser

[Supplysideeconomist]

01:18 PM on 08/14/2009

Obama should take on this critic of Health Care Reform.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRdLpem-AAs

[sunnybunny]

12:48 PM on 08/14/2009

What I keep hearing from those opposed to the new plan is that they would like to see the President and his family go on this new plan first. Personally I've never been able to sell something I wouldn't buy myself, so I think he should do just that - Lead the way. He might be better able to get their support that way, and I'm sure they'd be fine.

[factotem]

01:14 PM on 08/14/2009

Without a massive infrastructure in place it would just be make-believe. With an infrastructure in place it would be a money pit to just have them using it. Also they can't simulate enough conditions in their trial time (broken limb, death, runny nose, smelly feet) for it to be meanigful.

[sunnybunny]

03:12 PM on 08/14/2009

Maybe I'm not understanding what this health plan is. Is there not a public option plan that is basically an insurance plan that is fairly written and available to everyone through the govt? Considering that the president and his family would most likely be considered low risk, why do you say it would be a money pit? Wal mart self insures it's employees. Can the white house not do the same? Or are you saying that it wouldn't give an accurate trial because they probably won't need any kind of health treatment? Because to me, one of the goals here is to see health care switch from treatment to prevention. They don't need to get sick to set an example. They would be setting an example of staying well and having a plan in case they don't, so that other people can feel more like it is a good plan that they don't need to be afraid of considering. Then he could say " I'm giving the american people the opportunity to chose the same plan I have for my own family" Gives it more credibility. Especially since thats what they are saying they want to see.

[hippieforlife]

12:26 PM on 08/14/2009

Just exactly how many have been discovered to be packing a gun at these townhall meetings?

This president just cannot stand it when he doesn't have universal approval. The leaders of the house and senate are calling their constituents names. Right now it appears that the people who are elected to represent all of us are picking and choosing who they want to listen to. And some of these people are yelling because they truly feel that they are not being listened to.
Rep. Lee was the perfect example. In the middle of a question to her she took a call on her cell phone.
That was just rude.

[OldFreddie]

12:37 PM on 08/14/2009

Busloads of Acorn people from Pittsburgh at a local Specter town hall in rural PA yesterday doesn't do much for the "grassroots" support the Democrats keep saying they have, either.

[Arrecho]

01:17 PM on 08/14/2009

Good for them. Finally.
Are they showing that on TV?

[Arrecho]

01:12 PM on 08/14/2009

You just cannot stand that we are getting closer to public option.

[Wiseup2Day]

03:39 PM on 08/14/2009

We cannot aford to pay healthcare for illegals. they need to be taken off the list..they are mooching off of American citizens

[jealousmonk]

12:20 PM on 08/14/2009

It will not matter to the crazies because they are out of reach but Obama needs to reach moderate republicans (yes there are some), independents and his own party's constituents on this. I think he needs to have a fireside chat of sorts. He needs to persuade us with facts. Why not start out with the fact that the current system costs us $2.3 trillion per year. Yes! we are already paying that. Twice as much, per capita, as other western countries. AND we have 50 million people not covered so we are paying even more than that, per capita, based on people that are covered. Then he needs to show where the money goes. He needs to compare the system now with the system proposed, IN DETAIL. He needs to show that the only thing to fear is the system we already have. He could easily get the support of 75% of the people if he were to do this.

[OldFreddie]

12:28 PM on 08/14/2009

Yes, we need all the facts, in detail, and then a bill based on those facts with no nooks and crannies to "tweak" later, no ambiguous lawyer-speak that has to be interpreted by our court system for years to come. It's the "tweaks" that have made people so distrustful of their government, with good reason.

[Mahi Joe]

04:51 PM on 08/14/2009

It's not the tweaks that make people distrustful of our government as much as it is the actions of our politicians and opinions camoflauged as facts spewed to the ill-informed public that take those opinions and treat them as if god spoke those words him/herself. You, yourself, in your previous posts kept saying over and over again how you don't want government to make medical decisions for you without even stating one such medical decision you are talking about. Yet, you fail to realize what this healthcare bill is even about which is accessibility. I guess if you keep repeating your misconception it eventually becomes reality and factual huh?

[Wiseup2Day]

03:41 PM on 08/14/2009

Obamas problem is he is losing dems and independents..add that to the 70% of Repubs that are against it stronly..this bill doesn't have a chance unless the communists take over

[hippieforlife]

12:03 PM on 08/14/2009

Whether or not the President dislikes the "loons" he is also their President. He should support all conversation about this important issue. No president should ever just dismiss half of the American people as thugs, mobs or loons. On any given day the President of the United States in threatened that is why he has constant secret service protection. Is he afraid that some frustrated citizen is going to smack him with a sign? That is just plain silly.

[jmpurser]

12:17 PM on 08/14/2009

He does support all conversation on the topic unless you're for single payer. However mobs fighting to keep other from being heard is NOT conversation.

Here's a tip: If you need to pack fire arms then you're not going to "converse".

[OldFreddie]

12:21 PM on 08/14/2009

Here's another tip: Many people carry firearms for protection. Seems the only violence in these town halls so far was perpetrated by the SEIU, a fact you all seem to forget.

[JulieCarol]

12:20 PM on 08/14/2009

Threats against his life are up 400%. Since when is it a citizens right to bring a gun to a presidential event? The reason these people are called thugs, mobs or loons is because they DO think it is their right and because they say tings like, "keep your government hands off my Medicare!" That shows that most of these people have no clue what they are talking about and yell and scream lies and made-up scare tactics that have been given to them by right wing thugs that ARE NOT TELLING THE TRUTH. He should respect all this? NO! He shouldn't!

[hippieforlife]

11:58 AM on 08/14/2009

Not all seniors are eligible for Medicare and many don't use it as they have private insurance.

[Arrecho]

01:18 PM on 08/14/2009

Good. Why burden the public system if they are loaded?

[factotem]

11:23 AM on 08/14/2009

Did Obama attend the same a John Kerry seminar to learn how to pus$ out a la the Swift Boat liars?