CNN

[...] The reality on the ground today was delivered by via CNN. [...]

[...] President Obama, August 15, 2009: [...]

[...] to health care reform legislation that does not include a public health insurance option," CNN reports HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius "left the door open to accepting nonprofit health [...]

[...] CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive ... [...]

[...] Sunday, Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius told CNN that a public option is not "essential", a day after President Obama, at a town hall meeting in Colorado, said that a public option is [...]

[...] Sebelius appeared on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday and told John King that a government-run plan "is not an essential element" to robust health care reform legislation. She also intimated that the White House is warming to the idea of insurance co-op's as a replacement for a full public plan that would attract moderate Republicans and Democrats. [...]

I am so sick of Republicans being allowed to run things even when they and their idiots are a MINORITY.

Competition is what we need. Have you ever seen a poor insurance agent? Enough said.

Without the public plan, our economy will go down further and more people will lose their coverage. Co-ops are no substitute for the public plan. Co-op for health care has been tried and failed. It is a political ploy designed to prolong private health insurers' existence and continue their profit-making at our expenses.

The bill won't kill old Uncle Phil, but will help Phil make a Will – not take a pill. Come on people – Get Real !

"Socialism will always be rejected in America, that's why Obama will lose in 2012..."

Wrong. If Obama loses in 2012, it will be because he and the Democratic majority fail to provide a public option for at least basic health care for people who cannot afford it. The Blue Dog Democrats will not only cost the President a second term but they will surely lose the slight majority that they achieved when they promised to end the unsustainable costs of health care for the uninsured. If they fail to deliver, voters will ask themselves why does it matter who wins? Why should I go door-to-door, deliver newsletters, introduce candidates, and work so hard to get out the vote for fools who play the same games as the last round of fools we had?

Deliver or pack your bags.

No Public Option = No Change!

Nothing is going to change until elected officials and their families have no health insurance for their families. They just don't get it.

If we can't get single payer, we MUST have a "Public" option... If there is ever going to be any chance of getting health care costs under control, AND making sure that high "risk" (COST) patients can get affordable coverage.
FOR PROFIT "Insurance"/HMOs must not be our only choices... If we only keep going with what we already have, we will only get what we have already gotten...
Now if you have not had any problems, and you can afford your coverage, you probably think everything is fine and "why mess with success?"
Well, for much of the rest of the country, costs are out of control and getting worse, assuming you can get coverage, at any price.

Is the American ideal really "I have mine – you're on your own?" Is that as a result of capitalism? Is that the best we can do?

1. John King and his wife Dana Bash are both GOPers so if you were looking for unbiased information it is not going to happen.
2. I DO have issues with co-op vs public option:

A) WHO will be the elected board of directors or management company to run this? Because generally the first thing that happens with a board/managment is they raise your “dues/fees.” B) How will small co-ops compete with big insurance companies in political and purchasing power? C) Insurance companies will not welcome ANY competition so why would they support this? Insurance companies are in business to “make money” they are not in business because they actually care about your health.

[...] to health care reform legislation that does not include a public health insurance option," CNN reports HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius "left the door open to accepting nonprofit health [...]

this makes sense.

There is one question that keeps getting ignored. The President repeatedly states people can keep their private insurance. Is that really true? It is in the beginning. But ….. look on page 16 of HR 3200. It clearly says you are grandfathered in if you have private insurance on day one of Y1.. however, the next section says that private insurers cannot issue any new policies as of day 1 of Y1.. This means if you change jobs, or want to change your insurance plan you cannot get private insurance, but must go on the public plan. Therefore everything the President and proponents say is deceptive.
This portion of the bill will eventually put private insurers out of business.

Well, that's it for me if the Dems cave on this. I never in a million years thought I'd say this, but I now wish I'd voted for Hillary in the primary. Hillary has more balls than the whole Democrat party combined. Hillary would not have caved.

That's what happens when you play with poll numbers and try to game the American people. The latest "compromise" is too little, too late.. Oh, they will pass some meanighless legislation and claim victory, but the benefit to Americans will be neglible.

I worked too hard to get this president elected and I got private insurance. However, I must say that any talk of heath care reform that doens't include a public option shouldn't even be called reform.

Mr. President, I respect you a lot and thought you were sincere when you campaign on the promise of fighting for what you believe. But I can tell you that if you sign any legislation that doesn't have a public option on it, I'll work twice as hard as I worked to get you elected to make you you don't get re-elected.

It really amazes me that the lack of facts don't really seem to matter to people.
FACT: Health insurance companies ration your care now! It's not doctors making the decisions.
FACT: I think most people are for tort reform; HOWEVER, doctors have shown us that they don't police their own. What about the really bad doctors that do damage and it's covered up by their own. They are just as bad as lawyers. At least with lawyers you have some recourse. Doctors, do a much better job of getting rid of the bad apples yourselves and we don't need the capability to sue. Until then, suck up the high premiums. The ordinary person needs a way to protect themselves from bad doctors.
FACT: Insurance premiums keep going up and care does get rationed or insurance dropped. There are indeed more bankruptcies due to medical conditions than just poor decisions.
FACT: Why are we giving private insurers $177M per year to subsidize medical care for retires. Is that not 'socialism'?

Grow up people and understand the facts yourselves instead of believing everything you hear on FOX news and these viral internet sites.

why should health care be on the backs of employers its the people of the united states not the people of the corporations

Now if we take the dumb idea of a public option off the table, we can work on a real solution. Gee the Midterm elections must be just around the corner. I bet all the members will claim to have good ideas.

Soon things everywhere will be just like Mr. Obama's home town of Nyongoma Kogelo village!

"Sebilius"? This is the Cow, that gave money and support to Tiller, or Tiller the baby Killer, gave her money? Either way, another Left Wing appointee, by that scumbag OBAMA.

If the GOP believes Sebelius, the healthcare reform will probably on track.

Typo correction: It's too bad that you think that your health-care is worth less than your reading material.

Well, you know CNN is in the pockets of the drug manufacturers and health insurance co.s .... Just count how many commercials for these companies CNN runs on a daily basis. How could anyone expect fair coverage from CNN with that kind of deep throat relationship with the anti-health care crowd????

There is no Free Press in America. They've bought the press.

Mr. President,
You are the President - I voted you because I agreed with you on health care and the majority of your issues. If you go back on your word, where is the change? You have the majority in Congress, pass the bill.

The public option is a government take over of health care, and the public knows this, that is why the vast majority of america is so upset. That is also why obama tried to rush it through before the august recess, before the public had any chance of reading what is currently in HR 3200. We voted for this guy and then he tries to pull a fast one on us. That is not the guy I thought I was voting for. We should reform what we currently have, not try to run health insurance companies out of business because obama doesn't like them. He does not speak for all of amercia, apparently he does not speak for very many americans, which is obivous when poll numbers show the vast majority does not support his personal opinions and views on this matter. The average income for the 46 million uninsured is $75,000.00 I have never made that much money in one year in my life, and I still buy health insurance for my family because I love them, I would pay triple what I currently pay because I love them . If you make that much money and you don't buy health insurance for you and your family then that is your choice, but you did not buy it because you did not have enough money. Some people would rather buy an SUV with big rims or a house that they cannot afford than buy health insurance for their family. But again that is their choice, that is what is beautiful about america, WE HAVE THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE!

Do not drop the public health care option. The citizens of the U.S. fully support the option. Do not cave in to the Republicans. Competition is necessary to keep the health insurance industry competitive and honest.

Maybe Obama is finally listening to America. Enough Government spending and control. People have not just lost jobs ... a job is doing a household chore or bagging groceries when you are in school. Good, hard-working men and women have lost careers, the dreams of advancement, the ability to support family and community. To quote Thomas Jefferson, "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not".

The reason competition "has not worked" in health care (as the Dems are always saying) is because there IS NO COMPETITION in health care right now. There hasn't been for a long time.

Having the company you work for dictate to you what insurance plan you have is not competition.

The only way to get true competition is to scrap the nonsensical system of employer-based coverage and move toward individual-based coverage instead.

I work as a volunteer at a local hospital. Once I was given a stack of insurance bills about 8 inches high. I was told to pick out all the bills that were over $10,000. They had to be sent to the various companies by Special Delivery, signed receipt. Otherwise the insurance companies would insist that they had NEVER received the biils and therefore DID NOT HAVE TO PA Y! Who says we don't need reform?

I find it hard to believe that the Christian religious right would embrace the anti health reform stance of millionaire Texan lobbyist Dick Armey and turn their back on humanity.

No more "public option plan"; you can put a fork in this healthcare reform plan. Big loss for Mr. Obama and the Democrats in Congress. In the next few months watch them [the Democrats] put some lipstick on that pig they will call reform. I am relieved that such a badly conceived [they were rushed by Madam Pelosi] plan will not see the day of light. I hope that true reform, which would address what is actually wrong with healthcare in this land will now be discussed and fixed, but that is hoping for a lot coming from this [still] do nothing Congress. Mr. Obama promised the moon and well, his big rocket may not make it out of the launching pad. Now we must endure all the whining and crying from the liberals, oh well a small price to pay at least.

I just wnt to ask all the people who are for Obama's plan, why do you trust the government so much? Think about it, you may trust this abministration but will you trust the next one or do you think Obama is going to be president for life? Think about human nature for a minute. People will flock to something if they think it is free. Also if taxpayers are paying for something, many of them will feel they can butt their noses in other peoples business and in one way or another will affect what gets covered ,etc. Give your head a shake, no matter how attractive free or low cost is, consider the unintended consequences and where it all might lead.

Obama invokes grandmom into the health debate. The last time I remember Obama threw grandmother under the bus.

Obama: She is a typical white person

As both a provider and patient I can't say just how disappointed I am to see the President abandon this position. The arguements against it are completely erroneous and easily disputed.

Think you won't have the freedom to openly choose whatever prodecure or medicine you want and that the decision between you and your doctor will be taken away? I have news for you, you don't have the freedom with private insurers nor is the decision between you and your doctor, there are "gatekeepers" at the insurance companies to make sure you don't run up the bills. They do this by blocking your access to treatments.

Think the government can't run anything well? I think the United States Armed forces may have something to say about that.

Think it Socialism? Take a basic Political Science class. It's not Socialism unless the doctors work for the government and not independently.

Think it'll cost you money in taxes? If you had to buy your own insurance vs. pay higher taxes for government run insurance, you'd lose money in this race. Decent private insurance for a family cannot be gotten for under 12,000 per year and that's for pretty bad insurance. It would also be very good for small businesses who wouldn't have to pay exhorbitant prices to cover their employees.

I have an alternative though. If they're not going to offer a public option, I suggest that the Senators and Congress offer us the same insurance they get for the same price they pay for it. Since they're elected officials and we're footing the bill for THEIR healthcare I think it's only fair.

single payer, public option

or this whole thing is a joke.

The for profit insurance industry does not care if it kills you, and can do it legally.

dont cave Mr. President, We the people, are with you.

Isn't Sebelius the woman that is OK with late term abortions?

Mandatory car insurance was going to bring down the cost. After just a few years, every state that originally adopted mandatory liability insurance, paid the highest premiums in the country! There was no savings because everyone had to have it. Thinking that this created competition is nothing but hogwash! It merely forced the insurance companies to insure people that were of high risk. How can you insure a wrecked car, knowing the car owner will provide you with a repair bill from the body shop, immiediately upon being insured, for the same price as your customers whose cars are not wrecked? That's what covering pre-existing conditions amounts too! The working class, who actually pay taxes, will ultimately end up paying considerably more for health insurance than they do now. There's no way around it. The only way to pay for people that are already sick to have insurance is to charge the healthy people more!

Common sense, not just for breakfast anymore!!

I laugh at all the Republinazis for all of their scare tactics. They just want to keep stuffing their pockets with insurance lobby money like the Blue Mongrel Democrats.We are rated 37th in quality of care and #1 as far as spending. Wall Street now controls our health care. Get rid of the fat cats and big $$ CEO's. Profiting on someone's health issues is obscene. Health care should be non-profit. And to correct the President, BCBS used to be non-profit. Not anymore.

Heath insurance costs are out of hand. Obamacare is not the answer! Maybe the goverment should change the systen to make health insurance companies non-profit. Why should the same procedures cost different amounts at different hospitals? Get ride ride of bogus lawsuits. Change malpractice laws to protect health care workers. Stop suing pharmicutical compaines for deaths caused from rare side affects that people unfortanately die from. Get ride of pre-exsisting heath problems as a reason to deny coverage! Insurance companies need to be held accountable and not make BILLIONS of the suffering off the heath of AMERICA!!!!

Perhaps President Obama has forgotten that he was elected by democrats and promised health care reform. Now sitting on the most important committee re. health care reform are 3 democrats and 3 republicans. If we wanted what the Republicans offerred we would have kept G. Bush in office. Please, get more aggressive about the public option, or there will not be a 2nd term presidency. I heard this morning (Sunday, 8/8) that Obama is now considering NOT having a public option – How very disappointing for all of us who counted on Obama to carry thru.

I'll regret having voted for Obama if he fails to get this legislation through when he has 60 Democrats in the senate.

People keep talking about the Democrats being in a hurry to pass this, but here is my question – why are the Republicans – even ones like Grassley who claim to be trying to work out a bipartisan solution – so inflexible? Grassley says he will oppose any bill that contains any public option, period. Is this how you negotiate a compromise? Why not say his support would depend on what a public option would look like? But no, he says my way or the highway. I say the highway, then – if the Dems in the Senate can come up with a parliamentary method to pass this with 51 votes and no Republicans, I say do it, since the Republicans do not appear to be negotiating seriously.

If this passes, the public will see that nearly everything the opponents said about it (socialism, death panels, Medicare cuts, killing Grandma) was a complete lie, and the Democrats will prosper in future elections. If it fails, the Democrats will be seen as having broken their promises and/or having once again bungled an opportunity to fix the health care mess, and we could again be stuck with the Republicans for years. So I say pass it, by whatever legal means necessary.

No Public Option! We need Health Care Reform but not a government takeover. For the 30 year old that states we need to quit listening to "Old Folks". Well 30 is old dear. Just ask a teen-ager and in case you forgot math, you are going up in age and not down. You will get older and older and older. People use to have respect for seniors or older adults. Just think when you get into your golden years you will have taught the younger ones to treat you like a piece of crap. Our seniors have worked hard ALL thier lives and they happen to be someone's parents, grandparent, brother or sister and they are loved. You sound like a very selfish 30 year old brat. Notice I did say Old brat?

Why not put every body drawing a paycheck on medicare. I pay $98.50 a month. Just imagine how much money would be available for the program. Changes could be made after the program is started. Since 1990 I have used Medicare and have had 2 serious ordeals. My total out of pocket expense has been less $3000 dollars. That is about $160 per year. I carry private insurance. I could drop the insurance and go strickly Medicare and pay 1/5 of the bill and save money. Open heart surgery was well over $11000. All the time spent arguing the medical care is a complete waste ot time and a lot of grand standing by the politicians in Washington DC. They are covered by government insurance. If and when Health care is passed how many will switch to public health care.

What makes Stu think people prefer this country over all the others that have decent and affordable health care for all citizens and legal residents? Another far-right paranoid myth. Hey, you guys have changed the old motto into "Give me liberty AND give me death". Pity, pity.

Stand in line at a US post office, close your eyes, and imagine having that kind of service in any aspect of your health care.

Her comments are part of the problem and not the solution. The Obama White House has cut deals behind the desk with every political and medical group in this issue. The President focused really on the stimulus first in his presentations and was remarkably silent on health care reforms. The politics is in the non-transparent mix. My President has thrown credability to the wind and will reap what he sows, anger and disregard.

So President Obama is letting a handful of Old crazy White loonies on Medicare that we should repeal, and politicians like Backus and Conrad getting health industry money determine this?

Do an internet search for the recent health care offered by mobile charity Remote Area Medical in Inglewood, California. Thousands of uninsured and underinsured showed up for BASIC healthcare. They waited in their cars for hours and one of the organizers stated that he should be helping the people in a third world country, but instead he was here in the richest country in the world.

I know the arguments of the right wing – they will say it was all the lazy people who want everything for free who went to the LA Forum. Overgeneralizations work very well with people willing to believe the worst of everything. That is what we have, the worst situation possible (people dying for profit and a good portion of the country unwilling to help because they believe it means less care FOR THEM) and people who believe the worst about everything.

When did humanity die ?

I love big insurance companies! Is there any way for me to transfer everything I own and then some into their custody so they can continue to do gods work. God bless those insurance executives! what would we do as a country without them! Amen!

1) Fix the system to not allow frivolous lawsuits to go unpunished anymore. Place caps and a regulation on that so dr's insurance will not be so high of a cost to dr's.

2) Instead of creating a public health insurance option, create government run companies to manufacture medicine and or implement a bidding system for the lowest bidder. Cost of medicine in this country is outrageous and its a big reason we have to pay out so much.

3) (not necessary, but optional) Tax those uninsured on a per month basis a fraction of their salary to feed a gov health program of some sort that will keep costs down.

For those of you blaming insurance companies on the cost of health care, quit being so ignorant. When did car insurance companies get blamed for the cost of purchasing a car?! Insurance companies operate on a 2 to 4 percent margin of your overall premium. That's it 2 to 4 percent! ... Insurance premiums are high because the cost of going to the doctor is high. Fix the reasons why it costs so much and only then will you fix unaffordable health care.

"The average American refuses to accept that the Republican Nation is at war with the working-class"

Just look at how conservatives deregulated the financial industry so that they could run amok at our expense. They bellyache about all the bailout money we have spent to save us from an economic meltdown, but this meltdown was caused by an unregulated free-market system that they empowered. Listening to conservos bellyache is like listening to a frat boy who has set fire to his frat house and then complains about how much water the fire department uses to put the fire out.

what would be different in the new proposed health-care plan that's gives free care and other tax funded care to illegals.
just like my state of Maryland that gives drive licenses to illegals and welfare benefits and health benefits to illegals immigrants.
CNN should come to towson area emergency rooms and other places in my state and give a fact report on issues with truths and trusts, so tax paying citizens see why the cost of health-care going up.
the fact that we have 30 million illegals, under new health-care plan were these people going get their free care?...from same place that they do now...our government plan of-course.

Yeah why is CNN especially Lou Dobbs so bent on negative spin and trying to shoot down the initiative before any formal bill is even drafted?
Please check yourselves and try not to become Faux News and propaganda machine for the lobbyists.

One of two things need to happen. 1) Government raises minimum wage so those 50 million can afford health insurance. Or 2) They decide on something now. I currently have health insurance. I really like mine. But I'm moving to Massachusetts who has it really bad. I can't take my insurance with me. Why should I have to suffer because I won't be covered there? Why can't health insurance be like life insurance? It goes where you go. And why aren't our eyes and mouth covered on health insurance? It is apart of our overall health. If I were to pay for medical, dental and vision in Massachusetts. I would be paying close to $1000 a month. That is impossible making $8 an hour. Our government needs to make a choice and make it soon. Or they might find that we might start immigrating to other countries.

Are they just changing the name of the public option. I don't trust these people at all.

So heres the deal, this isnt a party thing. All the Republicans try to harp on the Democrats and say its some big party thing. Pathetic. Then everyone against the reform points out other countries shortcomings in specific circumstances. Even more pathetic.
Healthcare in America today is truly horrible. Insurance companies fight to prevent people who truly need it the care they need to simply live. Big Pharma has been allowed to jack up the rices on medications that dont work correctly simply so they can put people on multiple medications and make even more. This is the health care you back when you say we dont need reform. Look at the facts, think before you speak, and for gods sake dont be a Hannity puppet.

You liberals sure get your hackles up when there is any article that doesn't kiss Obama's backside! Funny, how he was supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread and peanut butter...kinda dry and hard to swallow without something to wash it down! Don't get too bent out of shape...you can continue to blame Bush for everything. it is what Obama does!!!

"I do not want the government to dictate to me what doctor I can see and what treatments I can get and when. Yes, the insurance companies do do that to a degree now but at least I have the recourse to fight it."

How? In many states there are only one or two insurance options that you have. You have zero control over what insurance your employer provides. If you can "fight them" then why are so many people being left in the dust by these insurance companies when they cherry pick and drop folks with pre-existing conditions? If the government passes a regulation that makes it illegal for a private insurance company to drop you if you have a pre-existing condition, have a private insurance company ration your care or limit what doctor you can see then it is that not a good thing? If the government does nothing then they are in effect doing what you argue against, preserving a status quo where private insurance companies ration your care.

08/16/09 Mark the date as the end of the Obama presidency as all of his promises go up in smoke.

I am getting more & more disappointed in John King's State of the Union. He had on 2 repubs, l dem nurse& then did not let her ( the dem nurse) finish her point. I do not think that is good reporting.

Some points to consider.

Medicare is NOT socialized medicine. Medicare is a single-payer system, and it works quite well. Except for a few hospitals and doctors that cheat.

VA hospitals are socialized medicine. Hospitals are owned by the government, and the doctors, nurses, other staff are employees of the government. VA medical care has worked well, except when money needed for medical care was sent to KBR, Halliburton, black water, and maybe some other rip-off companies instead of to the VA.

Private, for-profit insurance companies contribute NOTHING to health care. They just skim money off the top, to enrich their executives. Oh, they do keep a lot of sick people from crowding the hospitals.

The public option is a sliver of health reform, but it's pretty obvious that you can't require a for-profit insurance companies to cover the sick. If anything that's going to bankrupt insurance companies when people only get covered when they need major surgery or some other treatment. I got to wonder what people who oppose the public option think insurance companies are going to do to survive under those conditions. You better believe that there will be even worse rationing of care than there is now, and the cost of serving additional sick people will be passed along to consumers.

The public option is absolutely necessary because it will essentially catch people who would normally fall through the cracks, and without the profit incentive they won't need to pass on costs to other customers to maintain their profit margins.

If the only goal is to reduce costs for some consumers and increase profits for insurance companies than I can't support health care reform. I believe our government has an important role in promoting the general welfare of the people. If anything I'd like to see less government involvement in our personal lives, and less unnecessary aggression toward relatively weak nations. We spent nearly a trillion dollars mucking around in Afghanistan and Iraq with no purpose. Without those two misadventures, we'd have a surplus and could easily afford to do the right thing by our own people regarding healthcare.

I forgot:

We have the best workers in the world but also the most expensive thanks to some unions deals (look at the recent cuts in the pension cost per hour (up to 8 $) for the workers in the trucking business)

So now we have no manufacturing industries just services.

We have the best heallhcare in the world after Cuba.

We will have a unique healthcare system in the USA because we are so much better that any body else in the world and by the way that public option let's trash it so we/politicians can continue to get some monies from Pharma, Doctors and Insurances.

Look at these creasy "modern" countries in Europe and others who all have a public option. The can't understand how much better we are.
Look at the folks in Canada who are waiting for the best healthcare in the world.
BY the way, my doctor in FL charges $320 to my insurance for a medication refill, I should be happy and proud that he makes more money that any lawyer(US) money.

Great Obama, for the deal behing closed doors...

There is no win or defeat because no healthcare bill has been passed therefore everything is still up for debate and changes. You think maybe you missed out on that fact, if so let me repeat myself, no healthcare reform bill has been passed.

We are waiting to replace every democrat who does not vote for a public option in 2010 they have been warned.

There is NO competion between private sector & government it is simply a government takeover with REAL AMERICAN CITIZENS paying the price of rationed or no health care. obama looked at health ins. companies and decided he wanted his hand in the cash register. The things that would help the cost of health care the most would be removing 'illegal' immigrants from this country, closing the borders to only the ones applying for citizenship and tort reform. None of these are in obama's government rationed hell-th care plan.

G O P 1

Barry 0

As long as it is non-profit and the money goes toward our health then that is fine with me.

My premiums would be going toward health not multimillion $ salaries/bonuses to insurance executives or dividends to shareholders, trying to make money off my health, or insurance companies' private jets.

Yes to any style non-profit option. I am confident that once people see how much money will be saved with a non-profit, we will get to the true way to deliver health care which is single payer non-profit universal.

I can wait till the others get to that same conclusion with a non-profit co-op option for me now.

The pharmacutical company's have this Nation so popped up on drugs that YOU are your own demise people! I'm sorry Mr. President Obama. They're sick and I am forever sorry for this country.

Better change something. Those of us on Social Security sure ain't happt with it.

So this was in fact the behind the door made with the Insurance guy's
They don't want nay competition.

Good job Obama for the change we wanted

- 1 year for the credit cards companies to get fair
- Money to the banks and no help to homeowners in need (but good deals for C. Dode & others)
- Greed an big bonuses back
- No energy bill
- Money wasted in stimulus

If this goes the way it is now with just powder & dust to the american people, whoever is not democrat will get my vote next time.
I know they will be liers too but who cares as long as Pelosi and others will have no more voice

Reagan was the great communicator, Obama is the great dictator.

The same compitition that should have taken place In Iraq to drive down the price charged by the Halliburton Company.

OK, so just WHAT is it you want to spend $10.1 Trillion on??

Obama said,“The public option – whether we have it or we don’t have it – is not the entirety of health care reform,” the President said. “This is just one sliver of it, one aspect of it. "

This is the classic shell game.

It's a good thing, Obama could not force it (whatever "it" is) through before the Congressional summer break.

When will Obama tell the truth? Whats next teaching Russian as a second language?

Any time there is competition for participation in a Govt. bill, I like it more. It is the democratic way of doing business. That makes sense for the Private Organization inclusion in the Health Care bill.

Speaking of Health Care, has anyone discovered how much the screamers at the town hall meetings are being paid by the Repubs and Conservs, and/or Insurance Companies for their time and expenses? AND, is their bus and out-of-pocket being covered as well?

Just asking.

The bible says to take care of the sick and poor. A tax on the richest 1% in America, those with incomes over $250,000 per year, makes sense. After all, they have benefited greatly in this land of the free and should give back to society. They will still live very well.

President Obama, don't give in. What is the point of Health Care reform if there is no public option? Instead of making concession after concession to these Republicans on the reform, do what you know is right. Keep the public option in, keep pushing back on all the misinformation being spewed by the right, and put pressure on these spineless Dems in Washington to support the bill! This is our shot, man!

LIAR !!!!! You just want to give it another name and come in the backdoor.
CAN YOU SAY TORT REFORM FIRST !!!!! Of course not. There is no control in that.

Looks like the insurance giants are winning. After years of unbridled greed and fraud, these asses are proving that lobbying can corrupt a political movement and leave the public to swallow a horrible pill.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius implies if not flat out states that non-profit insurance is an acceptable option while dismissing the public option. If there's any truth to that, how will the greedy weasles compete with not for profit? How will they build the finest archetecture and control Congress if they cannot reap enormous profits?

Sounds like double talk to me!

I love how you uniformed Obama sheep are stil blaming Republcans when the fact is that your coward in chief could get WHATEVER he wanted passed if all the Democrats went along, the problem the coward is running into is that some non-sheep Democrats are not towing the line with all his uh, uh, uh, uh non-specific big dreams.

The real HEROES here are the Democrats, Republicans and independents that took the time to speak out at these town halls and I went as an independent to voice my concerns as well, not a mob, but people fed up with Pelosi, Reid and the fraud in chief and their lies and non-factual responses.

Tort reform, the ability to buy insurance across state lines and NO public option are three REPUBLICAN/INDEPENDENT ideas that are GOOD, make the reform specific to what needs to be fixed as you don't tear down a whole house to fix a leak in your basement unless you are a nitwit lefty liberal like your "president" (no cap deserved).

Work and listen to independents/moderates and some conservative ideas and keep the fringe elements of both sides out of it and we will get the needed MINOR refoms that we need.

Forget about details.

Should we not rather think WHAT HAS TO BE DONE to REDUCE COST by 50% without reducing what we have already.

Why do we lose ourselves in non-resolved details?

Let's focus on the objectives!

Cut unreasonable profits for insurers and pharmaceutical (chemical) shareholders.

Tort reform is the only way but then Obama would have to actually faceoff with his biggest contributors, the lawyers. As alway, Dutch, Larry, and Sniffit please quit taking money from my middle income family to support yourselves.

NOW it is time to drop the whole thing.
NONE of the provisions in the health care bill are good.
NO free health care for illegals.
NO end of life counseling.
NO abortion coverage.
NO public option.
NO goverment involvement.
NO additional taxes for those over 250k.
NO NO NO.
JUST TELL THE GOVERMENT NO. STAY OUT OF HEALTHCARE.
GET OUT OF MY LIFE AND STOP BUILDING MORE BUREACRACY.
WHY dont you try to take care of the post office.
They are going broke and now going to stop Saturday deliveries.
You dont know how to run a business and you are running our debt into the ground. STOP spending our money and keep your dirty hands off.

Government "of the people, for the people, and by the people" is being rapidly changed to government of the people only – they're going to give us what they want to whether we like it or not.

I broke my ankle 10 years ago. Had to call an ambulance, $600 for a 1/2 mile ride! The emergency room only put a temporary cast on, since I couldn't walk on it, I was out of work for 1 week till I could go to a private doctor for a walking cast. Lost a lot of pay! At the hospital, they gave me a brand new pair of crutches, which are sold a drugstores for $50, they charged my insurance co. $150! I only needed them for 1 week. When i called to ask where to return the crutches, I was told, "oh, no, they're yours to keep." Things like this should be dealt with before the gov. starts throwing money at a broken system!!

My observation from taking my mom to the Mayo clinic: they are a system, not a series of services and they are designed to look for the unusual when diagnosing previously undiagnosed illnesses.

What America needs is a SYSTEM folks. That what universal care is all about. A patchwork system with the uninsured using the ER as their doctor's office is expensive and doesn't work the best.

Quit screaming, listen and lets get it together. Slovenia was able to, why can't the US???

If the numbers prove that in fact, 17 million or so people need and want coverage, how bout this? Since the federal government employees, numbering in the millions, have already negotiated rates and plans with private insurers for their own coverage, we should offer that very same program, call it 'federal citizens' program, to the uninsured. Make it sliding scale, and they will also all have their choice of different plans. Since the 'fantastic' coverage for federal employees already exists, why re-invent the wheel? Join up with the feds, get great rates, great insurance, and say hi to all pols in the waiting rooms for us!

I totally am for what the Dems are trying to do with Healthcare.
I have had it up to here with people being so against this. We should not be listenging to the Republicans at ALL on this. Republicans are so attracted to fear mongoring, it is all they respond to anymore.
They let someone like Palin who quits her job to play on facebook, lie to them, and create a stir for the minions of idiots out there willing to listen to the lies. We should just stop listening to them, because if it wasnt healthcare it would be something else. You are never going to please these selfish bitter people.

The fundamental ignorance of the right-wing extremists, and their sheer hypocrisy is evident in the simple argument already made here that the U.S. spent billions on the Iraq war for no good reason and the right wing applauded.

The other set of truths (how righ-wingers hate the truth) is that the U.S. ranks #1 in health care costs, yet ranks #37 in health care availability, and ranks #50 in life expectancy for industrialized nations.

International Medical Charity organizations, used to going to places like Rwanda and Bosnia, now set up their operations in downtown Los Angeles to provide medical services to the working poor there. Aren't you Republican Pukes and Right-Winger extremists even remotely ashamed? Or are you so ignorant (ignant) that you will go to your (early) grave denying the reality before your eyes.

Stop endless wars and start providing afforadable health car for Americans. There MUST be a Public Option to reign in the fat-cat insurance indutry.

This is the best news I have heard in weeks.
I AM one of the 80%+ that is happy with my private insurance and want to keep it.
I am also one that does NOT want my tax dollars to pay for insurance for illegals, welfare hounds, and others that can afford it, but chose not to, but have money to buy big tickets items for themselves but still cry the pity pot...

Very few people without insurance deserve help from the gov't...very few...the rest need to be responsible for their own actions and need to stop leaching off the taxpayers...

Why not just nationalise pharmaceutical Patents, and fund it that way.

Then you could have Public Health systems, but we own them and staff them ourselves.

It might be completely unconstitutional to nationalise Intellectual Property ownership– that's for the Supreme Court to decide– but it's not like Public Safety systems, where Americans pay all the costs and only the Public Quarter gets served and protected.

If we accept Public Health systems, they better serve those of us who are wretched hominids too.

FYI The congressional insurance is through a co-op. And I would suggest tort reform as a starting point for insurance reform. I do not believe that no one should be able to sue for medical malpractice, however, I do believe there should be a cap as to how much can be awarded. Medicare should be included in any reform, along with Medicaid. Hospitals and healthcare workers charge higher fees to private insurance to make up for the low fee reimbursements from these government plans; provided of course that you can find someone to accept Medicaid. Then they is the fraud! If anyone thinks the expansion of these programs to include everyone is a good idea, just take a look at the percentages of fraud in both. It is stagering, and only what is actually known. Bringing down costs is the only real reform.

I still like sign about a balanced budget. Like Republicans know what a balanced budget is. Since Eisenhower we have had 5 Republican presidents serving a total of 28 years and how many balanced budgets did we get? ZERO!!! 0-28 gets you seat on the bench. Where were all these tea baggers when GW took a surplus into a deficit? Where were they when Bush signed the largest entitlement expansion since the Great Society with an unknown cost to boot? Where were they when Bush could not explain how he would pay for it? This isn't about cost or deficits to them. It's about who is calling the shots. They showed no outrage 6 years ago, so why are they now?

A Public Plan is an essential part of this health care or insurance reform. The people can never compete with private health insurance companies, which have the help of lobbyists and Congressional members.

We definitely need a cap for health insurance premiums in addition to President Obama's 8 guiding principles for the reform.

Raising premiums is the best tool for the private health insurance industry to get rid of non-profitable customers. The insurance industry promised to stop dropping or rejecting people, but they have not touched the magic premiums.

The principle of insurance is to bet on a large pool of customers based on probability.

If cherry-picking is allowed, it is no longer insurance. Unfortunately, we have more representatives in Congress for the insurance industry than for the voters so this illegal practice is allowed to continue for as long as it has. Raising premiums to drop costly patients should have been made illegal long ago. With a public plan, the whole nation would be the large insured pool. This is the most cost-effective system for the best health care outcome.

We have been allowing the private insurers and their lobbyists to kill the hen for the eggs for too long. We will need the Public Plan to survive the fierce global competitions.

For all you republican christians.

WHAT WOULD JESUS DO ABOUT THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF ALL MANKIND? Tell them if they can't afford it, to bad?

1. Tort reform
2. Competition over state lines
3. Fix the current system of Medicare/Medicaid, then include all
uninsured Americans who sign up. If they have a pre-existing
condition, but can afford to pay some of their premium, then use a
sliding scale for them to pay. Same for those who do work, but
can't get insurance from their employer. For the truly
unemployed, we will need to find a way to pay for it. It's going to
require some type of tax no matter how you look at it, but it would be
a lesser burden NOT to have full blown socialized medicine.
Requiring all Americans to carry health insurance will also mitigate
The cost.
4. NO OPTION FOR ILLEGALS. IF they end up in our emergency
rooms, treat them, then DEPORT THEM!

Obama may have to change his stance. You can even say he lied. But at at least he isn't claiming "Mission Accomplished" or that there are WMD's. At least he is not sending our men and women off to a fraudulent war in Irag like the Republicans did. He is trying to save lifes not destroy them. He is trying to give us a chance to have the best health care system in the greatest country on this planet. A system that will be there for us and our children and our grandcildren and beyond them.

john king needs to get his story straight, i heard the President say yesterday, the public option is a small part of the bill, i heard the health secy say the same, so where is cnn coming up with dropping the public option, cnn is losing all credibility reporting false information, they are becoming like fox news and rush limbaugh.....

When will Democrats wake up and realize that there is no bipartisan cooperation with Republicans? Even if they gave Republicans everything they wanted, they won't get a single Republican vote.

Our Government is brilliant.Example: Our tax money has been used for decades as susidy to corn growers to make corn syrup.Corn syrup is addictive just like sugar and leads to diabetes.It is used in Soda[10 teaspon per can] and thousands of products on grocery shelves it is actually worse than sugar as it interferes with insulin.Now they want to put more tax on Soda to pay for some stupid spending. All this makes sense to liberals who want me and other 's to pay for providing health insurance to irresponsible people.I paid maximum premium for medicare every year since it started and maximum premium for social security for 40 years, liberal democratic congress has spent it all and now wants to shave it to insure corn syrup high diabetics.

Why does the GOP only support the people who have the means to support themselves? We pay the most out of any nation for our healthcare yet get little for our investment. You would think that this little nugget would really get under Reps. skin. Why doesn't it? Spending insane ammounts of money on something that doesn't net good returns usually gets the GOP's panties in a bunch. The reason is they have scared the crap out of the base, got them all amped up without telling them anything based on facts...all for the benefit of the private insurance companies. Thank you insurance lobbiests! Way to put profit over people.

Health care reform is not a Democratic or Republican issue. Both sides get big bucks from the parties that stand to loose on this issue. It is clearly, I repeat clearly, a greed vs. good issue. All one has to do is not listen to either side and read what the plan entails. The public option simply states that one will have the right to choose. That's it. And that is what scares the insurance, pharmaceutical and medical industries so much. Competition. Real competition. Oh, and of course the "governments" ability to oversea and better regulate the pricing and care these industries will have to provide.

What I cannot comprehend is how gullible people are. Those of you that are saying you are against the reform: 1. Have you not stopped to wonder why their is so much misinformation and outrageous lies (death panels comes to mind) being put out and, 2. You ARE the government. So if the government (meaning you) is involved in YOUR health and care, isn’t that is a GOOD thing?

Lastly, the anti-reform group (insurance, pharmaceutical and medical industries) insists that reform is necessary but not this one. They have however offered an alternative – the promise they will regulate themselves better!

I distinctly remember Lyndon Johnson saying that Social Security was secure and soluble for at least 75 years.The only bigger joke was JImmy Carter.

We must have the public option and to insure it is fair to the private insurance companies we need it to be cost plus 10% profit to the Government. In my opinion that profit should go to help save either Medicare, Social Security or both. The other issue I think you have to have is either a public option for Doctors to get reasonable insurance rates and /or limit their liability if they make an honest mistake.

I don't care if there is a public option or not I only care that there is an option that doesn't say no to what my doctor says I need. Right now insurance companies say NO to operations or medicines I get prescribed by my doctor. No insurance company should have the power to countermand a doctor. More time than not the man or woman having the final say about my care makes that decision based on cost savings. that same person is looking at the bottom line of the company not my needs and they have no medical training. I am very lucky I am a retired state employee that had to retire early due to becoming disabled. I have three kids and one of them is uninsured and a second one will be in 8 days. Please pass the public option we need some way to hold the insurance companies feet to the fire so to speak. if you want to see true death panels look no further than the CEO and boards of directors of the current insurance companies.

Insurance costs keep getting higher and higher every year. More employees are having to come up with higher out of pocket expenses each year as plans continue to rise in cost. The $100 is taken out of your semi monthly check for insurance costs your company $400. Take that for an average. Say a company had 2,000 employees and had $200 a month deduction for insurance. The cost for the company for each employee would be $800/mo. Multiply that by 2,000 and you get $1,600,000. That is the cost to the company to insure 2,000 people.
Out of expense costs are rising, deductibles....etc. Do you have the best health resources and technology? yes. the best service? Hell no.!! Doing nothing is not an option.

"The government should keep out of our healthcare. Socializing an entire industry is not the answer. Social security, medicaire/medicaid, the income tax code, etc are examples of how bad the government messes things up."

So by this I take it that opponents of Health Insurance Reform also want to eliminate Social Security and Medicare which they regard as corrupt socialist entities. Grandma, are you listening? Guess who really wants to pull the plug on you?

Teddy Roosevelt is the only President that had the guts to take on the Big Banks,Mellon,etc.Its time to pull out the big stick and do some homework on the foot draggers.

Should we not CARE more for HEALTH through a healthier living?

Why do we CARE SO MUCH for the fat pockets of the shareholders of the MEDICAL INSURERS?

How can anybody in his HEALTHY MIND think that the current system is HEALTHY when it costs more than double than in EUROPE or JAPAN?

I always just thrill the hell out of myself when I see that "NON PROFIT" version of something. Buy some vaseline real quick...

"LBJ's "Great Society" has done nothing but turn this country into a welfare state, with an "entitlement" mentality."
So then why don't you conservos come out on record and support eliminating Social Security and Medicare, 2 socialist programs? Grandma should know who really wants to pull the plug.

Health Insurance Mafia are worst than Terrorists.

Terrorist kills innocent with Guns.

Health Insurance Mafia kills innocent by Health Care Deprivation.

Health Insurance Mafia consists of Rich people like Madoff, who became Rich by Plunder, Embazzlement, Extortion.

Health Insurance Mafia, pays Bribes to GOP.

GOP supports Health Insurance Mafia, to oppose Obama's Plan.

GOP consists of Criminals, Scoundrels, Rascals and Bastards.

"Tort reform is needed. Punitive awards need to be abolished. Only actual damages should be allowed."

I agree to a point. Frivolous lawsuits are a problem. If they can have Tort reform that doesn't prevent someone from suing the hell out of someone for truly being victimized by corruption or criminal neglect, then I could support that.

I give the President credit for being open to different ideas. This is how things are supposed to work. One side comes in with everything they want, knowing they aren't going to get it. The other side comes in with things they want, knowing they won't get it all. You start discussing and negotiating and come to a consensus. It is like buying a car. The seller says 20K the buyer 15k. The seller goes down to 19K the buyer up to 16k and you keep going until you reach an agreement. If one side is unwilling to budge then nothing gets done. Doing nothing is not the answer people.

Once again most of the "haves" are dictating what the rest of the country should have. Private health insurers routinely deny people from their plans based on medicines they take or once took. Any insurance agent will attest to that, if they are telling the truth. I am sick of this debate being distorted by the poor insurance companies who are just deathly afraid they will lose a dime of their precious profits to a public plan. Insurance companies saw a 428% raise in their profits in 2007. I have not even had a cost of living wage increase this year, let alone a 428% pay increase. Wake up people and get out of they way of this reform, we all need it.

The commentator did a great job of supporting the Republican talking points on health care. I noticed that there were two Republican speakers to one Democratic nurse. He also cut her off before she could make her point. Also, he cut off the secretary of health. This was not accurate reporting on the issue. It was nothing more than an infomercial for the insurance companies.

"Great news if the "public-option" is scrapped.. but will it just be called a different name like"public cooperative"
Why are conservos so intent on defending the status quo and carrying water for insurance companies that ration our care, pull the plug on Grandma, drop people for pre-existing conditions, cherry pick only healthy people to cover, double premiums every 5 year, crush small businesses and entrepreneurship while their profits skyrocket? I mean, what is so great about private insurance that is worth defending? It is a corrupt and broken system that is bankrupting the country and is a leech on the sould of America.

Rasabu...

To correct you. FDR brought social security to the USA only to provide a supplemental income for a short time (retirees were not expected to live that long after retirement like they do now) and ONLY for the worker. It was never intended to be a pool of money for the surviving spouse, dependent children, or to go to people who NEVER paid a dime into the system. But, being the good government that can't keep its hands off a pool of money, that is what happened. People who never work, exist on welfare generation after generation, also get social security benefits. Same goes for elderly immigrants whose children come here legally, gain citizenship, then sponsor the aged parent into the US. After a while, the parent gets social security benefits even though he/she never worked a day in the US.

LBJ's "Great Society" has done nothing but turn this country into a welfare state, with an "entitlement" mentality.

Both are prime examples of why the federal government should keep out of our healthcare.

American Insurance Companies have been killing the young and the elderly for years.They are great at covering it up,just like republicans and cats doo.

JP wrote August 16th, 2009 12:05 pm ET

"John you freaking dope… I will be happy to pay for it when you reimburse me for the Iraq war. Idiots. You had no problem spending billions to kill people, but when it comes to spending money to provide healthcare you balk. How in the world does anyone see your party as that as one of morality? I have never seen such un-Christ-like group behavior, and mainly from those professing religion….
"

Well said JP. Pro- lifers do not mind sending troops to war, so that their buddies KBR, Haliburton makes a killing, but balks on spending money to save lives here in U.S.A.

We need Health Care Overhaul:

1) Govt run plan to compete with the private Health insurance (PHI) vultures. PHI denies coverage on pre-exciting conditions which is discrimination against the sick and needy. Pro-lifers do not value life’s of others but only themselves.

2) PHI do not provide any medical services, they just collect premiums and try to deny coverage / reimbursements to hospital and doctors. Providers in Canada get paid every month vs in U.S.A, it could be 6 -8 months if you are lucky. Streamline all reimbursement procedures, and have a universal set of forms for claims.

3) Tort reforms to cap at $250,000 for non economic damages for pain and suffering. So that an unemployed 30yr old , who never worked, would not go for a frivolous lawsuit to win a $500mil “lottery”.

4) let the big pharma go through competitive bidding process. So that “Lipitor” in USA would not cost three times that in Canada!!

5) Register and record all the procedures performed in a centralized database, so that doctors and hospitals would not be able to get paid for duplicate and unnecessary procedures.

What are the Arrogant, Tea party going Rethuglicans in the Town Hall meetings who never voted for Obama saying?

A) Socialize medicine have waiting lists – Yes we do have waiting lists too, and sometime we are denied even preventive care, let alone the hip replacement. ! Do not forget the preexisting conditions, co-pays, deductibles and all other jargon that we face everyday.
B) Do not let the Government touch my Medicare !! – Medicare is a Government run program.
C) Following is a breakdown of healthcare coverage in U.S.A
81 million is covered by Government run programs (Medicare,Medicaid,VA)
151 million have health insurance through their employer
47 million is uninsured
14 million have private insurance

U.S.A spends 17% of GDP on Healthcare, and we have 47million uninsured + 6 million recently laid off ( who can not afford COBRA $ 1600/monthly). U.S.A is 37th in W.H.O health care statistics, just barely above CUBA !! Yes CUBA.

All other G8 countries spend 7% of their GDP on Healthcare, and they have universal coverage. We should do better than this. Pro-lifers should be ashamed of their hypocrisy. We have the best military in the world, which is a government run program, why not Healthcare. Just layout the facts, not the political garbage and tea parties, when we are discriminating the sick for the sake of profits.

The government should keep out of our healthcare. Socializing an entire industry is not the answer. Social security, medicaire/medicaid, the income tax code, etc are examples of how bad the government messes things up.

Tort reform is needed. Punitive awards need to be abolished. Only actual damages should be allowed. Between malpractice insurance and writing off the medical costs that are not paid to the doctor or hospital, this all gets billed right back to the rest of us and is what keeps healthcare costs so high.

"Health care reform? Sure, let's do it.
Socialized medicine and/or government expansion? Absolutely not."

Medicare is socialized medicine. Any reform necessitate some expansion of the government. The alternative is to have private insurance companies have control of your life like they do now. You conservos do realize that private insurance companies ration your care and pull the plug on Grandma now don't you? You do realize that your employer can drop or change your current insurance now don't you? You you wingnuts live in a cave or something?

Good job J TN, keep whining about some "vast Right Wing conspiracy"...while you have the White House, Senate and house of Reps. Sorry bro, It just doesn't pass the smell test.

Socialism will always be rejected in America, that's why Obama will lose in 2012. His brand of "change" has been exposed, and the American people are rejecting it....big time. Deal with it.

Great news if the "public-option" is scrapped.. but will it just be called a different name like"public cooperative"??? Who believes what a politician says??? Let's see it in writing

Wouldn't it be great to see the savings of ObamaCare FIRST, then add the uninsured as savings are realized??? Of course, this is like "securing the borders first, then amnesty for all."

How about cross-state competition amongst insurers, tort reform and more individual involvement with medical care as a consumer?

James,

You over simplify things by saying healthcare is available to everyone in America......flat wrong my friend.....if you are poor or have a pre-existing condition and can't afford/get insurance, you have to go bankrupt and spend virtually all your money before any meaningful public assistance is available and from then on your credit and financial future is most often wrecked.....my step mom had insurance and died of breast cancer....her insurance ran out within months and our glorious health system tried to take her house....that's crazy. The simple fact is that we are the only modern, industrialized nation where you have to worry about money when you are very sick.....to any conservative or liberal, it should be painfully obvious that this is immoral and inhuman.

People keep saying the healthcare reform bills proposed now will INCREASE COSTS. Everyone seems to forget that a goal should be to DECREASE the current overly inflated costs charged by almost ALL medial providers, suppliers, and healthcare related companies. Talk about a costs saving to pay for the plan! The entire healthcare system has turned into a profit center and anyone involved in it, down to the person working on 1099 contract to sell medical equipment, believes they are entitled to earn gross profits from any involvement in our healthcare system. That is the status quo; the idea that there's plenty of money to be made if one gets involved in healthcare in some manner. There's no reason that a procedure on my knee for which I can be in and out of an outpatient center in 2 hours should cost nearly $13000. There's the money to be saved. Additionally, most citizens don't realize how much of their state/local tax dollars are spent to pay for the health insurance coverages of the employees of their governments; health insurance plans that are overpriced. The employee fringe rate in the state of Georgia I believe is something like 40% and a large portion of that goes to cover healthcare costs. Imagine if state and local governments didn't have to pour all that tax money into healthcare coverage for their employees.

Health care reform? Sure, let's do it.
Socialized medicine and/or government expansion? Absolutely not.

Randy: Get your head on straight and quit putting out misleading quips. Health care is available to everyone in America. The health care bill is supposed to be about helping everyone who needs it, get health insurance. The 50 million number floating around has been debunked time and time again. Many of those folks are bullet-proof young people who have the money, but elect not to pay for health insurance. Illegal immigrants are already receiving health treatment and we are paying for it. All in all there are about 17 million people that really need help. How about making the suggestion that the hundreds of billions and trillions of dollars Congress is wasting be transferred to health care/insurance for these 17M folks. HHMMM. Oh, bad idea, huh.

To abandon the public option in favor of doomed-to-fail "co-ops" is to rip the guts out of health care reform and to leave the people at the mercy of greedy insurance companies, who will face no real competition and will have no incentive to lower or control premiums. Apparently those huge campaign contributions from the insurance industry are more important to the senators than the well-being of their constituents!
If private health insurance companies are deemed too sacred to have to face real competition from a public plan, perhaps we should emulate the successful Dutch model, on which all health insurance is provided by private companies which are then strictly regulated as public utilities.

And the Sunday morning hate-fest continues.

The average American refuses to accept that the Republican Nation is at war with the working-class, which is why republicans support the status quo and vehemently oppose single-payor healthcare, public education, government oversight, minimum wage hikes, worker rights, access to higher education, middleclass tax relief, and, in general, any legislation that would jeopardize the continuation of a credit-dependent, employer exploited, unhealthy, downtrodden, underpaid, debt-laden, undereducated and permanent class of laborers. Similar to exploited sharecroppers, it’s in the best interest of republicans to keep the working-class hopeless, oppressed, unhealthy, undereducated and debt-laden. Republicans staunchly supported the bailout of Wall Street to protect their own assets, but opposed the bailout out the automobile industry, which employs thousands of middleclass Americans. The republican aristocracy opposes any kind of governmental oversight that will interfere with their pursuit of exploitive capitalism; republicans would like to abolish the Departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Interior, Education and The Food and Drug Administration, because these agencies advocate for workers. Just like feudal lords, the Republican Nation requires a formidable army to protect their financial interests, which is why republicans defend unrestrained military spending. According to the CBO, the Iraq War will cost $2.6 trillion over 10 years; health insurance for every American would cost $1.2 trillion over the same period. Republicans want to keep America angrily divided by class and race. Universal health insurance provides hope and would elevate the standard of living for every American, something republicans don’t want.

1. I am fascinated by all those people who write on these pages about "what the American people want." People should speak for themselves. No one knows what is in the minds of others.
2. Those who think that a public option will bring socialism to America have not read their history books or did not pay attention in their American government classes:
A. Franklin Roosevelt brought the Social Security System to the American People so that seniors who did not have financial resources would have something to live on.
B. Lyndon Johnson brought Medicare to the American people to provide medical insurance to all seniors, regardless of wealth. The problem today is we have so many seniors, and we have many seniors who can afford their own insurance. It is high time they started paying more into the health insurance system if they can afford it. There is no reason an 80 year old American who has $1,000,000 plus int he bank and receives dividends, etc should not be paying higher Medicare premiums than other seniors.
3. I am tired of hearing about Democrats and Republicans in health care debate. I thought the people elected Barack Obama-not me-to bring change and bi-partisanship to Washington? Let us show the world we can do what they can do. Let us get beyond partisan politics and work together to bring the common goals of the founding fathers to all Americans:life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I believe the American people have the will and the ability to bring this change. Let us think of one another. Let us think of the words at the base of the Statue of Liberty. Let us bring America into the 21st century. We know we can do it!

All these people crying about socialism dont seem to mind borrowing money from and buying all their products from Communists.Yea make them richer so we can fight them some day and make more money from weapons?

The insurance industry in the US is, and has been, out of control for decades. They are investment bankers with no accountability to the people who fund them...the public. President Obama should use his authority in the same way Teddy Roosevelt did when he initiated anti-trust actions. Enough is enough.

All of you who keep spouting off about Medicare and medicaid being a government run program are only proving the point that this healthcare plan is a bad idea. Both of these government run programs are bankrupt. Why on earth would we trust the government to do any better with our healthcare? The majority of people who are against this bill do not deny that some healthcare reform is needed. We just don't want a complete overhaul of the current system. I do not want the government to dictate to me what doctor I can see and what treatments I can get and when. Yes, the insurance companies do do that to a degree now but at least I have the recourse to fight it. I won't have that with the government. There will be no discussion and I will just have to live with it. NO THANKS! If all of you liberals really want to help the poor, empower them by showing them how to take care of themselves. It is an elitist mentality to keep people down by providing them with everything rather than showing them how good it feels to provide for themselves. That sounds racist to me. If someone loses their healthcare because the lose their job or don't have it because they aren't provided it at work, well then that is something that needs to be reformed. Reform doesn't mean getting rid of our whole current system, just the parts that aren't working.

Relax JP, American Democracy IS working. People want Health Care Reform, they just don't see socialized medicine as the answer. Deal with it. And since you mentioned the War....

You're ranting at the wrong people, your boy Obama is the one failing to pulling troops out of Iraq, like he promised, and OBAMA is the one escalating the war in Afghanistan.

Sorry man, reality can be a tough pill to swallow....

Don't let me down Barack. I helped get you a mandate and, I want you to use it. Mark my words Democrats if you blow it this time like you did in 1993 the GOP will seize on your inaction and take over again. We all know what that did for the country. Do you want Rove and his buddies cooking up some falsehood about Obama? "The House committee on birth certificates" or some other made up crap? I didn't think so.
Act and act fast or your majority will be history along with the chance to do the right thing.

I have read the bill. There are very few specifics. Mostly about all the added committees that will be formed as part of this "reform". If they were really serious about fixing healthcare, there are better ways with doing it without complete government control. Sometimes it is better to start small, fix things one at a time. But it seems like the current administration wants it all and wants it NOW. (I'm talking about our hard earned money here) One of the things that burns me is the bill includes free care for illegals. Health care facilities will have to have interpreters or face penalty. The cost of this bill will be huge. I don't know about you, but I just can't afford it.

We are all suckers if we let the special interests, paid lobbyists and crooked republicans and democrats fool us into thinking that health care reform is a danger to us. It is absolutely essential for so many reasons for our representatives in Washington to get this done.
Listening to people who trash our government is absolutely counter productive. We live in a country based on democratically elected representatives of the people themselves. The only thing wrong with our government is that lobbyists are allowed to pay for influence on Capitol Hill and change our elected officials into their representatives instead of ours. The biggest mistake Obama has made is not eliminating paid lobbyists on capitol hill before trying to tackle health care reform. I also really believe half the people on these blogs that attack health care reform are actually shills for these lobbyists and special interests, trying to manipulate public opinion any way they can.
Believe me, the health insurance and pharmaceutical companies have plenty of money to pay thousands of people to do just that. Unfortunately it seems to be working. The United States of Sheep are letting them buy public opinion just like they are buying our elected representatives. Please, help us all if we fail to get this done. It will likely be our last chance.

Does anybody talk about intake of sickening dead food?

What we take-in causes what comes out.

Garbage in – cancer out.

Fresh food without Monsanto genetic engineering, fresh spring water instead of soda pops, fitness instead of couch potato.

Being a real AMERICAN, thinking with an OWN brain, instead of mimicking Limbaugh and similar, will reduce medical expenses.

Turning insurers who work for shareholder profits into responsible cost-covering cooperatives, implementing European chip cards with nation-wide databases, will reduce bloated administrations turning them into massive cost reductions.

Why can Europe and Japan do it?

Why not New Hampshire monopolies?

We should de-list all Medical Insurers who hold shares in chemical companies. First we poison our food – then we treat poisoned bodies and pay for insurers while for all 3 instances the major shareholders are the same. We must stop with these monopolies!

What good are these CoOps going to be? I'm lost as to how this is going to correct the malpractice and price gouging of the Insurance agencies. Why are we going to keep up being the only country in the world with only private insurance options when we are like 36th in the world in quality of health care?
Not a single other country has followed us down this path. I think it's about time we turned around and followed the rest of the world for a change. Seems we're the ones you've had it wrong.

The President has stated in both townhalls that he is for a public option. He is the whitehouse. Nobody listens anymore. WE will not blame the President if this plan does not have a public option....we voted for this....we will blame the congress. They will NOT win another term.

Term limits!!!!!

What have the Republican done for health care the last 25 years. Wake up Democrats. If your blow this chance the GATES will flow with Republican in 2010 and 2012 from low Democrat turn out. House and Sen. Democrats you better really think hard about this. Blue dogs = Republican in sheep clothes (I guess Insurance money talks).

"You are a bunch of liars. Now you are talking about raising taxes to pay for the health care. I seem to remember campaign promises that you would not raise taxes on the middle class. You want to socialize health care."

The only tax increase I have heard proposed is on incomes over $250,000. So you have the facts wrong. The only one who has suggested taxing the middle class is GOP Senator Chuck Grassley who wants to tax employers for providing health insurance, basically a tax on the middle class. If you are so horrified against "socialism" then please let Grandma know that you intend to get rid of Social Security and Medicare, 2 socialist programs. Get your facts straight before you knee jerk react to everything.

.I don’t understand why liberals are so against coops.

time and time again i hear that the believe the cost of health care is so high because of insurance company CEO's salaries and the company profits. COOPs should eliminate these two expenses.

Is it because they hope that taxpayers (someone other than themselves) will pay part of their premiums in a government health insurance company?

Is it because they hope that the public option will eventually become a single payers system with the single payer being the US government health insurance company?

Health care reform is needed but President Obama is correct in saying that the public option does not need to be part of it.

Congress has proven to be very poor at fiscal management. We have had only 6 balanced budgets in the last 40 years. Our budget deficits are getting worse. Medicare Medicaid and Social Security are all in bad shape financially. It is not in our counties best interest to start a new US Government health insurance company.

Say no to Federal govt. getting involved with our health care choices.They have made social security and medicare bankrupt by spendin,spending,spending it for over 30 years on general spending,spending,spending and did not save surpluses for 30 years.What on earth you think they will do to health care.Ask your Rep. where is the trillions of dollar surplus from social security and medicare?
Learn from Mistakes of California, state is broke inspite of collecting 800% more property tax today compared to 30 years ago when prop.13 was passed and collecting 500% more in all other taxes and infinite ammount of fees.Do not let Govt. take over your health plans.
Distribution of wealth makes more poor people.Obama keeps truth hidden, 45 million people without health care is wrong.correct number is about 15 million, rest are illegals and others who do not buy insurance but can afford to.

18% of the GDP
18% UNINSURED

Gosh, good stuff!

All of you that are crying socialism, do you have any idea what you're talking about.....what Obama is proposing is far from socialism, trust me we are not even close to it. I lived in the UK for a year and the healthcare was great....most importantly, they morally take care of everyone.....I'm ashamed that in a nation of so called Christians that care for their fellow man can sleep at night knowing that we let 50 million people suffer without proper medical care.....Medicine should not be a business.....period. Where is your humanity!!!

Exactly whose interests are we serving? The people or the insurance executives? Oh, poor executives would only making millions in bonuses instead of tens of millions! And BTW it is incredibly hypocritical to claim on one end that government can't do anything efficiently and will be too expensive, while at the same time claiming it will run private insurers out of business. If private insurers are so much better and efficient then government wouldn't even attempt to set up a competietion and everyone would be happy. The very reason government is stepping in is because private insurers have been dishonest, and have been making profit off of DENYing needed care to millions of their customers!

The President is a pragmatic man, but no fool...

...Health Care reform without a vigorous public option is a lose-lose for Dems...

...In the final analysis, and I'm sure Emanuel, Axelrod and company realize this...

...Allowing racist ,inbred conservative traitors– who would NEVER vote for Pres. Obama anyway– ANY say in this matter...

...would not only be political suicide, it would be STUPID!

...The Obama team didn't get to the White House by being stupid...

"Does anybody see the contradiction is the Lefts attack on seniors who use Medicare?"
Who on the left is attacking seniors over medicare? This is a ridiculous statement. Since wingnuts are so against "socialism" then they must be against Medicare because that is a socialist program. Hey Grandma, guess who really wants to pull the plug on you?

The free markets will fix health care all by itself, here is how. Insurance premiums will become so high and the denial of procedures so great that most people will drop health insurance and not go to the doctor at all. Americans will decide to risk their lives rather than become victims of a greedy robber baron system. Then doctors and insurance companies will go bankrupt just like they always do when government regualtions are lifted. I just hope they don't get bailed out by our treasury department.

democraps want all illegal come here and amnesty to power freak and get free medicare as long they vote democraps and let old US citizen DIE

You are a bunch of liars. Now you are talking about raising taxes to pay for the health care. I seem to remember campaign promises that you would not raise taxes on the middle class. You want to socialize health care. I have a sister in law from Canada that had to wait 6 months to be seen for her leg which she fractured. You say you are not going to follow the Canadian formula for health care, yet show me a country which is having a good go with the socialized health care platform which you want to follow. It is nothing but a headache. You politicians are disgusting and absolutely idiotic.

"The health care bill is dead."
Actually the reality is they are on the verge of passing it and have consensus on 80% of the legislation and are closer than anyone has ever gotten. That is why wingnuts are coming out of the woodwork, making such outrageous fabrications to carry water for the insurance companies. I have one conservo friend who railed against health care reform in 93, has been diagnosed with cancer and was just dropped by his insurance company for a pre-existing condition. Talk about karma. He is singing a different tune about health insurance reform now to say the least.

John you freaking dope... I will be happy to pay for it when you reimburse me for the Iraq war. Idiots. You had no problem spending billions to kill people, but when it comes to spending money to provide healthcare you balk. How in the world does anyone see your party as that as one of morality? I have never seen such un-Christ-like group behavior, and mainly from those professing religion....

Guys. It doesn't really matter if you like it or not. In much the same way the Dems had to suck it up when Bush was in power. You were outvoted (and thats the American way – remember) , more of us want it than those of you who don't and thats the way America works, unless you all are saying you are un-American? Are you Totalitarians or Anarchists? Must worse than socialists...

We are a democracy, the voters have spoken, see ya in 3 years.

Most of the mean spirited and hateful insults hurled here seem to be coming from Dems/liberals. Weren't you supposed to be the party of inclusion and fairness during the run up to the election? Now, with the tea parties and town halls, anyone who voices any concern about the health care plan is a "whacko, nut case, goon, or insurance lacky". Sounds like many libs feel "if you're not with us, you're against us". I fear a situation where one of the "competitors" makes the rules. The private companies cannot tax the government or make it follow their stipulations but the reverse would be true. Also we can't bank on paying for the gov't program through the simple "elimination of gov't inefficiencies" as Obama told people in a recent town hall. The gov't is rife with inefficiencies (DMV) And raising taxes on anyone forces them to pay for their own insurance AND for those who are on the gov't plan.

2012,could be the beginning of the end.At least the rich cant take it with them or have anywhere to hide either.hahaha

Does anybody see the contradiction is the Lefts attack on seniors who use Medicare? They characterize them as greedy freeloaders who do not want to give up their health care. Funny people who paid into a system all their working years and expect to have the access to services promised are demonized so the left can give free care to people who have not paid didly squat into that promise. Funny the young Liberal wants free medical care while calling seniors who have paid a drag on society. Speaks volumes to this groups values system, me me me me me me.

It's hard to trust the goverment to run a public option. When they talk about these bills i'm sure were not getting the whole truth. The people who have protested are normal americans who go about their daily lives. Until now they have got up off their sofas normal people. Not racist as some news people what you to think. I myself am in a interacial marr. My wife has protested with me severeal times. I've seen childern grandmoms ,and teenagers protesting. And to people like Keith O. shame on you sir for talking down to the people who have fought wars ,and payed taxes in our great country. To you Keith O. we have just as much say so in our countries goverment as much as you.

It is funny how Obama is back to blaming the insurance companies when he cut deals with the insurance companies.

This health care bill is a very, very bad bill from page one to the very last page.

Kill the whole bill.

The health care bill is dead.
Obama is nothing but an actor and should take lots more lessons.

"Since the liberals are so gungho for this socialized healthcare garbage"
If conservos are so up in arms about "socialism", then I take it they want o eliminate Social Security and Medicare because those are socialist programs. Senior citizens should be aware of this and know who really wants to pull the plug on Grandma.

Obama's single public option is dead. He has both the Senate and House. Shoot, he even has Al Frankin...and he can't get it done. Kudos to the American people for shutting this thing down.

You can fool the American people, and win an election, using vague platitudes like, "change", but when the "change" smells like socialism , well...let just say that the American people are waking up.

This is a GREAT day for America.

It is so laughable to hear Democrats on here blame Republicans for blocking healthcare reform. Ummmmmm, even if every Republican voted against the bill, they still wouldn't have enough votes to stop it. The fact is, your proposals just aren't what most Americans want. Face it. Deal with it. Learn from it.
Maybe you can then understand what most Americans want and what they think is fair. They don't want lawyers to sue frivolously. If they sue and lose, they should pay for it, not the insurance company that had to defend itself for no reason. Most Americans want competition. Competition helps to bring prices down. I should be able to buy my insurance from any state, not just my own.
These are two ways that could help greatly. It wouldn't not be perfect, but it certainly would be a great start and much better than a complete overhaul. The government just is organized enough to be able to handle it.

I have read the same comment over and over about your country being to big as opposed to the size of Canada France and Germany to sustain our type of health care. Think people! We have less population to cover the care, but it works. You have a bigger population as a tax base to cover the costs. It is all relevant. Size does not matter if the plan is correct.

Smoke and mirrors packed with lies!

If lazy Americans would get off the couch and march on these Insurance Companies we would see change fast.Other countries are way ahead of us because they are active and take to the street.

Please do not let these "Old Folks" take the public option away. These same people that's screaming is the ones who are on social security and medicare.

I'm in my 30's and we need a strong Public Option! The old people need to stop writing bills period. Term Limits Please!

Since the liberals are so gungho for this socialized healthcare garbage, if it is passed, they sign up for it and pay for it themselves. Do not tax people that are not on it and don't want it. Also, since the liberals always protect the illegal alien criminals, you can pay for them with your taxes to be on the socialized healthcare option.

Don't give in to the idiots. The are being used by the insurers to protect their monopolies but crying "socialism." Public option is the answer!!!

I am a lifelong Democrat who has become discusted with the Democratic Party. What was my party nb o longer seems to stand for anything. For eight years congressional democrats were willing to sit by and watch Bush/Cheney erode our basic freedoms and clearly violate both their oath to defend the constitution and the law.

Now we see them starting to abandon a public option for health care. The so called "co-ops" are acceptable to insurance companies presisly becuase they will give them no real competition.

Why are so few democrats willing to talk about the hundereds of people in this country who die every week becuase we refuse to provide public health care to our citizens as a right?

Personally, I have been screwed by private insurance companies so many times that I resent that I have pay insurance premiums where a large percentage of my health care dollar goes to an insurance company's profit margin. I have a family and kids I have to have health insurance. It is a necessity. With a public option, I know my health care dollar is being spent on me and not padding the bank account of an insurance exec. So I strongly favor a public option and resent these conservos trying to deny me a choice. Having said that, the political realities are the political realities and I think it essential to get something done. If they craft a co-op that actually has some teeth with other regulations in place that seriously crack down on these insurance company shenanigans and is not a sham front I could hold my nose and support it to get reform done. But if congress let these conservos just carry water for the insurance companies and pass some sham then Obama should veto it.

Liberals and Democrats need to quit blaming Republicans. Repubs DO NOT have the votes to stop this absurd gov't expansion. If we did, we sure would have been able to have some say in the development of health care reform. Since Dems didn't want to listen to any of the Repubs ideas, this is what you get.

Maybe you just need someone to vent your anger too, I don't know, but it seems to me that if this was such a great idea, even your tax and spend liberal politicians would pass this.

Hard for you liberals to believe that Americans, whether conservative or liberal are not a dumb as some of the saps on this blog.

Sure wish we had a leader in place rather then a community organizer. Seems he can't even organize a community on his most important political objective.

The idea put forward in these comments that a vote for Obama last November is a vote for a government health plan option today is absolute nonsense. Voters wanted a change in Administrations because of a struggling economy and the Iraq war. They did not vote for a takeover of banks, car companies and the health care system. Thus, the decline in Obama's popularity rating today and the lack of popular support for his policies. My God, you left wingers are coming across as unbelievably desperate.

As now written, the bill passed by 3 committees of the House calls for the public option to be financed by premiums paid by enrollees, just like private plans. For recipients whose income is below a certain level, the government will subsidize the premiums for both types of plans. There is no advantage here for the public option. The big advantage the public option will have is that virtually all of the revenue will be paid out for health care enrollees receive, compared to only 70 to 75% for private plans. The other 25 to 30% is diverted to executive salaries, dividends, administrative costs, etc. People should have the option of paying for a plan where almost all the money goes for medical care.

Where are the SPENDING CUTS?
And don't tell me you can't cut during a recession....
Because its already ending even WITHOUT having 80% of the stimulus being spent!

Don't roll over Obama! We NEED a strong public option.
Keith in Austin – you are aware that MEDICARE is a single-payer system, right? Do you have any idea how many Americans are currently having a "love affair" with it?? Wake up.

Its a sad day for America,when the rich dictate what we get to have as they line their pockets.I hope they all have their Swiss and offshore accts taxed.It will happen soon.hahaha

Europe and Canada have both had successful Healthcare systems in place for decades. But in America, we are forever trying to please our "Forefathers"....forever trying to live in denial of a workable system due to nothing more than ego and pride in our Capitalistic System. If we go back far enough, the Forefathers themselves were European.....and they were probably not as irrationally obsessed about riding a dead horse into defeat as we are today. Leave it to America to want a broken system to remain steadfastly in place as a National Treasure...so as to flag future generations to our incompetence and stubbornness as a culture.

I love how Republican fools will all jump on the Hannity bandwagon, tout all his rants as facts, and cause another delay in getting adequate healthcare of any sort.
The REPUBLICANS allowed Big Pharma to jack up all of its prices across the board, which causes all healthcare to go up across the board. Gee you guys never seem to talk about that though do ya. Bush also allowed them to hide their clinical trials of medicines so that the public wouldnt know what they were buying into. Hows that for caring about your constituents.

I want a government option. I do not trust the private sector because their CEOs are too greedy. I do not think we need health insurance at all. I am tired of paying $300 for laboratory fees that my insurance does not cover.

I take care of myself: I exercise, I eat right and I control stress. I do not mind paying for other people's expensive treatments if they do what they can to keep themselves healthy. I don't mind contributing to medicaid and medicare if doctors stop making money on referring patients to tests, treatments and medications they do not need.

I don't like the idea of doctors thinking that they own their patients and that they do not want input into their patients treatment if that input is helpful. We all have to give some on our egos. The arrogance has gone too far.

Drop it obama!!! You've proven your ability to spend, spend, spend. You don't need to Push a socialistic plan on people who don't want anything to do with it.

Focus on reducing government taxation, and leaving the money with the people for once !!!!

Any politician who has hopes of getting elected or re-elected has no hope whatsoever if he or she is not working toward a government backed social health care plan. I don't know why the republicans can't see this. NOBODY, except the wealthiest 10%, is going to vote for a republican after the mess George Bush and company have left us in. Pat Kelly....

Insurance companies are spending 100s of millions to protect their billions. The public option is the only real answer. Have courage!

I find this so difficult to understand, how can we be making a decision on a bill that seems like a "work in progress" – why has Mr. Obama chosen to bully congress into passing bills so quickly without fair/rational thought to the crafting of these bills. Mr. Obama is starting to show that his lack of experience for the office he holds and people are waking up to the realization that he is in fact trying to pull the wool over our eyes and provide us with socialized/rationed health care. The document clearly states that the government will decide end of life care, will assist doctors in making decisions and will • Page 30, line 23 — There will be a government committee that decides what treatments you get. This bill is all about control and this President has shown he wants to control EVERYTHING; Auto's Wall Street, Pay, everything. The language of this bill is certainly ambiguous and given it is open to interpretation, once we let the government in, they will do what they want because the language of the bill will allow them to define it how they want – regardless of what Mr. Obama is trying to sell us in his road trips! This bill should NOT pass if so much is left up to interpretation.

Hey Chubby, the Left was protesting a needless war in Iraq. Thousands if not millions died!! Health care reform isnt a war that you needed to wage here but you did. Thanks for your input!

What the people want is for the costs to go down on insurance. Everything the government runs turns to garbage and costs us taxpayers a fortune; medicare is bankrupt, SS is just about gone, etc.. He has no way to pay for this stuff and he knows it. He already stated that there will be new revenue sources needed to pay for this; that is raising taxes on everyone which would have to be the largest tax increase in history. This plan will destroy the health insurance industry if there is a socialized government run option because any company that has people with half a brain will cease offering health benefits because it would be cheaper to pay the BS penalty tax; the shareholder would demand it because after all you invest in a company's stock to make a profit. Quit spending our money for GOD's sake!

I see the politics of hate and emotional manipuation being outflanked by rational and focused intent. There is a light at the end of the disgusting tunnel we have been in since party attack became accepted tactics. This President will get a health care bill. It may not end up as the best solution but he will move the ball down the field. Sometimes that's the best you can do.

If we aren't going to get a single payer plan or a public option, which are two completely different things but apparently a good number of you can't grasp that, then there's no point in continuing the debate and once again the republicans will have won thanks to outright lies and scare tactics.

I've been noticing a pattern with John King everytime a democrat or an administration official get on CNN King is borderline rude with his interruptions and line of questionning. But King allows republican congressman to get away with talking points and does not push them to answer the question. He was very rude to Sebelius and I wonder what's his beef. The same was true when congress woman Johnson was finishing her point in the end of the session he cut her off after a couple of sentences to let republicans get an extended dialog.

What's up with that CNN? Are you guys playing to the republicans talking points or are you really fair and balanced in your reporting. Personally, I spend less time watching cnn because of the reporting and because of people like Dobbs ( I switch channels the minute he comes on) who make me want to hurl. Fareed is the show on sunday's I look forward to. The rest sucks big time.

Richard, you hit the nail on the head. So many of the GOP got themselves worked into a tizzy of over this that this missed the point. Oh well, you cant help people that are too dumb to accept it. You also cant help people if they are going to follow Rushs every preaching and then march on the streets to protest. They think they are patriotic but in hindsight, they will just be puppets for the Right to manipulate and prevent needed change. THE PARTY OF NO STRIKES BACK!

Bah, to the conservative, this whole issue is only tangentally about healthcare. What it serves largely as is a convenient platform to oppose a Democrat, who just so happens to be Obama this time around. Next time it will be something else, but make no mistake, the conservatives will oppose it, whether it involves the "socialism" boogeyman or another issue.

But facts are stubborn things ... right now, private insurance companies decide who gets treatment and who doesn't, who is dropped from coverage and who isn't, who gets medication and who doesn't.

And the cries of "socialism! socialism!" from people who attended public schools, received free innoculations, accepted unemployment compensation when needed, drive on public highways, allow their parents to accepts treatment from MediCare of the VA? Probably the most poorly informed cries I've ever heard.

There was no confusion during the election. It was made very clear by both canidates what we where voiting for. A vote for McCain was a vote for the status quo, a vote for Obama was a vote for a federal public option available to all.
WE VOTED TO MAKE HEALTH CARE A RIGHT! That means a PUBLIC OPTION.
The dems better not chicken out now becuase of some crazies and corupt senatiors. I dont care if Obama has to wright a public option into the bill with a crayon, it better be in there or he will loose his base in 2012, he will have betrayed us all...

I am disappointed. I would rather they stay strong w/ their message, and if they don't have their votes – so be it. But to water it down is disappointing – it's as if they have no principles.

Having almost lost the battle on the public option,Obama is obviously demonizing the private health insurers only to appear to his leftist bros that he is going down fighting valiantly.It is as if the insurers killed his grandmother !!!

For all of you who had read any comments from Anna Spivey last Sunday from MS, well, THOSE WERE NOT MY WORDS. I am furious that someone could go into this blog site and slander me which has caused me great pain in my life. I cannot believe CNN would allow such horrible things to be written. I hope that this does not happen to anyone else and that bloggers may think twice about being so ugly towards others. My name was mentioned 28 times in a span of 4 hours and I believe CNN owes me and my wonderful family an apology. I have been called a racist among other things and those who really know me would laugh at all of the words "i supposively had written" I am truely sorry for all those who were offended because it offended me. I do know who did this things and plan on pressing charges. Its called cyberstalking!!!!

Dear Mr. President and Sec. Sebelius,
I don't know if this comment will mean anything, but PLEASE, whatever you do, include the public option in the new health care legislation. Its the ONLY way to rein in insurance companies, in my opinion.
Thank you ...

Left-wingers, you have lost. The American people have spoken and the government option is dead. Move along to some other objectionable cause.

No, we don't have the best health care in the world, just the MOST expensive. We get the MOST healthcare, but not the BEST. We pay 77% higher for drugs thanks to big Pharma. We are 34th in longevity due to poorer outcomes. We are something like 29th in infant mortality. At the rate insurance premiums are rising relative to wages, in ten years we will pay 50% of our income for health insurance. The insurance companies are in the pockets of both republicans and Blue Dogs. These rallies are not grassroots. They are organized by such far right organizations as Freedomworks, with their scare tactic talking points and the instruction to "terrorize" Blue Dogs over the break. Come on people...use the brain God gave you to listen to the truth and separate them from the facts and think for yourselves rather than as a sponge to soak up the far right's scare tactics!

Jim, you might want to increase your dosage of medication along with the rest of the mental ward patients that listen to Rush, Hannity, and the gang. You just sound PARANOID!

No to TORT REFORM,200,000 people die each year from mistakes made by doctors,nurses,hospitals,and insurers that only want to get rich.They buy or cheat on their med exams,or get their rich mommie and daddy to buy their way through med school.Plus all the insourced doctors that buy their degree at walmart.

Hey SUNSHINE, no its Mr. obama. We show the same respect to him you and others showed President Bush. Mr obama is finally coming aware that this country does not want his liberal policies which is evidenced by his tanking poll numbers. I thought Mr obama would be the second coming of jimmy carter but I am afraid he is worse.

Ivy League School compete against the State University system and FedEx competes with the Post Office. We have plenty of examples where competition exists between public & private interests.

In fact – we ALREADY KNOW that the Public Option works with Private insurance, because our Senators and Congressmen have been using such a system for years!

Even the Republican Senators who oppose a public option like to have one for themselves!

Competition is good in any phase of economy. It keeps regulation without regulating laws.
When mandatory car insurance was approved, it became a "national" competitive price.
Open up 'Heath care' options to a ‘national’ level.
State regulations of health care have only left us in a monopoly with little or no competition.

Ok, here we go, just give up to the repubs and their status quo logic. "i dont want a beuracrat deciding my health options, id rather have a buisness man doing it". Stupid. Health care and for-profit dont mix, its actually unjust. But in the name of bipartisanship lets water down this idea until we are left with that we allready have. I know i love paying 300 per month for my insurance, and they are always finding ways to get out of paying for services, now thats good buisness, but not good healthcare.

Healthcare in the hands of private insurers only, is like a body with no defense to fight viruses.

Obama is beginning to realize that he can no longer fool America as he did when he ran for president. He thought he could get away with it twice and continue to spew lies and that his blind supporters would just accept everything he says as gospel. Although there are still many who continue to believe all the lies the majority of Americans are now experiencing buyer's remorse.

The facts are the facts and Obama and his ilk have stated publicly that ObamaCare is basically a Trojan horse for a single payer health care system. Obama and his Liberal buddies want to get their foot in the door of health care so that in 10 or 15 years the only option will be a single source government run health care.

The government can not even get the cash for clunkers program right, or the post office, or Medicare, or social security, or the military or any other government run program and he wants us to believe that the government will be able to run what will be the largest government program in history.

Even the Liberal can not name one "well run" government program.

The only system that can work and be affordable is a single payer system. One wonders who is in control? Its not the average American citizen.

mr. Obama??????

ANTI-REFORM THUGS protest against health care reform because it is "socialized medicine."

Well, Medicare is essentially the same system, except for older Americans only. A lot of the ANTI-REFORM EXTREMISTS are warning Obama "not to touch my Medicare." They really seem to like their government health care program, but not this one.

***REPUBLICANS USED THE SAME LIES and FEAR-MONGERING TACTICS IN 1965 IN THEIR EFFORT TO DEFEAT MEDICARE!!!!***

Ronald Reagan: “[I]f you don’t [stop Medicare] and I don’t do it, one of these days you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it once was like in America when men were free.” [1961]

George H.W. Bush: Described Medicare in 1964 as “socialized medicine.” [1964]

Barry Goldwater: “Having given our pensioners their medical care in kind, why not food baskets, why not public housing accommodations, why not vacation resorts, why not a ration of cigarettes for those who smoke and of beer for those who drink.” [1964]

Bob Dole: In 1996, while running for the Presidency, Dole openly bragged that he was one of 12 House members who voted against creating Medicare in 1965. “I was there, fighting the fight, voting against Medicare . . . because we knew it wouldn’t work in 1965.” [1965]

My fellow Americans who have a brain and morals, please don't let the CONSERVATIVE EXTREMIST FEAR-MONGERS set the agenda for our country!!!

We lived through 8 years of these tactics with Bush/Cheney – don't be fooled again!

Hey BONIE, to me and many others it is Mr obama. I show him the same respect shown to President Bush.

Wow, will all these people coming out of the woodwork stating "co-ops have been proven not to work" I guess that means it was posted on some loony liberal blog somewhere and the sheep are swallowing their pill.

Well at least Dear Leader Obama finally understands that it was regular people at these town hall meetings and not insurance company executives.

We should now try and get tort reform added to the bill, so the democrats have to squirm and explain why they need to bend to their ambulance chasing trial lawyer special interest group.

Yeah Shannon, "My GUY" is having to clean up the tragic MESS left by "YOUR GUY" who didn't get it right to begin with. But don't worry, I'm sure YOUR GUY is having a great time on the ol' golf course with his buddy DICK-at the tax payers expense.

Jesus was a socialist. the GOP got it wrong. Obama stand up for the downtrodden. the poor. the unrepresented. THE MIDDLE CLASS what is left. I support Obama.

Obama keeps telling us he's going to make health care, and by extension, health INSURANCE, affordable. But everyone knows that insurance is a waste of money – if you're spending money paying for mammoth profits for insurance companies and billions more on their employees' salaries and their benefits, then you aren't saving any money, and your money is being wasted. It's not going for your health, its going for profits. Sure, they take SOME of what you pay and spend it on your health, but lets all just agree that it would be more optimal to spend every penny on your health.

Okay, so he's not getting rid of insurance companies which is a shame. Why not just agree that all of our medical bills will be paid? Instead of continuing on with this shameful profit based money-sucking sham that we have today?

That part of the rant is now over.

But back to what he CAN control – the costs of the scam that is insurance. It is NOT going to be affordable, or at least there is no EVIDENCE that it is. There is no price tag on the "public option". We don't know what they are going to charge for that. And the option of buying your health insurance through the exchange is ridiculous. If you have a two income family of four, (very typical) and you both earn the median wage, then you make about 90K a year. Not living in luxury in most parts of this country, especially in CA where I live.

But Obamacare is suggesting that people in this situation, making 90K, would be forced to pay up to 12% of their income out of pocket, just for their health insurance PREMIUM. Excuse me, but if you are taking home only 90K a year, you are not going to be able to blow 1K a month or so on health insurance. Its too much! Remember that doesn't include copays or deductibles , that is just the premium.

Most people buying insurance through their employers group plan don't pay anywhere close to 1K a month today, so that is a massive increase in the cost of obtaining health insurance.

That's 1K a month that now can't be spent on college, retirement savings, or vacations.

And under the plan, its not optional, the government will just steal it from you, if you don't pay it.

So, high cost on private insurance (no wonder globalists love this bill – they are the ones who own the insurance companies), and no mention of what the "public option" might cost. Excuse me if I'm not on board with Obamacare. I know a good deal when I see one, and I'm not seeing one.

Show me a good deal, and I will support Obamacare.

Its a real shame we have to bow to the GOP after they failed to offer any health reform solutions for the last 15 years.

The public health option is proven to be effective for Federal employees, including many GOP congressmen.

Obama and his demo counterparts will say anything; do anything to get this gov. controlled plan through. I bet that if it passes after it passes it will be changed to be a total gov. controlled thing just like Obama wants because he wants the gov. to controll everything in our lives. I don't buy into these what I think are lies.

That is PRESIDENT Obama to you. Show some respect please!

There better be a "Public Option" is all we have to say,get the job done,dont worry about the blue dogs,they will have their day in hades.

Am I to assume that all of you that have posted, have health care and thru your employer?? That all of you are healthy and have no pre-existing conditions?? That you make enough money that if you leave your job or are not employed that you can afford the COBRA??
Did you all see the article about the state of Michigan and Blue Cross Blue Shield?? You didn't? Well, the state negotiated the increase of 46% – 52% on premiums for individuals who aren't covered by employers down to 22%. Wow! what a deal!

Oh, sure the insurance companies are offering anything right now, because they are scared that they will lose the billions of dollars in profits. So, you all don't want a public option, like a cafeteria plan that allows one to pick and choose and lets people have something that will hold the insurance companies feet to the fire.

Do yourself a favor before you totally screw up the whole deal, go try to find insurance for an individual, and one for someone who has pre-existing conditions. I know I am one and in 2008 our insurance expenditure was $17,000 in premiums, copays and deductibles and the net that the insurance paid after deductible was met in December, was less that $1,000.

Its nice to see that compromise in washington usually means taking the worst ideas from both sides and muddling together some junk.

Health Insurance companies should be abolished, they are war and misery profiteers

when they are abolished we will have a real great health care, the best in the world

these animals take in 1/3 of all dollars and do nothing towards people getting better

Let's be careful here....the "robust" public option crowd may have these co-ops designed to accomplish the same thing.....end employer based health coverage...don't take them seriously until they bring tort reform AND put their bill on the table [in writing!!]

On MTP today, Charlie Rangel was shown a town hall participant ask Obama the simple question, "how will you pay for all of this without raising taxes?" Rangel's response (no doubt pre-scripted by Rahm Emmanuel) said that he was tired of the hatred being spewed by such questions. There was NO "hatred" whatsoever in the question, but this does not matter to the Dems – it is their feable attempt to shift the focus away from such legitiamte questions being asked about this horrendous initiative.

After listening to Meet The Press and specifically Dick Army, I am more sure than ever that Republicans do not care about the American people. Dick Army stated that people are receiving letters now saying that if they don't sign up for Medicare, they will lose their Social Security,is that really true? When did that come about? Who has actually said that and when will that take place? Perhaps it is more spin by Republicans to scare older people.

I am also wondering why the Republicans have now decided to vilify Medicare? Why are they claiming that it is one of the most inept programs ever. Perhaps they should talk to the millions of Medicare recipients to see if they want to give up Medicare. I wonder if they bothered to talk to recipients to see what their real feelings are? Why are they again trying to scare older people? Now I will agree that the Medicare Part D program given to the American people by Republicans and George Bush is in fact inept but the Medicare program itself, WOW !!! Once they get the fraud out of Medicare, most often perpetuated by the providers, perhaps it will become more cost efficient.

It just seems to me that the Republicans have no intentions to help reform health care. Their intent is to do everything they can to destroy any support of reform by using every scare tactic they can. Now they seem to be targeting senior citizens who are the most vulnerable. How sad is that?

A lot of us know that Republicans never liked Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or any other social program. Maybe they think it is the right time to get people to again vote against their own best interest and get rid of these programs for good. Especially since they have older people going to town hall meetings screaming for the government to stay out of their Medicare.

How come Medicare and Medicaid are okay, but a more inclusive public health option is not? Please Dems, stand strong. In some cases it makes sense to compromise, but a compromise that leaves out covering those of our citizens least able to help themselves is unconscionable.

There may be a few flaws in our health care system, but turning the whole health care system over to government control to get it fix is not the answer. Jobs and the current state of economy that is directly impacting ordinary people should be on the top of this administration's agenda. Until we feel secure about our livelihood, I don't think we are open to listen to anything that includes this magnitude of cost.
We are losing hope and we not impressed with the change that we see. There is still time for this administration to get on the right track and be one with the people that it serves.

Co-ops have not been proven and will not work. However, those pushing them have requested BILLIIONs be given to them.
We desperately need a reform health care bill passed. Presently,
our welfare is in the hands of big business, lobbyists, special interests and those who support them with their bottom line
being greed and power. Quite frankly, I trust government more
than big business, as, with them in power, they have created
diasters in every aspect.
This is not the final plan. There will be numerous changes,
deletions and additions. But, if we don't give this first step a chance
there will be a continuation of the raping of the American people,
numerous bankruptcies, even with those on insurance, and deaths that should never happen in our country due to unaffordable medical costs.

We, the People have to support President Obama for a public option in the health care reform. He has been fighting against private health insurance companies, but he needs your support. I am fully insured, but I want everyone insured as well. It's such a shame to travel to a smaller country and was told that they have nationalized health care coverage. We have endorsed greed at the expense of our people for too long. It's time we do the right thing – Support the Public Plan, which will only save us all money and stop private insurers' greed.

IF a public plan is not an option in the reform bill, the government cannot make everyone participate. When swine flu flares up, even those that are against the public plan will suffer. Getting sick people to the doctors without worrying about costs is much more efficient in stopping the swine flu epidemic.

wow sorry to see so many closed minds to compormise.and the important issue totally forgoton the 47 million are without isureance and if you ask how many are on public paid insureance half this country is already on a goverment run program.not the 85 percent proponants say our on private insureance.reform just going to make for it a better deal for all of us.private and public and keep them all honest.maybie that is what the debate should be about,and stop shaking finigers pointing out all they may think are flaws and lets talk what is best for our country. The best price , the best care.and the best care for everyone.Regardless if the big ceo's lose some bucks to the overseas share holders and the way over paid saleries.

Thank God they were not able to push their bill through congress before the break. People are finally starting to see how disasterous it would have been. As much as I hate to say it, thanks republicans for putting the brakes on this...

The only way the Insurance companies will lower premiums is through REFORM, they start you out with low premiums and within one year your premiums will double, that's because they are a bunch of greedy low lifes.

This is the first article in my 53 years that I have seen a United States President (current or ex) referred to as Mister and not his elected title.
What's that about?

Calm down Richard. Your guy has himself a little war now too huh?

Why are we not talking about tort reform? Why are the lawyers allowed to continue bringing down health care? Why are we not talking about doctors charging so much for services to pay for the lawyers? Why are we not talking about co-pay for Medicaid? Why are we not talking about removing non-residents from free medical treatment, give them services and then send them back to their country. Why are we not talking about removing the goverment from health care completely?

Its time for Americans to take back our Health Care and our Goverment. Nothing is free, someone is paying.

Yes, we have the best Health care in the world, lets keep it that way. Get the Goverment out of Health care.

someone stated Obama is grasping for power. And comparing him to Chavez.... if that is so, he would have written the bill, and shoved it down the collective throats of congress. That is not so. He is allowing congress to write the bill, and he has strong opinions of what needs to be in it. Its Congress that needs to get to work.... The President doesn't write legislation... he can put pressure on Congress to get it done, but the ball is in their court, as is the blame if they fail.

there will be steep competition for the WH from the genuine LEFT next time. and Obama isn't included.

History will judge this president as one of the better ones our country has had. l fully support his agenda. Even if he does not go through with his plan, he understand the real word democracy. Bring all sides of the subject to the table, and find a solution. He is not a fake one, such as our previous one pretending to be a tough guy, when he was just a draft doger.

This isn't an issue of red or blue. America's healthcare system is broken and fragmented, leaving millions uninsured or subject to the wills of large private companies. Steve – the plan may not be a good one, but something needs to get passed to prevent things from getting worse. In order to make things better, you have to stop them from worsening first. And Tom – that's a bold attack on the president. Have you forgotten the thousands of soldiers lives we've lost over a lie from Bush's tenure? Republicans should step up and provide an alternate plan or stop promoting false rumors. American healthcare needs a fix, not another failure.

Dear Mr. Obama, health care reform does NOT = health insurance reform

VICTORY!! No public option!! This is a huge defeat for Barry and the Dems to not have the public option. I’m grinning ear to ear!!

a strong compromise bill is what we need. As much as I truly believe a public option that competes with the big insurance companies is needed, it needs to come as a bipartisian bill. If our elected officials can write a solid bill that reforms healthcare, and can find a moderate or centrist solution, so be it. BUT, the GOP needs to make a stronger effort to work WITH Democrats, instead of playing politics with such an important issue. The party of NO is continuing to use the Fear tactic to scare Americans about change that is needed. And Americans need to stop believing the political BS that is coming from the radical right and left of our political parties...

The GREAT MIDDLE AMERICA listens to their Republican fear mongers and screws itself AGAIN!!!!!!! I guess it's fine to spend 10 BILLION a month on an unjustified war and kill a quarter of a million people FOR NOTHING, but DON'T TOUCH OUR PRECIOUS -37th RANKED–HEALTH CARE SYSTEM!!!!!!
Changing the INSURANCE BILLING SYSTEM changes NOTHING!!!!!!

Seems to me that there is already competition out there. There is also price-fixing, just like with gas companies. Oh, that doesn't matter though. The health care isn't run by the government. As soon as that happens, the price is supposed to fall through the floor. Whatever!

Competition is GOOD to bring any cost down... Just like COMCAST and VERIZON – For the longest we had to depend on COMCAST alone to get cable TV and their prices went UP UP UP and we had no choice but to pay it.... NOW, since Verizon has become available in our neighborhood and offered LOW LOW LOW prices – COMCAST, who lost customers as a result, had no choice but to lower the price.

Now, the competition is ON – I have a choice to go BACK and FORTH with each company until I am satisfied with my SERVICE and PRICE!!!

Same as in HEALTH CARE – COMPETITION will lower HEALTH CARE COST and the insured will have a CHOICE – back and forth until it's right for ME!!!!

It amazes me that this president keeps bringing up issues with the insures about pre-existing and people not being offered coverage. The AHIP, which is the talking piece of the insurance companies, has come out and said that as part of reform they will eliminate pre-existing and make guarantee issue for everyone. Why must he spin this that they arent working with him when they have already made these concessions. Just more spin, maybe the president should try the Tour de France.

I don't understand why people want government to run healthcare. This will turn jobs over to the public sector and lose private sector jobs therefore losing a significant portion of the tax base AND adding more red tape and more regulation to an already over regulated industry. Next thing you know, they will be telling you what kind of homeowner's insurance you can have, how much life insurance must be required, what tv channels I can watch, what type of civic org I can join, what kind of investments I can put my funds into..... where will this type of thought process end? When did folks turn into such ninnies/ impecunious/ destitute? Hard work, being strong headed and doing/ giving to charity on one's own accord without mandates should be the norm, not the other way around.

These people are more concerned with "making history" by passing ANY health care bill, than they are with passing a GOOD health care bill. Whatever happened to the campaign statement "If you loose your health care, you will have the option to enroll in the same plan as federal government employees"? Medicare is fraught with cost overruns and fraud. If all this money can be saved by "reform," then reform Medicare first, prove the money can be saved, then consider a national health care system that includes all government employees, including our elected officials. Any Senator or Representative that is not willing to include themselves and their families in any bill, should vote NO! If they are told to come up with a bill that they will be required to participate in, then, and only then, will you see a GOOD bill.

I'm sick and tired of watching these folks squabble over who lied more. It's VERY apparent to me that the Repubs are building a case for both outcomes. If it fails they will claim victory....if it passes they will claim they crafted it.....all because of one TINY clause that has little relevance.

Hold on a second here. Has anybody seen specifics of anything???? How about a list of what the plan contains. I have not heard ONE specific thing from the President about this health care plan. He keeps talking about WHAT the plan ought to contain, but wait, its already been written. I think the politicians in this country are about as out of touch with real life as the Iranian Clerics are, and Obama is trying a "Hugo Chavez" grasp at power. It is obvious by this administrations actions, they feel Congress and the people of this country are in their way. This is a country that is about freedom and not about what the government tells us what to do. We need to take it back, and remind the administration about the Tenth Ammendment of the Constitution that limits the scope of federal government.

Everyone says that the new plan is going to provide health care for the poor.

However, what everyone fails to mention is that this health care is not going to be free....you will have to pay.....and if you don't sign up to get insurance you will be charged a fee.

So the poor person that was struggling to pay their rent and put food on the table is now going to have to have to give one of these up in order to pay for their insurance.

Why are is the news media not talking about the REAL FACTS and the REAL IMPACT on POOR AMERICANS?

Why are we in such a rush to pass this plan.

We should try the new health plan out on one or two states first....work out the kinks and then move to make it a National Plan.

A potential problem with co-ops is that they may attract too many sick patients rejected by the for-profit insurance industry. Those against true reform will then rail against the co-ops as inefficient due to their higher operating costs from treating these sick patients. If co-ops are gonna work, then legislation must level the playing field for all insurance providers by mandating they enroll any applicant. Then you've got to keep the for-profit folks from disenrolling people once they get sick.
Instead of a "Public Option", perhaps a "Non-profit Option" would be more accepted.

If you watch Sunday shows one thing is clear republicans they don’t care us

My question for republicans how we can fix the broken health care?

There is no Obama health care so suggest something to fix the health care

If you all don’t want to involve because of election shame on you all

Stop criticizing do some thing or resign

The media parses words and tries to think they know what is going on in the President's head. They fail to appreciate they do NOT have a seat at the table, their job is NOT in a free society to shape opinion but to be an objective, fact based arm of democracy.

For example, once again John King thinks you can have a balanced debate with three republicans and one Democrat.

The Sunday shows are so far bbehind the curve that they don't even know that there is now a 40 day multireligious initiative in support of health reform. Ehat are the so called Christian right going to do with that??

Why didn't you press those republican senators on the *out and out lie* in that email?????? You let them just completely ignore that *they lied*. What kind of journalism is that??? And when will people use their heads, single payer was *never part of the bills*. I have never been so frustrated in my whole life as right now listening to the republicans completely obfuscate and *lie* over such an important issue. They say they don't want the status quo but that is exactly what they DO want.

The American People are being heard! Obama's love affair with a single-party payment system is apparently wavering.
Beware however of his radical nature and socialistic desire for Big Government. His current rhetoric is highly suspect. Stand strong America! NO GOVERNMENT stranglehold on healthcare and the subsequent invasion of our lives!

cowards. co-ops have been proven to not work well. so you're going let republicans and a few bad democrats significantly weaken the bill? why did you include reconciliation as an option if you're willing to use it to craft the best legislation possible? history will judge you based on the quality of the bill, not the process by which it passed.