St. Charles, Missouri (CNN) - President Obama took his increasingly populist health care overhaul pitch to the political battleground state of Missouri Wednesday, turning up the heat on private health insurers in a speech.
"What we're proposing is a common-sense approach to protecting you from insurance company abuses, and saving you money," said Obama, his shirtsleeves rolled up in the 75-degree heat. "That's the proposal and it's paid for. I believe Congress owes the American people a final up-or-down vote on health care reform."
He added, "The time for talk is over. It's time to vote."
Obama said many of the changes would be paid for by cutting waste in health care, which he said is estimated to have cost taxpayers almost $100 billion last year.
He likened the national debate about proposed changes to the current system to previous debates that swirled around the topic, including the passage of Medicare in 1965, and before.
"We've been debating it for 70 years," he said.
From CNN Politics
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Maybe if nothing gets done, we can pass W's bills back to the republicans and let them face the voters with the debt W ran up.
It's worth a try
Let's watch the repubs continue to say (quote Cheeenie here ) deficits don't matter.
What he is seeking is tax increase for covering up the deficit, attacking insurance companies is populist but not to the point!!!!!
Most Americans favor the details in this bill
Has Pres. Obama been promoting health care for 70 years?!
This president is determined to destroy our healthcare with his gov. take all controll. People want reform not gov. take over and Obama won't listen because it does not fit his far left agenda.
Medicare option for all or public option. Otherwise no credibility other than a giveaway to big $ healthcare lobbies.
I am out of words for this circus. He is absolutely clueless as to the economic ramifications on the "average" American. His average American is being supported by the rest of us and of course going to support this and vote for him.
Insurance health, home, car, etc... is meant to protect against extreme losses, not normal use. Your car rusts, you need new tires, or your house needs shingled...is that an insurance claim or a expense of ownership. ITS AN EXPENSE. Health care is an expense, health insurance is their for extreme expenses. Health Insurance costs can be traced DIRECTLY TO EXCESSIVE USE. Some people can't qualify for insurance .... too many car accidents, a few too many home fires, damage, or claims, and yes pre existing conditions!
Limiting the enormas power of the insurance cartel is a very difficult job. The cartel is spending millions to protect the status quo. Good luck Mr. President, we hope that you succeed.
We elected a lying, cheating, stealing, Anti American, no respect for the supreme court, no respect for the American people, socialist, want to be communis...
This clown is a liar.
He said in February he would focus on jobs and the economy.
He is an utter failure. A complete failure who is trying to ram through a socialist agenda..
Now he has legislation to ruin the economy with cap and trade.
Now he has legislation to take over the great lakes and all water ways.
This guy is a pure and simple socialist idealogue.
He wants to RUIN the United States of America because he does not believe in the USA.
He is ANTI the US Constitution.
Terrible leader and a terrible man.
He is still rallying support for this bill....hahaha he has been pushing this for over a year now and the popular continures to decline with nearly 75% of the public wanting this bill scrapped and starting over...you people that support this bill (which increases premiums, decreases quality of care – less access to Dr. via more patients and fewer Dr.s, increased taxes) are very foolish!
I have great health care, but I believe we need to quit being so selfish as a society and help out our brothers and sisters. I know you conservatives fear any change, but change in inevitable, the system is broken and it needs to be fixed. I'm behind you 100% Pres. Obama.
The fact of the matter is Owebama, insurance companies make 3-6 percent profit which is FAR LESS than most companies that make candy, door knobs or spam, sorry liar in chief, just facts, not BS rhetoric of which you spew.
If you took ALL of last years profits and used it to fund HC Owebama, the money would last TWO WHOLE DAYS you lying fraud.
CNN, how about the polls that state 70 percent of us think he is wrong about how much this is costing us, whether we can keep our current insurance and doctor's that most of us like and this isn't one poll , it is many.
No Barry, we don't want an up or down vote LIAR, we want you to start over and find common ground and pass THAT and not this takeover LIAR.
Obama is right.
It's obvious the Republicans are putting Politics before People.
So why debate.. I mean waste time... any longer.
PASS THE BILL BY ANY MEANS!
I have worked for State government for 38 years, and I have seen the qualitity of my health care deminish throughout the years and the cost go up. It is tragic to me that in this great, rich country of ours, people die due to lack of medical care and people go without medical care because they can't afford it. Charity begins at home, and the medical and health needs of our own citizens should be our first priority. It is inhumane to me that the pharmaceutical and medical industries put more emphasis on multiplying their profits to obscene levels over the welfare of human life.
Here we go again folks. Obama on the Campaign trail,
If this so called leader would take a look at the majority of the credible polls out there, he would see the American people do want Health Care Reform, but NOT this garbage he and his henchmen are trying to pass.
Sorry, this guy can not even keep his own party in line, he has yet to put a leash on Pelosi. All he can do is be a proffesional campaigner.
After he is done stumping like he was when he ran for election, then he will take off on a trip overseas. You would think if this man was a great leader, he would be back in Washington getting his own people to get the job done. But he wants nothing more than to stand in front of TV cameras and an audience and say,,,,,, LOOK AT ME,,,I am great, I am the one, I am history.
I have been waiting my whole adult life for someone to stand up to the health Ins. companies, it's as simple as that. Thank You President Obama.
MAN am I so tired of looking at this yokel. If he had a brain it would be a watermelon seed.
The vote is coming in NOVEMBER!
Obama's war on prosperity is just getting started. This is not what I expected when he was busy promising change.
Those people who do not want this bill to pass already have health care. Congress has a glorios plan that tax payers pay for. Why can't the American people be eligible for the same plan. Health care should not be a privilage its a right to LIFE! These ridiculos people who think that the insurance companies care if you live or doe are nuts. They have reduce human life to a shareholders profit or a bonus for corporate executives but we the people must die so they can support their greedy habits. I pray that God has mercy on them.
My health care keeps going up and up. No everyone is against the idea of reform only the repos and they are either rich enough not to care or stupid enough not to know any better. I voted for this president to get these reforms so let's get it done. Tired of the repos lying about what the plan entails and sick of the repos voting no before it has been finalized.
Obama changes his numbers more than a used car salesman. Example, yesterday he said 60 years, now it is 70 years, etc......
Hear hear..... your President is right on! Time for debate is well over. The Health Reform Bill will pass and Americans will be on the road to better coverage, lower costs and access. Don't listen to the naysayers – they've made this their stand, in hopes of taking President Obama down. I'm from Canada, and, in spite of all the lies, we have great health care and 99.9% of our citizens would fight to keep it. While this is not the system being advocated by your intelligent President, his bill is certainly much better than the status quo. This is the platform upon which he was elected.
Keep the faith – sanity will prevail.
We wish you well
Why should take him seriously? He gets his checkup and is told his cholesterol is too high, the next news article about him he is eating fried food and saying not to tell his wife. So, he is going to dictate what we do with our health care $'s but since "we the people" pay for his, he can give total disreguard and cost us more for his FREE care? He has no clue on how to really cut waste, only knows how to pile on more debt like the rest of the clowns in DC. LEAVE MY HEALTH CARE ALONE AND QUIT MESSING IT UP!
We need Health care reform. If the Bill passed, Democrats will win NOV election.