Obama Health Care Speech Reaction From Huffington Post Readers

Last night we asked Huffington Post readers to share their thoughts about President Obama's health care speech. A huge number of people responded, expressing praise and critiques about what the president had to say.

We made a slideshow of these reactions. Please note the photos were submitted by users and not the editors Huffington Post. The captions were also written by users and not the editors of the Huffington Post.

"Not on my watch!"

mv96:
Hopefully, Americans have listened tonight and realized that 1/6th of our deficit can be fixed with Healthcare Reform. Taking 4yrs to put into place, costing 9billion over 10yrs, is a brilliant plan. No socialized medicine. Fine-tuning what already works. Pres.Obama has my trust, my vote. Medicare will be protected. Whoever called/yelled out to the President a "liar", I hope he loses his job! Idiot! Nancy Pelosi will be speaking to him. In memory of TMK, this plan WILL prevail.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

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Comments

[charmante]

12:33 PM on 09/10/2009

The President was still somewhat ambiguous on the public option. While he would like to create such an option, he said, “it is only one part of my plan,” a means to the end of affordable coverage for all.

He also said he was open to alternatives, including nonprofit insurance cooperatives and a backup plan that could be offered by the government in certain circumstances. He also refers to a trigger for public option, non profit health insurance co-op, and a backup plan that could be offered by the government in CERTAIN circumstances as all constructive ideas worth exploring.

Finally, when he tried to approach it as a moral issue he did not encourage his audience to repudiate the idea that illness be treated as a commodity. In essence, he did not challenge the prevailing idea that it is okay to profit from someone's illness. To do that would have required him to support a single payer system which he had already taken off the table.

[dnegri]

12:32 PM on 09/10/2009

My challenge to Republicans:

If all these horrible things really do exist in the Plan, for which you have no evidence but your hypotheses, then vote to pass whatever Bill comes up.

Then we'll let REALITY decide if your claims are right or wrong.

If you're right, it won't take long to see those Public Option Abortion mills spring up, it won't take long to
see those illegal immigrants lining up for their Public Option Insurance card....and not that long for the plugs to start being pulled....

So, take the challenge. If you're right, you have an election winner.....If you're wrong, then it will be
clear that you are.

And if you refuse to take the challenge, then I can only assume you know what would be the result.

[WeAreTheWorld]

12:38 PM on 09/10/2009

Great plan. Why don't we take the same approach with Iran? If they have a nuclear weapon, yet we do nothing to stop them and they use it, we'll know that they have it. We won't have to guess, will we?

[JEdgarH]

04:32 PM on 09/10/2009

Now that's a whole other ball of wax and you're just being ridiculous. War is a whole other issue.

[mendelcrosses]

06:36 PM on 09/10/2009

Well,I'd say to you,we do know with certitude those who have it,what have we done? Now when it comes to Iran you want to speculate on possibilities?

Act first with respect to those who already have,then that will go down to serve as a strong message to those aspiring to have it. But before you act,ask yourself,why is it good for me to have it but not them? Just loke Obama asked congress,Why is the plan good for US(membrs of congress) but not for other Americans?

[WeAreTheWorld]

12:31 PM on 09/10/2009

The Obama Administration claims 45 million in this country are uninsured. According to the US Census Bureau, that 45 million consists of:

- 17 million (38%) - from households earning over $50K (9 million earing over $75K)
- 18 million (40%) - 18-34 year olds, who spend 4 times as much on alcohol, tobacco, entertainment, and dining out as they would on health care (if they had their priorities in order)
- 14 million (31%) - eligible for government healthcare (Medicade) but choose not to enroll (opt-out)
- 12 million (27%) - undocumented illegal aliens
- 8 million (18%) - truly uninsured (that's less than 3% of the total population of the United States

http://www.freemarketcure.com/uninsuredinamerica.php

[DeeKre]

12:57 PM on 09/10/2009

Sorry Charlie, Obama discussed 30 million uninsured. Perhaps that's the figure once used but he did not use it last night.

[Roses]

01:43 PM on 09/10/2009

Actually what he said was "about 30 million" (33 million to be exact). This figure is the amount of people that will be covered by his insurance plan.....45 million minus the proposed illegal aliens that will NOT be covered by his proposed plan, (despite Rep. Joe Wilson's claims).

[WeAreTheWorld]

02:35 PM on 09/10/2009

All he did was take the illegal aliens out of the 45 million number. Doesn't mean that steps will be taken to deny illegal aliens health care if they seek it? No. In fact, House Republicans offered 2 specific amendments to the House bill that would specifically deny coverage to illegals, yet they were both voted down.

[Woodn88s]

12:22 PM on 09/10/2009

I didn't take 4 yrs to pump mega bucks into the banking industry, or wall street or the auto industry,
Come on Mr. President, you can do better.

[bcohen]

12:30 PM on 09/10/2009

This is what I'm talking about, Woodn88s. Please visit this website, and consider posting what I paste here to spread the idea. Lets get serious today.

Encourage Obama to take the next step! Visit http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=267337325607 today and help us find ways to turn grassroots outrage into positive, possibly life-saving results. The iron is afire!

[Woodn88s]

12:21 PM on 09/10/2009

I'm not fond of waiting 4 yrs. to implement this plan. that means 4 yrs. of huge profits for insurance companies from the uninsured that will be forced to buy insurance, and the right wing is banking on destroying Obama before the next election so they can dismantle the health insurance reform before it goes into affect,
I don't want to sound like a downer but 4 yrs. is too long to wait for something we need NOW!

[dougmac50]

01:14 PM on 09/10/2009

Many characterize health insurer profits as "huge." Wondering how "huge" they really are, I actually looked at the financial reports of 5-10 major health insurance companies and found that the average profit was about 4 pennies for each dollar of revenue (i.e. premiums). So this is "huge"? Would you consider yourself hugely wealthy if you kept 4 cents of each dollar you earned? Some will then argue that the 4 cents is after "huge" compensation paid to the execs. Again, not so. Even if you think their compensation is excessive (and I agree with that assessment), the number doesn't even move the needle. Ask yourself this - can the Federal government provide the more coverage and be just as efficient as the health insurers (whose managers are working hard to earn those "huge" bonuses), all for just 4 cents on the dollar? If you think so, just visit any government office. "Huge" profits are the left's version of death panels - just another means of creating emotion to sway opinion.

[Roses]

05:46 PM on 09/10/2009

Link?

There are many ways of figuring "cents on the dollar".
The total dollars coming in divided by the number of dollars paid out for instance. Then there is the total dollars coming in plus the savings from recision or rejection or claims. Then there is the total dollars coming in plus the savings from recision or rejection of claims plus the savings from the rejection for "pre-existing conditions". Then there is the total dollars coming in plus all the savings plus the savings from all the cost-shifting of debt to you and me.
There are alot of ways to lie with figures and to fool people.
Think.
.
Amounts to a lot of profit.....much more than cents on the dollar. I would say more like billions of dollars.

[Roses]

01:19 PM on 09/10/2009

I want him to get it right. There will be a safety net meanwhile.
I also think that 4 years rather than 40 sounds like a deal.

[constitutional 1]

12:07 PM on 09/10/2009

The Cash for Clunkers program is a great example of why we dont want governtment Healthcare
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says the government has approved $1.22 billion in reimbursements to car dealers for sales under the Cash for Clunkers program. ...

The rebates led to more than 690,000 new car sales at a taxpayer cost of $2.88 billion. Auto dealers have said the Obama administration has been slow to pay them for the car incentives, which ended on Aug. 24.

$1.22 billion for the intended purpose. $1.66 billion for administering the money for the intended purpose.

[tjinc]

01:21 PM on 09/10/2009

Thousands of high-mileage, polluting vehicles have been taken off the road. That was the original intent. These cars were not "clunkers" as the unfortunate name calls them. Cars over 20 years old were not eligible.

The economy in that sector has been stimulated in the amount of billions of dollars, and not just directly to the dealers. Think about towing companies, scrap metal dealers, and all the support businesses.

That translates into the ability to purchase goods, to save... maybe even pay for their monthly health insurance premiums.

I'm happy to help get gas guzzlers off the road and stimulate the economy in other places besides banking and wall street.

[CJWebber]

08:13 PM on 09/10/2009

Exactly. Well said.

[sadokie]

12:06 PM on 09/10/2009

I agree with Bill Moyers when he said it is clear and simple...the Rethugs do not want this plan to be a success because this will place Democrats in the spotlight as the party that gets things done for the people. I am so tired of the EVIL comments from the uninformed. I live in a state that has representatives that don't even know how to read, much less lead. It's time to vote out the negative people and move forward as a nation. "Ignorance is not knowing...Stupidity is not wanting to know"

[bcohen]

11:59 AM on 09/10/2009

Encourage Obama to take the next step! Visit http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=267337325607 today and help us find ways to turn grassroots outrage into positive, possibly life-saving results. The iron is afire!

[ALincoln]

11:49 AM on 09/10/2009

It's good he finally used the "L" word for all of the BS the right wing has been spinning.

[Chuck849]

11:48 AM on 09/10/2009

Still not sure how this is going to be paid for. If there is that much waste in MediCare, why hasn't someone done something about that prior to this? Public Option should be out. Period. Insurance companies should be able to sell in ALL states. Tort reform is a must and Congress need to get out of the lawyers pockets.
Still not sold on this yet.

[tellthetruthalways]

12:08 PM on 09/10/2009

Yea, Chucky, we don't want no stupid low cost public option insurance. Look how good the auto insurance deal has worked. You can actually insure a car in Detroit for less than $2,500 a year.

[Roses]

01:32 PM on 09/10/2009

"why hasn't someone done something about that prior to this"

Well, I have some thoughts.......that "waste" means big bucks for certain people. People like insurance companies and others in the healthcare industry. Those healthcare industries have lobbyists that "donate" to those in Congress. So, see? No one there has any reason to cut off the flow from the money tap.....that is unless the people get organized under a leader that says "NO MORE".

If you have question about the figures of savings just read the governments own statistics about waste and fraud in the CBO. Their reports are on the net.

[alfatu]

11:47 AM on 09/10/2009

That was the speech I've been waiting for. That was the president I voted for on November 4, 2008. He made me proud. Despite the yelling and disrespect from Rep. Wilson for South Carolina, he did not blink, but went ahead and did what he had to do. Well Done Mr. President.

[inorbit]

11:40 AM on 09/10/2009

Obama was magnificent. He recharged the base! I am revved and ready to go!

[stillable2think]

11:24 AM on 09/10/2009

We have to focus. The President gave an excellent and inspiring speech to our students earlier this week. And the opposition made a silly fuss. Now our President has addressed our Congress with another inspiring (to action!) speech. We have to tell our reps in congress that we back our President. We have to tell them to get to work for us, not the insurance companies and drug companies. Posting on this site is great. Barrack Obama knocked it out of the park while Joe Wilson stepped in it. Enough said. Now, go to your Senator's and congress reps' websites and TELL THEM WE WANT HEALTH CARE REFORM.

Then meet back here and post what you wrote them. GO, already!

[tjinc]

07:30 PM on 09/10/2009

Hey, stillable, I did just that. My reps have been contacted, as well as the dems in the "Gang of Six".