Comments on: White House, GOP face off on health care as deadline looms

By: Dan Klemann

Dan Klemann — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:38:26 +0000

For the last 8 years everything the republicans say sounds like the end of the world. We will become socialist if our government provides help for health care. You know it is awful the government wants to pay money (which can used for war) to keep our citizens in good health. And I think our current administration wants to spend money to upgrade the infrastructure of the United States. Oh my god we can't do that, why it may costs billions. We can't have our children pay taxes in their future to pay for something like this. The republicans are very old school. They still want to take our tax dollars and spend it on propping up bad dictators in foreign countries. Find places to have a war so our tax dollars can pay for the military industry weapons. Waste the weapons on stupid wars so we can build more. I say stop wasting our tax dollars on foreign countries and spend it on the US Citizens and our country. Pass the health care bill now. We can't wait any longer.

By: Jack Masaniai

Jack Masaniai — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:38:22 +0000

i strongly agree with President Obama's long over due Health Care Plan Reform . " Quote - " We can't always make the WRONG choices in life , ~ just because we haven't always made the RIGHT choices in life ". Respectfully...

By: joe cassidy

joe cassidy — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:36:49 +0000

“We know the same special interests and their agents in Congress will make the same old arguments, and use the same scare tactics that have stopped reform before because they profit from this relentless escalation in health care costs,” said the president"

Mr.President,, you must be talking about your own party when referring to " profit" One only has to look deeply into the money made by Gore, Pelosi, Boxer, Franks, Dodd and so many more of your
" Party"

Please start speaking the truth,, we as Americans deserve it and you owe us that simple request..... But than again , when you have Rham<<< as your chief of staff,,, the truth will never be part of your leadership fabric... What a shame for for you and what a shame for the "People"
JC

By: sk

sk — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:35:50 +0000

It's not just the GOP who is slamming it, it's also some Democrats and most of all a good amount of Americans. Quit blaming the GOP for every single thing.

By: S Callahan

S Callahan — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:35:48 +0000

President Obama, with all due respect to your good intents to offer the poor, middle class affordable health care.....my question is...can you guarantee that it does not include a mandate for abortion care? Should it, you know yourself, that God can not give his support to that..and could explain a big portion of the dissention going on right now. Review, Review, Review. Don't let that slip in.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:34:21 +0000

Fear paranoia.... thats what the republicans do best. If we could get the lobbyists and their lackeys away and get some intelligent people who know the issues at hand maybe this issue would be solved once and for all.

By: Eric

Eric — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:34:18 +0000

Republican definition of "Americans": (1) rich people or (2) suckers who will believe what rich people tell them.

By: GI Joe

GI Joe — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:31:34 +0000

TV ads for Ins. and Pharmaceuticals UP
Ins. Premiums UP
Co-Pays UP
Drug Costs UP

Donations to PACS UP
Numbe of Lobbyists UP

Add your own thoughts.

By: Bill

Bill — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:30:57 +0000

So now the Congressional Budget Office is a "special interest"? I'll believe the CBO before I believe Obama. The CBO doesn't have a dog in this fight. The "scare tactic" is when someone is trying to force Congress to act too quickly on something that could create such havoc. Not only with the purpose of the health industry, but the economic factors as well because the CBO says it's not going to save the federal government money. And the costs just go up and up and up. How do we know he doesn't want to ram another piece of legislation through as quickly as possible while "misreading" the entire issue?

By: dan

dan — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:30:13 +0000

Thispresidident spends trillions of dollars that doesnt work and he says their using scare tactics. Heck yea im scared. The goverment cant run anything efficently why would we trust him with health care.

By: Skyview

Skyview — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:29:44 +0000

I agree with the President that the only oppositon to health care reform is the special interests who profit from people getting sick. The President is trying to create a situation where all americans will have affordable healthcare without facing financial ruin on a daily basis, as it is with the present system. This is the first President who truly does buck against special interests that take advantage of the public interest. We should help the President get this issues resolved in favour of the American People.

By: SHL, TX

SHL, TX — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:28:34 +0000

I am a physician trained and worked in the socialized healthcare system in the United Kingdom for 15 years before moving to the country 10 years ago. Going to the government-controlled medicine route is a step backward in healthcare. Rationing will be inevitable. Just look at the government-run Medicare and Medicaid and also the VA system in this country. Patients are falling between the cracks and treatments, sometimes for life-threatening conditions, are delayed in these groups of patients. Medicare and Medicaid set up rules on how patients should be treated and what Medicare/Medicaid will pay without the allowance for exceptions. When there are patients who has other co-existing medical conditions have to be treated differently, we the physicians cannot reason with Medicare and Medicaid since when you call the office, you either get an answering machine or speak to someone non-medical who just refer you to the Medicare/Medicaid rules. This is unlike private medicine where the physician can discuss the individual case with the Medical Director of the Insurance Company. No Obama!!!!

By: joelweymouth

joelweymouth — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:26:03 +0000

The vast majority of Americans are happy with their health care, that is the significant statistic. So we are going to let a minority overthrow the majority once again. The liberals believe in Democracy, when it suits them. The other times they throw it out and become oligarchs. As far as Obama is concerned, he is an empty suit controlled by rich white men and his junta is fulfilling every prediction that was made about what kind of disaster he would be. Unfortunately, the MSM is not going to go back into the debates and the archives and show this. The MSM seems to be afraid of him (or the people behind him), they would have done this with GWB because they really were not afraid of him. This tells me where the real dictatorship is. This will end badly.

By: Stuart

Stuart — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:24:34 +0000

Obama is a spoiled black child of entitlement thinking. If he faces disagreement he attacks others as victimizers. He has poor understanding of proper decision-making processes and would rather keep fixing an inadequate plan than formulate a correct one. He is a product of his racial/cultural mindset and cannot free himself from its constraints. He is a person of no imagination outside of his radical, immature, and Muslim exposure. What a sad excuse for a president.

By: AlwaysThinking

AlwaysThinking — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:24:25 +0000

Scare tactics is all the GOP has ... Lord knows they don't have any ideas!

By: citizen

citizen — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:24:20 +0000

Either you want health care reform or you don't. And if you do want reform then go ahead and support the President's plan NOW.

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:24:17 +0000

This man appears to have an agenda that is against the best interests of the American taxpayer, you know, those people who make having a government possible. They are the ones who foot the bill when it's all said and done, not some group of non working people who seem to think the rest of America owes them something. Wake up Obama, come up with something that will 'shock' those who think they can live in the 'addiction' of welfare, food stamps, and health care without lifting a finger to help America.

By: Mike Marlett

Mike Marlett — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:24:15 +0000

So why does this story offer vague Republican criticisms of the plan without fact checking? It quotes Kyl as saying that the administration's plans to pay for this "by raising taxes on small business owners." Really? How so? What proof does Kyl have for this? Oh, perhaps he's referring to the recent Wall Street Journal article that starts, "House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled sweeping health-care legislation that would hit all but the smallest businesses with a penalty equal to 8% of payroll if they fail to provide health insurance to workers." And then it goes on to say that this really is businesses with more than about 10 employees (everyone from mom-and-pop to AT&T), and that it would cover 97% of Americans. But that's not a tax, it's a penalty for not offering health care. In fact, it gives small businesses a tax credit for providing coverage. It is a carrot and a stick.

By: Gerda Edwards

Gerda Edwards — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:23:56 +0000

Or....

“We know the same special interests and their agents in Congress and the White House will make the same old arguments, and use the same scare tactics that they've used to push reform before because they profit from gaining even more control of your life and forcing additional dependancy on them”

By: Kate

Kate — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:23:16 +0000

It's no wonder Obama and Pelosi are so close!! Because they lie as easily as they breath!! I understand that Obama wants control of our lives and he wants to ram this through before anyone really uderstands what's happening but doesn't he have any soul at all?

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:23:06 +0000

Thank Mr, President for doing exactly what we elected you to do (ie, reform our healthcare system to provide affordable healthcare for ALL Americans).

Shame on you Congress for your petty, partisan, political fighting over the reform of our healthcare system! We Americans deserve better. We deserve a public option in our healthcare system NOW!

Stop fighting against president Obama and start working with him and your colleagues to deliver a meaningful healthcare reform bill that our president can sign!

Milton Friedman is dead and so is the maket-based only system for healtchare in this country. Work out a Government option NOW!

By: A Frightened Democrat

A Frightened Democrat — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:22:46 +0000

Right decisions take time! Our President is pushing through items so quickly that I am now frightened! When he says: "Health Care Reform Cannot Wait" he seems to be pushing for something that is not in the best interest of our country. He is stripping us of all our free choices. As a concerned citizen, it seems the best use of time would be to get us on our feet economically and, then, tackle health care. When using a charge card, you have to know when you have reached your limit. At this present time, we DO NOT have the money for another purchase!

By: ck

ck — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:22:17 +0000

SIMPLE QUESTION:

If Congress thinks this plan is so great

WHY ARE THEY EXEMPTING THEMSELVES AND KEEPING THEIR PRESENT SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL HEALTH PLAN??

(An answer without name calling and facts provided would be nice)

By: Denna

Denna — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:21:21 +0000

It seems to me that the Republicans, and some Democrats, are most upset that President Obama is expecting them to produce bills in a timely manner. I've been listening to the news a lot lately and I can't help but wonder why his critics insist that he is 'moving too fast'? It is about time that the Houses of Congress learn how to put in a full workday and not discuss a bill into dust, then start again. Good job Mr. President and you lazy Senators and Congressmen stop fighting the man and get to work on a bill you can all agree on. Do some work for a change; we pay you enough.

By: Christian

Christian — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:19:57 +0000

Why is the title 'Whitehouse, GOP face off...'. Reality check, it should be 'Obama, GOP & Many Democrats face off'.
Does anyone else find it odd that Obama and a handful of very liberal cabinet members are trying to cram this down your throats as quickly as possible. This is NOT GOOD for anyone. A privatized solution would put the country and your health and well being in a much better place.

By: Gerda Edwards

Gerda Edwards — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:18:20 +0000

"In his radio and Web address broadcast Saturday — titled "Health Care Reform Cannot Wait"..."
======================
LOL!!!

He's using his same pot-calling-the-kettle-black tactics he used during the campaign. I have to give Pres Obama credit though - I can't imagine anyone one else being able to keep a straight face when accusing others of using scare tactics after making that the title of his address.

By: Hannah Stevens

Hannah Stevens — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:17:45 +0000

This is a test as to whether President Obama can stand up to the health care lobbyists and prevail. It is a huge battle. These people run our country and we need need to get rid of them and take our country back for the people. I hope he wins because if he wins, we all win.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:17:18 +0000

What galls me is the gullibility of the American people sometimes. When someone proposes a gun-control measure, it is easy to get the masses running willy nilly screaming that the guv'min people are coming to take away all our guns. And those measures are nothing remotely like that. So it is no surprise to hear them cry "the guv'mint people are going to control your doctor and choose what you can have" (ironic since in reality that's exactly what happens right now -- rich insurance companies often make those controls and have practically no limits on how much they can rake us over the coals). This claim about government is also completely false. Yet, the same mouthbreathing panic-attack population just shrugs when the government was (I hope "was") openly wiretapping without warrants. We have become a nation as mentally lazy and dull as the previous president. We can't all be rocket scientists, but there ought to be at least a modicum of logic, sense and calm, rational analysis of some facts.

By: c

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:16:45 +0000

I got no problem with slowing the process a little for health legislation... remember the last big push in Congress - Georgie Dictator Bush shoved Iraq down our throats and thousands of kids have died for NO reason.

Odd, though, that Repubs are hollering slow down when they hollered speed up through the Iraq fiasco.

By: Moe, NY

Moe, NY — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:14:46 +0000

In my opinion, President Obama is 100% right on this issue, the republicans/conservatives are out in force using any scare tactic they can, and making up some scare tactics as they go! I work in the medical field, and believe me when I say it is a disaster as it now stands. Please people, do not swallow what the republicans/conservatives and lobbyists are throwing at you, it is, in my opinion, all lies. Health care for ALL AMERICANS....it is the right thing to do!

By: susie

susie — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:13:35 +0000

A lot of Democrats are afraid of the health bill too.

By: Kajun

Kajun — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:12:36 +0000

Obama is right in saying it is the same old thing and that same old thing is about special interest lining the pockets of the Democrats because the have emptied the well on the other side. Shame, Shame on you Obama and Pelosi.....for selling us all out to your Union special interest at the sake of people that are suffering will illness....Shame one you for wrecking our economy for the sake of ACORN....Shame on you for trying to shove cap and trade down everyones throat to help Al Gore line his already buldging pockets for the sake of a lie (global warming). I thought that we had sank to an all time low with Bush....Well Obama is finding what is under the snakes belly. We are going on our fourth year of Democrats lies and deciept and we are sinking lower into the slum of socialism,,,,,though a few more czars are certain to help us??

By: alebiglio

alebiglio — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:12:35 +0000

I can say only one thing, the Us is the ONLY first world country without an universal health care system, are we all stupid?

By: deb

deb — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:12:00 +0000

Obama is the poster boy for scare tactics. Will someone please shake a can of pennies at him and make him go away? I can't stomach his unctuous voice or leering grin another second.

By: sandy

sandy — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:11:46 +0000

You go Mr. President. You have the majority of the country behind you.

By: Dee

Dee — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:11:22 +0000

Funny. I guess its okay for members of his administration to make threats to Arizona state Senators and their constituents?.

By: bam

bam — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:10:56 +0000

Once again, President Obama nails it. The American people want a Public Option as one of their health insurance choices. The private insurance and pharmaceutical companies, along with their bought-and-paid-for legislators, will fight tooth and nail to ensure that their megaprofits continue at the expense of the rest of us.

By: ran

ran — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:10:45 +0000

Once again the obstructionism by the GOP is in full force. People we can not allow the GOP and the current Health care industry scare us any more. We deserve affordable health care and now is the time for us to get it. Health care should never be for profit. Enough of CEO multimillion $ salaries and bonus and shareholder's dividends that come out of premiums. A single payer non-profit system is the only way to go and so demand it form your elected officials now and do not let up on them until we get it. Our health should not be for sale.

By: Michael, Gallatin, TN

Michael, Gallatin, TN — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:09:39 +0000

Crush them Mr. President. Once and for all, crush them into the dust and grind your boot until there is nothing left to even come together again.

By: Geodin

Geodin — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:07:50 +0000

Get it done, it is enough time for smart and knowledgeable people to put together something that is very good. It is a slippery slope to try to get it "right".

Get it in the books, and there will be plenty of time before most if anything will actually get implemented to allow them to amend/adjust the plan.

By: peter

peter — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:07:47 +0000

the health care reform should pass by this summer! Republican should support the the reform rather to resist.

By: Bruce, Idaho

Bruce, Idaho — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:06:44 +0000

Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! It can't wait! we are all going to die tomorrow if we don't pass this IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!
WHO is using scare tactics?
I think the real reason is the polls show "the savior" Obama is quickly losing support for his communist/socialist agenda. The more the people know, the less chance this abomination will be passed. So...... HURRY!

By: Ursula

Ursula — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:06:30 +0000

I hope Obama brings the whole spectrum of nasty rightwingers to their knees. Its about time. They rule by fear and have been getting away with it for way too long. Mainstreet republicans are no different. They operate their businesses through fear mongering and personally, I'm sick of them! Really now.... I'm not a liberal, I'm pretty much middle of the road, but enough is enough. After all that has been done to me over the last several years, I WILL NEVER EVER EVER VOTE FOR A REPUBLICAN!

By: Nancy - Houston

Nancy - Houston — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:06:21 +0000

What I want to know is if everyone is going to be "required" to buy medical insurance, how are the 14.5 million (and growing) laid-off people going to do that? Unemployment compensation sure won't cover it, and anyway, some states are running out of money to pay umemployment benefits. I'm all for curtailing health care costs, but agonize over the situation the unemployed have been put in due to job loss. If folks don't have a family to take them in, what then? It seems to me the creation of jobs is #1 in importance. If so many people are out of work, think of the loss of taxes that would normally be paid to support government programs. I am a retired mother with two unemployed sons, and I am all they have. It is very worrisome because my retirement dollars can stretch only so far.

By: Bob Charon

Bob Charon — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:05:36 +0000

The republicans are the problem not part of the solution. They have opposed any Progressive movement for the past 35 years and are deep in the pockets of the coprorate elites. It is time for Congress to perform their responsibility and consider the needs of the country. Many businesses and familiies have failed because of health care costs. It is time for a major change and defeating more republicans may be the answer.

By: Crossbuck

Crossbuck — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:05:10 +0000

The healthcare bill will work, if and only if no one gets sick and no one grows old.

In other words, it cannot beneficial to anyone, just very very costly.
Besides, does the goverment ever execute anything right?

By: John

John — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:04:57 +0000

This health package is a disaster. This President, who never I mean never worked in the real world has no clue as to what he's doing. This would put the small business owner either out of business or laying off more employees. Do you want the Government running anything? They can't manage themselves, Look at Social Security and Medicaide. Wake up folks.

By: Penny

Penny — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:04:55 +0000

You know its going to be bad when its rushed like this...look at the rushed stimulus plan...

There is NOTHING wrong with our healthcare system. Obama if you want to fix something start with Medicare or the VA first. When you fix those boondoggles then try another government program.

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:04:34 +0000

hes right, the gop is nothing more than a group of men that are getting rich from special interest groups, bible thumpers, and people that BELIEVE the crap chain emails they get. I get them all the time, I just research them for about 5 mins, prove them to be crap and then pass on the facts. The gop is a joke, no one is listening to them Anymore

By: PeterJ

PeterJ — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:03:48 +0000

Obama is the ULTIMATE fear-mongerer. He plays this class envy "hate anyone who makes money" game and if he can't find anything to bash on a GOPer, he will just publicly make the claim that they are trying to "profit" by opposing him. Liberals...shouldn't that be a clue to you, everytime anyone opposes him, he immediately leads you to believe that they are rich people because he has engrained in you a hatred for success.