Obama Calls for Universal Health Care

Associated Press ^ | 1/25/07 | NEDRA PICKLER

[Sybeck1]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Every American should have health care coverage within six years, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama said Thursday as he set an ambitious goal soon after jumping into the 2008 presidential race. "The time has come for universal health care in America," Obama said at a conference of Families USA, a health care advocacy group.

"I am absolutely determined that by the end of the first term of the next president, we should have universal health care in this country," the Illinois senator said.

Obama was previewing what is shaping up to be a theme of the 2008 Democratic primary. One of his rivals, 2004 vice presidential nominee John Edwards, also said as he announced his candidacy last month that he will offer a proposal for universal health care.

Obama said while plans are offered in every campaign season with "much fanfare and promise," they collapse under the weight of Washington politics, leaving citizens to struggle with the skyrocketing costs.

He said it's wrong that 46 million in this country are uninsured when the country spends more than any one else on health care. He said Americans pay $15 billion in taxes to help care for the uninsured.

"We can't afford another disappointing charade in 2008, 2009 and Obama said. "It's not only tiresome, it's wrong."

Obama's call was an echo of a speech he made last April when he said Democrats "need to cling to the core values that make us Democrats, the belief in universal health care, the belief in universal education, and then we should be agnostic in terms of how to achieve those values."

His argument Thursday not only will be considered through the prism of the presidential campaign, but weighed against rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's ill-fated plan to overhaul the health care insurance system when she was first lady.

Another candidate, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, also backs universal health care.

[Texas Eagle]

"The time has come for universal health care in America," Obama said at a conference of Families USA, a health care advocacy group.

Hallelujah! Cuban style health care for all.

[freema]

Obama wants to insure everyone in the Universe?

[2harddrive]

Help stop Osama Obama! We don't need another Hussein!

[DilJective]

"time has come for universal health care in America," Obama said

The time has come for those who want universal health care to go to a country that already has it! Get these communists the hell out of here, finally! Why don't these people go and try it out for themselves before asking 300,000,000 to?

I took a break in service while in Germany for several years and experienced that "universal" health care first-hand. Not only did I lose quite a bit of my paychecks, but the care offered was antiquated and prioritized. My father-in-law bribed everyone he came into contact with to get the people to do what they were already being paid to do- including our family doctor!

If anyone thinks there are "haves" and "have-nots"- it's nothing compared to what we'll have with "universal health care". The people with pull (those like my father-in-law) will get the better care and those without the extra pull will be put at the bottom of the totem pole. In a way, maybe we need this sort of communism to affect every American and wake them up to what these liberals are talking about.

[RockyMtnMan]

That's nothing, my father had to wait 2 days to have his appendix removed while in Canada on a road-trip. Instead of operating they put him on intravenous antibiotics in case it burst.He passed out on the floor in pain before being taken to the hospital, so it was very close to rupturing.

When I had the same condition and reported to the hospital, in the good ol' USA, it was removed in less than 30 minutes after diagnosis (2 hrs). That is a testament to private pay insurance.

[Jacquerie]

If obama-care mirrors the earlier hillary-care, the government will decide doctor's specialties. It will also be a crime to pay a doctor directly for services. If the American people accept such affronts, there is no hope that we will long remain free.

From "The Road to Serfdom":

The most important change which extensive government control produces is a psychological change, an alteration in the character of the people. This means, among other things, that even a strong tradition of political liberty is no safeguard if the danger is precisely that new institutions and policies will gradually undermine and destroy that spirit.

Government central planning is not the answer.

[Kitten Festival]

I'll be for it - if Obama pays for it himself.

[ridesthemiles]

"He said Americans pay $15 billion in taxes to help care for the uninsured." ""

I really love the casual spreading around of "statistics" that everyone with a microphone nearby seems able to do.

If $15 billion is spent to care for the uninsured, just what is the expected cost for insuring everybody? I went a number of years without any health care. I am basically a well person, as are many in the USA. But we all have seen people get a real case of doctoritis when they or their spouse gets a generous health care plan.
I did have a small accident when I was not insured, but 13 years of insurance premiums of over $500/month (Over $85,000) for a single white female with no history of anything chronic, etc, was far more than the $9,000 bill for a broken wrist which required surgery.
I say it again: We allowed some very greedy people to "fix" what wasn't broken: The American health care system. The HMO's system doesn't work near as well as going to the doctor when you NEED to, not when you are bored and expecting magic in your life. 20 year olds are the gatekeepers, docs are paying more malpractice insurance, and they are being rold how much they are allowed to make by administrators who make millions.
Truly, the inmates are in charge of the asylum...

[cousair]

Boy is this Obama guy a winner....he has MUSLIM roots, he is a political thinker with arch liberal roots, and he thinks US treasury needs to give universal healthcare to EVERYONE....ILLEGALS INCLUDED!! WOW!!