CNN

[...] fear-mongering by those who oppose fixing the nation's ailing health care system this year. [ READ MORE [...]

[...] scripted "Town Hall" meeting on health care where he chastised those that use scare tactics and fear mongering to make people afraid of his [...]

It was an outstanding display of (1) understanding the problem, (2) articulating why the problem exists, and (3) setting forth and justifying a plan to combat the problem of a healthcare system that is badly broken. This guy Obama is sterling. He really is.

I know, I know, people say that coming on the heels of George Bush that the town drunk would appear sterling. But the fact remains that we are witnessing an outstanding person who came along at just the right time in our history.

My God, the haters are blind with envy. They would give their souls to see him and, thus America, fail. But it ain't gonna happen. Ain't gonna happen.

BULL CRAP. HIS PLAN IS NOTHING BUT HOGWASH TO TAKE AWAY THE ELDERLY'S MEDICARE, Healthcare as we know it will not exist anymore. Already the medical profession is not seeing medicare patients. This will not only affect medicare but also it will degrade medical care out of efficiency.

Someone should make a video of crying babies with the heads of limbaugh,boehner,cheney and palin.
Children only want their way otherwise they stomp their feet, say no,no,no, face gets red and throw a tantrum sorta like the Republicans.
Instead of whinning compromise,work together and be polite. Why do they call people they disagree with terrorist,communist,nazi's etc. that also is childish. People would respect them more if they talked calmly,respectfully and offer alternatives.

Scared ? You bet ! Government-run health care is rationed health care, and it will cost the lives and well being of many people who did not ask for it, and do not want it.

All I want to hear Obama say is I GUARANTEE health costs will go down under his plan in x amount of years.
If it does not he will resign as president go on TV and say he along with Axelrod, Jaret, Gibs and his close knit circle made a huge mistake and they give all their future earnings from book sales and speaches to the health plan they, he created

Obama's problem is that he lies so much nobody knows when to believe him. He is losing what little credibility he has left so when he is promoting his health plan half the country does not believe what he is saying and the number of people who no longer believe his lies is growing everyday. He will be a lame duck before his first year is up!

The economy is on a tear. The stock market goes up like a hundred points a day. This is too easy. How can anyone NOT make money? It seems all you have to do is "buy-and-hold" these days. Remember that? I think that the Market is going to soar before and after the 4th of July. If you look at the trend and the cycles, it appears that it will go up precisely 423 points before taking a breather, and then going up some more. I'm so glad everyone's making money.

Don,t confuse scaring people with raising legitimate questions. How are we gonna pay for this and all the other programs you want to start Mr. President ? You cant just choose to ignore our country's debt as issue. You should plainly tell us how the growing debt will affect us. The estimates is that its gonna double by the time Obama is done. If were gonna put ourselves in a deep hole atleast tell us how deep the hole is. Our debt one day will come to haunt us, and thats a fact

I think Obama is a joke and am a Democrat. His plan is all wrong for health care in america. He does not have any kind of agenda just all talk. With his way of thinking all families will suffer. He is not the President, why not make Polisi the President she is calling all the shots. His new energy is will not work either it cost more people there jobs and homes.

If the GOP fail to take the side of the American people by providing a "public option" for health care to rival the Insurance Hawks, then the GOP has lost it's moral standing in this country.

SAXBY CHAMBLISS of Georgia will lose his seat in the next election. Georgians know that Chambliss is for BIG BUSINESS while he complains that Obama is for big government. When people lose their homes and their chidlren lose their health, I don't care about republican sensibility. I care about saving lives!!!

I hope every Republican citizen doesn't ever get sick or lose their homes b/c of medical debt! Of course, republicans are all rich, right?

I support President Obama's plight to reform the Medical Health Care System. Had it been in existence under Clinton as a Ist Phase implementation, probably Michael Jackson would be with us still.

Not only celebs need protection from themselves but sick folks need protection from themselves as well. There are multiple tales of high end drugs too expensive for the poor. They are relegated to suupplemental drugs having no effect on the intended symptom.

Also, why can't the high-end drugs that are trashed by those who can afford them go to those that need them. They don't always use their meds. It goes in the trash after 30 days. Why can't they share the meds. It's paid for.

It is too bad Tort Reform is not really on the table. Why would a bunch of lawyer politicians cut off the gravey train other lawyer friends are getting rich on. Tort Reform should be on any health care reform.

Thanks Obama, but we all know the drill:

1. Obama is a marxist socialist
2. Government is the bad, it's the problem (Mark Sanford didn't seem to think so since he used some of its funds to do some "drill baby drill" down south) even though what he's proposing is the same plan that federal officials have (of both parties).
3. Rationing care (even though the insurance companies are already doing that.
4. Gov't in btwn you're doctor (insurance bureaucrats are in btwn me and my doctor)
5. Insurance companies will go out of business (so?)

Obama, 72% of Americans are with you. As for those against you, it's the usual Fox News-viewing teabagging 20%ers a.k.a. current number of folk willing to call themselves Republicans a.k.a. Bushies who supported what he was doing right up until January 19, 2009 after the last 8 years of horror.

The battle lines are drawn. Whip those Dems up there on Capitol Hill into shape and lets get this done. The GOP is racing to meet the Whigs in oblivion at full speed, so let them blow themselves up.

Mr President, please don't confuse disagreement with your public option for disagreement on the need for health care reform. We just don't want want what you're selling..................

This is the only question that answers the question about socialized medicine is "Why do the well off in Europe, Canada, and in fact the whole world come to the USA to get their treatment and major surgery for their medical ills?

Well, saying that if we do nothing will bankrupt the country in my mind is also scare tactics.

How many Tomahawk missles would it take to pay for a socialized healthcare system?

Why is it that every time some disagrees with him its considered fear-mongering? Why cant people be civil and just say they disagree. I disagree with him but Im not spreading fear, I just think his plan needs to be a lot better in order for it to really work out for everyone.

Obama keeps taxing the American people to death will surely cause this economy to sputter for years to come. And this is the guy who promised that he would not raise our taxes one dime, I guess he changed his mind. We just don't need a socialist heath care system.

Hmmmm

"If we don't act, if we let this moment pass, we could see this economy sputter along for decades," Obama said at the event that included questions from audience members and through interactive networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

Sounds a LOT like scare tactics to me..

Obama is the one with the scare tactics. If Obama is doing something wrong he will always blame someone else to keep your mind off of what he's doing. The American public has fell for it. Let's see if they fall for it this time.

President Obama is facing an uphill battle with greedy special interests and he deserves the full support of the country.

You got a lot of room to talk Obama especially with your play by play OBAMA SCARE TACTICS.

ITS ALL ANOTHER OBAMA SCAM FOR TAX INCREASES.

Like a lot of people, I wonder if the government really has a handle on what it is proposing to do. The cost could be enormous. With projected debt at 1.8 trillion dollars, how do we add this?

The theory is that a government alternative will force insurance companies to be more efficient. So, let me see if I understand this...a taxpayer funded federal program with no profit and loss responsiblity is going to be more efficient?? When was a federal program ever "more efficient." And besides, what is the hurry? THe hurry is that once a program is started it is nearly impossible politically to end. Once two years pass and a new election occurs in the house, it is a certainty that the Dems won't have their bullet proof majority.

As a country we are going to face enormous outflows for Social Security in addition to paying the interest on the debt that is accumulating at an alarming rate as well as the expense of maintaining our military position in the world in the face of a strengthening China. Obama is less intelligent than he seemed to be a few months ago if he thinks we can do all of this AND add taking on the cost of the health care system. This is a potential disaster, and it won't go away once it begins. Slow down Obama.

At the risk of being called a racist, now that is the kettle calling the pot black.

I have government health care from the U.S. Army. Take a tour of Walter Reed. Also, it takes two-three weeks for my sick children to been seen. Instead of government healthcare, may the industry (doctors, etc.) needs to be regulated.

Obama has a lot of nerve talking about scare tactics. His entire adminstration is based on scare tactics. Let' s see, if we don't pass the energy bill New York City will be under water next year, if we don't bail out all the banks there will be a recession (got that one wrong, didn't you) and now it's if you don't socialize medicine everybody will die. Obama is a liar and the sooner the idiots who voted for him figure that out (if they ever do) the better.

Baloney...it is not scare tactics. These are major decisions that we need to debate and at times that debate will be scary because if we screw this up we may make our healthcare system worse or may bankrupt our country.....

We need to start with Malpractice Reform. Then we need to discuss getting more doctors in the country (either train more or more foreign docs), this will bring down doctor salaries. Then we need solutioins that do not involve government run insurance or government socialized medicine. Everyone in the country must work and must contribute something to their own healthcare. There is no free lunch!

No one denies the current health care system does not work. However, rushing into a government run system isn't the answer either. All one need do to see this for themselves is go into a doctor's office anywhere within 100 miles of the Canadian border, and ask the over half of patients there who are Canadian citizens why the come to the States and pay full price out of pocket cash rather than utilize their wonderful government run health care system.

We already have government run public health insurance. It's called Medicare and Medicaid. So we can already see what a mismanaged mess we'll be stuck with if the government controls our health insurance. And that's just a small portion of our citizenship, how much bigger will the mess be if it is for every citizen?

I don't claim to have the answer, but I can clearly see what the answer IS NOT. We don't need to hurry up and rush something through. We've done enough of that already. Let's truly get something accomplished, but take the time to do it right. There's no going back once we've set this in motion.

In reality,
We're all fighting over the Health Insurance Industry's GOP proclaimed "right" for uncontrollable inflation providing them record profits; as they still decide which persons they will, and will NOT insure, after having sold them a policy or completely turned that person down for coverage.
In reality,
We're all fighting over the Pharmaceutical Industry's GOP proclaimed"right" for uncontrollable inflation providing them record profits; as those companies over inflate Drug treatment costs more than the majority of companies in the world from tax shelter jurisdictions where they manufacture and distribute products.
This is a "no brainer" folks (except those in Arizona who have no brains) !!! Everybody knows the motive for GOP scare tactics against health care reform is a motive secretely designed to PROTECT Helath Insurance companies, Pharmaceutical companies, and State Lobbyists who represent those companies. Those are the ones responsible for uncontrollable inflation in the Health Care Industry....not doctors or Nurses... The GOP is "twisting" the word REFORM and claiming it as a Government takeover....when the Genuine GOP motive is protecting those previously mentioned companies who have been destroying our economy.

This reminds me of "Peter Pan" "I believe, I believe, I believe." Say it often enough (snaps fingers) and it becomes reality? To this new wish list, I say "Dream On."
Meantime, the poor who are unemployed and have lost their family insurance coverage, and minimum wage earners, along with anyone (repeat "ANYONE") unfortunate enough to need immediate medical attention while you wait for your precious voucher to be approved, this represents a vicious mass destruction that possibly leads to forced victims of murder due to lack of social status within our country, which will ultimately deny a large portion of it's public of basic health care. The poor public that can't find work, or is unable to work, that can't afford any insurance basic package, or spin down/co-pay required prior to treatment, let alone an additional tax for a benefit they will not be able to share in.
But, then that isn't a dream, it is a nightmare. Wake Up!

Blue Cross Blue Shield CIGNA Humana.......... Stop using Pre-existing Conditions! These big companies spend more money for a big expensive law firm;thus, cutting Health Insurance for the average ordinary family in need of Health Insurance!

Blue Cross Blue Shield stop spending money for lawyers and start giving Health Insurance to citizens of the USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The person using the scare tactics is President Obama in his push to pass a major health care bill before it can be analyzed and understood.

While I'm in favor of providing health care coverage for those who can't afford it, I don't want it to cost me my health care by forcing me into a minimal HMO style plan plan where my choices are controlled by the government. I also don't want my taxes to increase when he promised that they wouldn't.

I think were watching the birth of "Big Brother". A report came out today saying that obesity statistics increased over the last year despite efforts to trim the national diet. Now that the government is getting into the health care business, it's a matter of time before they tell us what to eat and what to drink. We should be worried about our government getting involved in as much of private industry as it has. We try to convince the rest of the world to embrace democracy as we move further and further away from it.

He assailed the Iraq policy, he assailed the Bush foreign doctrine, he assailed the over spending policy of the Bush regime,he assailed this and that..We will c how accurate he was n 6 more mths.

I lived in Canada for a year. Using their health care system was easy. It was great. I'm not afraid of national healthcare and nobody else should be either.

I don't care what Obama says. I don't like the idea of a public plan. This plan will be a disaterous failure when people with private insurance can no longer get in to see their PCP and have to wait 6 months to see a specialist. I'm glad I'm having elective surgery now while I still have insurance to pay for it. I'm sure employers will be forcing their employees by the thousands onto the public plan when they make it prohibitively expensive to choose anything but public healthcare.

So where are all the general practiciners going to come from who will be needed to see all of the people who will have insurance now and presumably will stop using the ER for their basic healthcare?

he might want to assail the less than productive staff working on the Freddie Mac report, that was due on His desk, May,2009. after all, this financial report goes to the heart of the recovery..what gives, wheres' the transparency..

"If we don't act, if we let this moment pass, we could see this economy sputter along for decades," Obama said...

You mean scare tactics like that?

We have Medicare, Medicaid and S-Chip programs.... But somehow we need more?

We've been trying to "fix" Medicare for years....Now they want a new public plan. Based on what model of success? The VA?

Private insurance already has affordable coverage that meets the majority of the peoples needs. Some people choose not to purchase their own health care....that's their choice.

If you want coverage simply sign up for a plan that fits your budget.

Stop looking to the government for answers.

For Obama's plan to truly gain traction, he needs to run a campaign-style media blitz to break through all of the counter, and sometimes blatently false, information currently out in the public sphere. If 75% of the American public wants the public option as a part of the plan, make Congress pass a bill with a public option, whether they want to or not. How you may ask, scare them by putting their opposition/support out in the public eye. As we all know, a Congressman or Senator will do what is "right," ESPECIALLY when they are up for re-election.

Obama's plan has to include 1) the ability of consumers to maintain their current plan, 2) the ability of consumers to choose their own doctors, 3) the ability to choose a plan without fear of repercussions (from employers, former insurers or doctors), and 4) a feasible way of covering the expenses of the plan.

The plan HAS to be broken down so ANYONE can understand it. Just don't make it AS simple as the four page pathetic excuse for a stalling tactic that the Republicans rolled out solely to gain media attention and it will be fine!

Obama is the scary one. This country is broke and he is to dumb to realize it and still spending like a kid in a toy store.

How about reporting the FACT that this was no OPEN town hall meeting "with the folks" as the QUESTIONS and the PARTICIPANTS WERE ALL PRE-SCREENED by Obambi and company.

CBS and Helen Thomas of all people hammered Gibbs today about this and like his uh, uh, uh, uh, uh boss, he stuttered with his usual NON-ANSWER.

How about their throwing out of any negative reporting of global warming by the EPA as it would hurt their "cause"?

Transparency, like wood..................

Scare tactics? Oh you mean like the scare tactics he used to get the stimulus bill passed without anyone in Congress even reading it? He said we would go into depression without the bill, and now with only a tiny fraction of the money obligated there are signs of recovery, so how was all this money needed?

My Comments On This Subject Is That This Is What Makes President Barack Obama Such A Great Person. He Speaks And Makes Himself Available To The American People About Their Issues. While Not Getting Caught Up In The Convenience And Self-Fullfiling Profecy Broadcasted By The Ultimate Political Opportnists Both (Definitly) Republicans And Democrats.

It's amazing that supposedly intelligent people think that the current system is the best. No one complains about the trillion dollars we have wasted in Iraq but won't consider paying that much for health care.
We could learn a lot from Canada. No one there ever filed for bankruptcy because of medical bills. They are content to watch us spend large fortunes racing from one military crisis to another like some demented John Wayne.

Mr President:

These things seem to either be "Not released" or "Not available." I'm sure it's just an oversight or glitch or something, so if you could you tell me where these things are - I - I have them written down here somewhere - oh wait. Sorry about the smears. It was raining out. I'll just read it to you. Could you please help me find these things sir:

1. Occidental College records - Not released 2. Columbia College records - Not released 3. Columbia Thesis paper - "Not available" 4. Harvard College records - Not released 5. Selective Service Registration - Not released 6. Medical records - Not released 7. Illinois State Senate schedule - Not available 8. Your Illinois State Senate records - Not available 9. Law practice client list - Not released 10. Certified Copy of original Birth certificate - Not released 11. Embossed, signed paper Certification of Live Birth - Not released 12. Record of your baptism - Not available.

You are a mystry to us. How can we trust a person with so much doubts and mysterious past? Every candidates in the past were "open books" to us so that we can know their world views and things like that, BUT YOU.

Why do you have a pass? Who gave you the pass? We, a group of EX-DEMS want to know.

Explain to me how fixing health care is going to stimulate the economy? How can one make the correlation that if we don't act on healthcare now, that the economy will not improve? The correlation there seems to be a -1.

Oh sure, make the middle class pay. Heaven forbid that the very wealthy lose their enormous tax breaks. There's no reason why Obama can't keep his promise of no new taxes for people earning under $250k and end the massive tax giveaways to the wealthiest of Americans.