August Health Care Reset
Two forces will finally win health care for all Americans by defeating the vested interests, their lobbyists and the politicians captured by their campaign contributions: The People and the president.
Americans who have been following the issue took for granted the logical imperative of changing a foundering system. We heard what the president has been saying since he first hit the campaign trail: "If you like the insurance you've got, keep it." However the opposition has been ingeniously devious in repeating the untrue mantra, "government takeover of health care," to misinform the underinformed.
The Republicans, though banished to a minority, nevertheless still better understand how to communicate and motivate average Americans. That's why so far they're doing a better job spinning lies than health-care reformers have done with the truth.
How to regain the momentum in the debate? Presidential Ju-Jitsu and the same kind of grass-roots excitement that got him elected in the first place.
The president is one of the world's great masters of political Ju-Jitsu, the "art of softness" or the "way of yielding." Just look at how he turned the negative of comments around the Gates arrest into the positives of a coupla guys having a beer.
I suggest that he come out of August with a new, laser-sharp health-care plan framed something like this: "I gave Congress a chance to come up with their own plan to fix health care, slow spending and save jobs and they came up with many courageous, innovative ideas. They were also, however, hampered by disinformation from political opportunists and powerful interests determined to keep profiting obscenely off the backs of hard-working Americans. Read my lips: Not on my watch. 'Business as usual' is bankrupting America. I gave Congress a chance. Now it's my turn..."
And then I think he should lay out three or four pithy bullet points that would get us all excited again about meaningful change. We need to hear him say: "This is where I stand. This is what I will sign."
Then it's our turn. If we really are the change that we've been looking for it will then be up to us to get off our butts and start shouting. We will have to call, write, cajole, maybe even march if we have to, to support the man we elected in the most-important political battle of his administration.
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Obama Health Insurance plan is a Trojan Horse for a complete one payer health system. Obama has lied time and time again saying you can keep your insurance if you like it. That is a bald face lie. He has stated on many other occasions that he wants a single payer system along with Barney Frank. A single payer system would make all insurance companies illegal and health options will be gone. One more freedom gone.
Newsflash:
People have been tearing their hair out trying to rally support for AT LEAST a strong public option. What do we get in return? More and more compromise and defensive positioning by the Obama Whitehouse especially in response to the outrageous Republican propaganda.
Why can't Obama fire back? His talking points can be just as simplistic as the numbskull Republican talking points. Unfortunately, it appears that he is far too beholden to the interests of the insurance companies because he dare not speak about the ridiculous bureaucracy in place in these companies and the fact that they profit from not providing health insurance! Really-in response to this government healthcare will kill you argument can he not just saying our current system is killing you! Can he not point out to the cloudy-headed that the insurance company does not want to provide care? These are simple messages and would be just, if not more effective then the lies spewed by the Republicans. Unfortunately, while Obama plays his 86th dimensional chess his poker face is quite readable.
Insightful article. The President can prevail if he listens to the people, who for the most part want the present system repaired, not overhauled.
Expand Health Savings Accounts, allow consumers to buy insurance on a national exchange (freeing them from burdensome state mandates), and equalize the tax treatment of employer provided health insurance and other health insurance.
Or he could, you know, address people's concern about the costs by capping the employer-provided insurance tax deduction. But why handle substance when you can handle style? -.-
Yes, he promised candy and bubble gum for everyone when their problem was a tummy ache and rotten teeth.
Great article, and I agree up to the point where you say: "then it's our turn".
This president was swarmed by MILLIONS across this nation and throughout the world, on election night. We the people who elected this president based on the platform that he ran on and promised to us.
You can take all the leaders in all the profitable businesses across the nation and put them in a park holding candles, with all their lobbyists. It will never equal the WE that summoned THIS PRESIDENT into office. WE THE PEOPLE elected him. OUR VOICES. OUR PLATFORM. WE HAVE A MANDATE.
2. Listening to Summers "we didn't know how bad it was" causes me to wonder whether we are now facing an information ponzi. How could they NOT know, particularly since they took such efforts to EXCLUDE regulatory reform at all times? !!! We want the truth, a meaningful response from our government. The time for us to act is not after August, nor is it after the senate finance committee finally gets around to coming up with their plan for health care while the American people wait DECADES. The WH had better communicate MEANINGFUL, COMPETITIVE, OPTIONS FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
After August, I can assure you sir, will already be too late.
NOW IS THE TIME TO SPEAK OUT, TAKE ACTION, AND NOT LET UP. After August will be far too late.
IT'S OUR TURN - ALWAYS NOW.
NEVER AFTER.
I think it is time to call the Rebublicans out on:
1) their claim that they speak for the American people at all (they lost)
2) that America is the land of winners and losers (which is the mentality that
has reigned the last 8 years in particular and means we are not in this together)
3) that they are fiscally responsible (no evidence of this)
4) that they are true to the constitution (no evidence of this)
5) that they are diverse (no evidence of this, although GWB's administration did a lot to change the face of politics - that's his only accomplishment)
6) that they care about the future generation (no evidence of this)
7) that they care about the planet (no evidence of this)
8) that they have a moral compass in their personal habits and predilections (no evidence of this)
9) that they can actually solve a problem (no evidence of this, eg MEDICAID reform under GWB, Iraq etc.)
10) that they are actually true Republicans (which none of them are).
Read the other post, O is promising "less".
Why? 1)because he lacks leadership and 2)he is beholden to the medical industrial complex to the tune of 19 Million dollars, more than any other 08 candidate.
The real solution will never be articulated by this President, nor will it be fought for.
From the moment he took Single Payer off the table, and then started talking about "gamechangers" with the insurance cos, he started lying to the public, big time.
At this point, nearly everything coming out of DC and the WH is a lie, and meant to spin the truth so that the status quo with some minor tinkering - made up for by the millions forced into the troughs of greed owned by the insurance industry - remains in tact.
By 2013, what he has proposed (through Congress) will look idiotic. Unfortunately, between now and then, millions more will be without insurance, and millions more will be dead or dying.
The fallacy in this post is that Congress is not doing what POTUS wants. Anyone who believes that is totally naive.
Maybe we should become Republicans for awhile, and while under their banners and logos, campaign for the following:
Oppose Socialized Medicine
Repeal Medicare Now
We need to take a page out the the Republican's playbook. Remember how the Republicans morphed Obama's "lipstick on a pig" comment to construe it as an attack on Sarah Palin.
For our part, maybe it's time to construe the Republicans' remarks on "socialized" medicine as an attack on Medicare. Put them on the defensive. Either they defend Medicare, in which case, we could wonder why it wouldn't work for people under 65. Or they renounce Medicare, which is political suicide. But, it's time to stop playing defense, and start playing offense. And remember, nice guys finish last.
agree with your post. Time to play hardball with the conservative liars.
You have a brilliant idea, but don't forget to include: health care paid for by American taxpayers for ALL government employees, federal, state, municipal.
We pay their health care from our taxes. Why does the media fail to hold these officials / workers accountable for the quality they afford to themselves, which they fail to uphold for ALL the American people ( a standard for excellence held out by Dems at their national convention).
Do those fed, state, municipal workers deserve the very best quality, affordable, competitive care?
YES.
Do the American people deserve the same level of socialized perks that they afford to themselves?
YES.
Today, the headline includes the suggestion that our president is watering down expectations, while attempting to galvanize support for health care reform.
Well you know what?
There are so many times you can WATER DOWN what you promised to deliver, before the American people begin to feel scammed, and folks like Michele Malkin ( on a good day, when she refrains from distortions of reality) begins to make sense.
If the Dem party STILL doesn't know WHO THEY ARE, and WHAT THEIR VALUES ARE, and is not willing to STAND AND DELIVER on those values, then they are headed for a very short term in leadership.
uh yeah- U think--- I think the guy in the white house needs to hear from the people that put him there... he needs to hear us loud & clear. I don't think he's hearing much too much from the money folks that grease the political machine.
Look, I don't know if the rest of you are as fed up as I am with the obstruction and political game playing going on with this health care reform...b
If you agree, please sign the petition below, and forward it - any way you can - to anyone and everyone you know! Time to let them know how we feel!!!!
http://www
i cannot for the life of me remember the name of the movie in which a kid bit into an apple with a razor blade and his mom takes him to the emergency room and the first thing the nurse at the desk asks is if she has heath insurance and hands her a bunch of forms to fill out...PERF
HOPE you download my book and read it [details here: http://emi
Hear, hear! Hey y'all, patience, patience, and more patience is what it will take. We know clearly what is right-health care should not be someone's private scam. But there is a long way to go and much work to be done. Look where this country was only a year ago. Obama has made some questionable moves, but he is our President, we elected him, let's keep the dialogue with him open. We can do this.
By the way : I Love that : - https://do
If we, each of us, who support health care – Obama-Care , so if we will put Obama stickers on our bumpers - the nation would see - how many of us are here with our support.
Look, : no word needed, no meeting, no minute to spend - just show Your support on Your daily drive.
ebay.com - just 2 bucks.
OK?
Mine is renewed from last year.
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