IS HEALTH CARE DEAD?
February 6, 2010 by TOK101 · 19 Comments
Is President Obama breaking another campaign promise?
Reportedly on Thursday, after Republican Scott Brown was sworn in to replace Edward Kennedy breaking the Democrats filibuster proof majority in the Senate, President Barack Obama made the following statement with regard to health care reform:
“… if Congress decides we’re not going to do it, even after all the facts are laid out, all the options are clear, then the American people can make a judgment as to whether this Congress has done the right thing for them or not, and that’s how democracy works. There will be elections coming up, and they’ll be able to make a determination and register their concerns.”
It is a stunning turn-around from the determined stance the President took last than ten days ago in his remarks as he delivered the State of the Union Address and pleaded with Congress as follows:
“Don’t walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people. Let’s get it done. Let’s get it done.”
Mr. Obama made health care reform the centerpiece of his agenda. Even with losing the filibuster proof of 60 Senate seats, with the majority in both houses he might never again have such solid support in the Congress as he has now. Abandoning his promise, “I am not the first president to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last…” as he declared in a speech to a joint session of Congress in September could alienate his most loyal supporters and make it more difficult for those Democrats facing re-election to stay in office. Senate Democrats dealing with the shocking rejection of their candidate in the Massachusetts special election and anxious to pass a health care bill are not getting much needed leadership on the issue from the White House.
Indeed, according to sources, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs stated that the President has no scheduled meetings on health care discussions with Republicans and Democrats.
Reid Cherlin, White House spokesman rejected the idea that the President is backing of off his support for a health care bill and said about Mr. Obama’s comments: “He used his remarks last night to motivate Democrats to come together and get this done, noting that the public will judge their leaders on what they accomplish…”
Hopefully our lawmakers will now understand the necessity of working together and try to come-up with a solution to the high cost of healthcare and covering the uninsured. The American people deserve a real effort from both sides of the isle as well as from our President. Trying to pass a bill that we cannot afford is not a feasible solution.
Source: National Geographic Magazine
Per capita, the U.S. spent $7,290 in 2007 – OECD.
Not spending enough does not appear to be the issue as evidenced by a report published by the Organization for Economic and Co-operation and Development in 2009 which compares the health care spending statistics across OECD countries in 2007. The US spent 16% of our GDP that year, the highest among OECD members and almost double of the average. Our health care system needs a major overhaul and not just more spending.
WE THE PEOPLE elected our leaders to find solutions to problems, not to create them.
I can’t imagine what type of moron would actually support the GOP… they have lead this country down the wrong road for so long, and the one chance to bring help to the citizens of this once great country is being flushed down the toilet for no other reason than, the GOP feels that if they make things worse than they made them over the last eight years, that these idiots in this country will vote them back into the White House…. to coin a phrase from the movie “The Stand” – “Bring out your dead, the end is near”
There is no road to recovery under any GOP plan, simply a road to criminal organizations running rapid through the nations capital stealing whatever they can, from whomever they can, whenever they can
In 2012, if the American people are stupid enough to fall for this plan, bets have it we will be flying the swastika over the nations capital by January 21, 2012 with a bunch of fat ass loudmouth rush limbaughs and glen becks running the show (and I do mean show)…
The GOP gets back into the White House, we the American people are going to wind-up so getting our asses kicked by just about every nation of wacko’s and not so wacko’s on this planet, we will be lucky if we have the same rights and standards of living as those that live in Afghanistan now…
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It is a fitting testament to the ineffective and dysfunctional Democrats when this socialistic program dies in place. Given a majority in the House and a 62 vote fillibuster proof majority( you have to account for RINOs Collins and Snowe), they could not get it passed. Can you imagine the GOP with such a majority? Obama and his cohorts misread the tea leaves, and are still in denial. However, there are a number of Democrats who are no longer willing to carry Obama’s water, or drink his Kool Aid. This is what happens when you elect a egotistical college professor… all theory, no experience.
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Scott, I agree and I share your rabid hatred of the GOP. The trouble is, the GOP does not want thinking, inquisitive Americans. The entire notion of a questioning, thinking voter is deterimental to their strategy. The ideal GOP demographic is a lower middle class, white, southern, religiously conservative, high school educated (with little or not exposure beyond their mileiu) voter. In a poorer areas of the country, religion serves as a powerful influence to make difficult times more beareable. Add to that, the strong conservative family values and the pressure to be a respectable, upstanding citizen (and, fervently patriotic.) Finally factor in a tendency toward narrow-mindedness because of a lack of educational resources and we have the ideal voter.
Instead of voting for a candidate that might actually enact programs and create opportunities for self improvement, said demographic votes for whom they think will best support their religious values. In the end, the voter becomes the victim as the GOP panders to this type. The GOP candidate can bank on his/her voters being blind to chances to bilk a system because they operate under the guise of patriotism or religion.
The sad reality is the GOP does not support its voters on the lower end of the stratum; they exploit them through longer work hours at less pay and less job security. All the while, the lower middle class, poor, white, southerner finds excuses not to blame the party they elect. Obama has correctly pointed out that, under the Bush Administration, the working class were the hardest hit. But, the proud, white, southerner will still tote the party line. This is perhaps saddest.
The problem can only be solved if the Democrats would tear out a recruitment page from the GOP playbook. If the Democrats could appeal to the religious, conservative values while showing the poor, lower-middle class demographic that their party of choice has not represented their best interests, the GOP would crumble like Rome. After all, the GOP needs support from this demographic because they far outnumber the wealthy.
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In response to Livia, your article is a thinly-veiled political jab at President Obama and the Democrats. We know that you are an ardent Republican, so criticizing the lack of cooperation between parties has a definite subtext. In your case, the subtext is, “Why won’t you simply give up healthcare reform? We don’t want to give up our billions of dollars.” However, the GOP cannot come right out and say this so they take a bipartisan angle on the criticism. The GOP tries to block the Democrats while casting the Democrats as the, to use the GOP colloquial, evil ones. The only meaningful reform is a single-payer, national healthcare system. This, however, is antithetical to your party’s mantra. If you truly cared about everyone, you would do what is morally correct and encourage healthcare for all through a single-payer system. You would write your GOP congressman and senators and encourage the wisdom in a healthier America. Is a healthy America not part of National Security?
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Scott,
Sorry but do you really believe that the GOP would leave the swastika there? I mean we already have the socialists in office now! I don’t want the GOP incharge either. I think the Independent party is enjoying a stronger influence in American politics now than ever before. The Tea Party is growing in strength as American’s are tired of Politics as usual from both of the leading parties.
I believe the change of the guard in Mass. shows just that. Yes, Brown is GOP but a new breed more dedicated to the principles of original Democracy that our fore- fathers invisioned. More of the everyday man who puts in his time in Washington and goes home to the farm so to speak. If the GOP takes back control in 2010 and 2012 it will be a new breed dedicated to America and Americans. That is what the people want and that is what they will elect.
As to healthcare being dead? No, I think it will require a major re-thinking of the goals and how we go about getting there. We need reform in our system from the top down and not just healthcare but all the social programs that are already in place.
Thanks Livia for another great article for debate. Now, if we could get our leadership to tune into the internet and research what American’s think and get some idea of what we are thinking then they just might become the true “Representatives” that they are elected to be. Not the “I know what’s best for my constituents” attitude that most like harry reid and nancy pelosi have. They truly think we are too ignorant to know what is best for us. These types need to go!
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Matt,
Please, the party of evil? Take another sip of obama’s kool aide and relax. What has obama done for us so far? He had a majority and still could not get his socialist programs passed. Now that is sad! Yet we still want to blame Bush for all the ill’s. What a strong and dynamic leader he must have been if he still has so much control a year out of office.
When does your messiah start taking responsibility? Never, he hasn’t the courage nor the back bone.
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Copwatchdog, while you may think Obama has done nothing in his time, given that Bush had already sold you down the river by this point in his reign, I think you should take into acount the POV from outside the “united” states, around the world people can sleep easier at night knowing that someone is in charge that knows how to spell ‘in charge’.
Obama may not be perfect, no politician is, but he is working at giving the american people something more than a massive recession and the scalps of the thousands of men woman and children who have been killed on both sides in the troubles started almost a decade before the evil obama took charge. he is trying to let the world see that while many leaders (dem and rep) in the past have ignored the disgusting way America has operated its health system, it will finally benefit the little man too, instead of just looking out for the rich folks as they always have.
As usual this blog has done nothing more excite the reds who seem to take everything so personally. It should be remembered that although Americans think they are the bees knees, they are not, and never have been. As you don’t like the way Obama rules, the same can be said for the other half of the voters who were not all that into the illegal occupation, and war on two fronts carried out in your name.
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If health care is dead the GOP is holding the smoking gun, the same gun they’ve used to rob millions of Americans, the model of that gun is “organized crime”
Socialism being a problem, well there copdog, since you are such an anti-socialist you will gladly give up your Social Security benefits to some family that has been forced out on to the streets by a bunch of neo-nazi’s that road into Washington on the back of an elephant.
The GOP is nothing more than a consortium of oil/real estate/drug dealers, that will do whatever they have to, to whomever they have to, to simply, like a child that needs potty training, do whatever benefits themselves and no one else.
In fact, the worse move Obama made was dragging these low-life’s into Washington that only switched party votes to insure they had a foot in the White House to obtain a “get of jail free card” anytime one of those lowlife republicans got caught, dealing drugs, or robbing people. Knowing damn well that Obama would not unless under extreme duress, give into those demands, keeps the GOP closer and consequently more dangerous than ever… the results are akin to kidnapping grandchildren and holding them hostage until someone in power signs that get of jail free card for some lowlife RNC member…
So copdog, we are all waiting to see you step up to the plate, and be the first to voluntarily hand over your socialist benefits to someone in the US more deserving such as a family put out on the streets via the GOP’s fiscal criminal behavior over the last 8 years, correct
These political criminals, the GOP, should simply be banned from participating in US policy forever, period.
God Bless America, and damn the GOP!
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copwatchdog, Obama has failed for the most part and he is not my messiah. Where in my comments, do I praise Obama?
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Well said Dave, well said… it won’t be long after (if the GOP gets back into “power”) that the majority of the US population is living in fields cooking over open flame, eating whatever they can catch and kill…
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This argument has come to a new nexus: points about Socialism. Socialism is perhaps the most misused and misunderstood of political terminology. Contrary to what the GOP would like for all of us to believe, Socialism is not a form of Communism or Marxism. Socialism is purely a socioeconomic philosophy which does not have the strict requirements of Marxism and Communism to give up individual rights and liberties for the collective good. Therefore, effigies of Obama in a Nazi uniform show absolutely no understanding of the concept because Nazism is antithetical to individual rights and Obama does not advocate restrictions on inalienable rights. At no point does Obama believe anyone should be denied due process of law.
In its purest form, Socialism encourages inalienable rights but adds protection to the lower and middle classes from economic abuses (Also, I will further qualify individual rights and liberties as the basic inalienable ones as defined by The Bill Of Rights and The Constitution. This should not be confused with the GOP definition of freedom as economic.) Socialist societies can and do prosper a la the United Kingdom. The UK has its wealthy stratem but there is a fundamentally different attitude towards economics. In the end, both upper and lower classes are better off from Socialism. Yes, the UK pays more in taxes but there is far less waste from taxes and they have a much more efficient system in collection than our own IRS.
In fact, by disbanding the IRS and introducing a flat tax, we may not even have to increase taxes to fund a universal healthcare system because the cost of tax collection would go down dramatically. It stands to reason that we have more population than the UK. Economics 101 says that this is also a higher tax base meaning that there is more monies available. This is just simple logic.
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Matt, you share Scott’s ‘rabid hatred’… Fascinating! This is coming from a member of the political bent that pounds home the mantra that Conservatives and Republicans are hate-filled and intolerant, while Liberal and Democrats are supposedly caring and tolerant. The irony and hypocrisy are jaw-dropping. Let’s take a look at a few things, starting with Massachusetts. In a state where the Democrat registered voters outnumber Republicans 3 to 1, Brown won handily. So, how did that happen? The math alone tells you it wasn’t just the ‘damned GOP’. Disillusioned and disappointed Democrats and Independents also voted for Brown. Now, were all of these voters undereducated, overworked, underpaid, gun toting, truck driving, religious zealot, Southern poor white trash? In Massachusetts??!! You seem to have forgotten it was the Independents, and disappointed Republicans who helped Democrats put Barry Soetoro into office. If you want to stereotype a Democrat voter, look no further than my backyard, Washington, D.C. The city is over 90% African American, undereducated, unemployed, and welfare dependent. Want to hazard a guess how they vote? How about in lock step, completely clueless about the issues and party platforms? Do they ‘tote the party line’ as well? Isn’t that equally sad? Want other examples? How about Detroit? San Francisco? Get a grip. Now, let’s take a look at your uniformed comment about how Republican businessmen mistreat their employees. It’s clearly evident neither you nor Scott have been an employer or operated a business of any kind. Your diatribes gave yourselves away. Regardless of their political affiliation, employers realize the employee is the most valuable asset to a company. If you mistreat, abuse or overwork an employee, they will leave at the first opportunity. Wouldn’t you? Losing good employees is not beneficial to a business. On the other hand, anyone who tolerates being unappreciated, underpaid or misused and suffers in silence, without expressing their discontent to management or actively looking for other options, shouldn’t bitch. Make all the excuses you want, but you’re either in control of your life or you’re not. Now, let’s address the vitriolic name calling. The term ‘low life’ seems to be specifically reserved for Republicans. Is this a case of selective amnesia? What about John Edwards, Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, John Murtha, Elliot Spitzer, Torch Torricelli, Cold Cash Jefferson, Charles Rangel, Ben Nelson, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank, Harry Reid and Mary Landrieu? Do these names ring a bell? Are they ‘low lifers’too, or do they get a clean pass? Do they get a ‘get out of jail free’ card? Where’s your self-righteous indignation now? As for your other postulate: “The only meaningful reform is a single-payer, national healthcare system.” Let’s bring up Massachusetts again…. They’ve instituted a single-payer system there, and they’re living it first hand, and it’s not working…. They’re pissed off. So, if it’s not working on a small scale, how’s it going to work nationally? It doesn’t work in Great Britain, France, or Canada. Do you see people flocking across the border to Canada, hopping a jet to GB or France for their health care? Do you?? There are other ideas. Why not tort reform? How about health insurance portability across state lines? Let me shop for health insurance across state lines. It costs me an average of $14,000 per employee for yearly health insurance. The country is more focused on unemployment. Just to prove my point, suppose you lost your job tomorrow. Given the money you currently have on hand, would you be more concerned about your health coverage, or keeping food on the table, a roof over your head, and gas for your car? Oh, and just for the record, I’m of Japanese heritage, and I have a Master’s Degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. I’m also a retired U.S. Marine with over 20 years of service, and I’m a Small Business Owner. I’ll gladly compare my qualifications and experiences against you, Scott or President Obama. Think you can do it in a civil manner?
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That without a doubt is one of the most poorly formed run-on sentences I have ever read in my life.
1) What does that have to do with the GOP failing the American people of fair health care?
2) Small Business owner in California? It was the understanding of most of the civilized world that, the only small businesses that have survived in CA are pot dealers (surprise).
3) Have you ever even stepped foot in Massachusetts? That is an entire society that did nothing but whine about the fact that their pot laws needed reforming, their entire political cry.
4) What does belonging to and/or retiring from the Marine Corp (of all branches of the services next, to the Army) have any meaning of or training in fiscal responsibility?
We all appreciate open and honest debate but as many a republican has shown, reciprocating with standard GOP dribble is what has failed this once great nation, the United States of America, in the first place. The GOP hasn’t had an original idea nor fiscal plan/policy that has worked in over 50 years. You cannot name one single GOP administration that has not ended their terms without the self-destruction of the economy of the USA.
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Why don’t you attack us on the arguments that we make? Instead you are making attacks on President Obama when we are looking at pure logic of universal healthcare? Could that be because you lack any lucidity to compile an intelligent argument?
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Cold Conservative, Your previous comment talked a lot yet said absolutely nothing of substance. In order for us to better understand you, I will make the following tacit suggestion: Please utilize proper English sentence and parenthetical constructions. You aid the reader immensely. Finally, Your last statement about argument in a civilized manner is typical dross used to deflect a reader when one cannot intelligently counter a sound argument.
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Scott, please read my last comment towards the bottom. I believe you will find the nail that closes the coffin for good on some of this commentary. The GOP commonly misuse Socialism and count on the fact that most people do not understand the theory. Apparently, some with masters degrees clearly do not.
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This is true. Once the GOP comes back into power, it will be The Postman Redux. The landscape will look a lot like this movie with roving hoardes. I believe the phrase, “Social De-evolution,” will be quite apt.
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Oh, and as a small business owner the GOP cares least about you. Unless you make millions of dollars per year, any legislation that the GOP passes certainly won’t be to benefit you. My father used to be a Republican untill your hero, George W. Bush, signed the Patriot Act into law which caused all of our business to dry up like water in the desert. We had a machinery export business with 80% of our customers in the middle east. Our machinery was designed to make textiles, not bombs. Yet, your hero’s administration refused to grant us an export exception. Why, do you ask? Because the machinery is made with hard steel. Shall we build it with plastic?
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Please state exactly what you mean by Kool Aide because your statement, as it stands, could be construed as racism.
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