Posted on 12/03/2013 1:00:22 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
President Obama declared Tuesday that ObamaCare "is working" and that "we're not going back," as the White House looked to reboot its efforts to sell Americans on the president's signature healthcare law.
Obama said that "poor execution" of the rollout of HealthCare.gov had "clouded" the benefits of the bill, but said he would not allow technical glitches to undermine a program that was providing financial security for many Americans.
"If I've got to fight another three years to make sure this law works, that's what we'll do," Obama said.
"We're not repealing it as long as I'm president," he added. "I want everybody to be clear about that. We'll make it work."
The president, flanked by supporters who had benefited from aspects of the law, vacillated between a defense of his embattled program and a sales pitch intended to highlight some of ObamaCare's benefits for ordinary families.
Obama shared stories of individuals who had been helped by provisions of the law that allowed those under 26 to remain on their parents' health insurance, or receive free preventive care.
Acknowledging that the benefits of the program had "gotten lost a little bit," the president urged attendees to tell their friends and families about the law's success stories.
"It's working better now and it's just going to keep on working better over time," Obama said.
In his remarks, the president shied away from directly addressing more recent critiques of the ObamaCare website, including reports that the portal was continuing to provide insurers with error-riddled enrollment information. Obama did say that as new problems arose, the administration would address them.
"Whatever comes up, we're going to fix it," he said, adding later that the White House had " learned not to make wild promises about how perfectly smooth it's going to be."
The president also chastised critics of the law, saying Republicans "haven't presented an alternative" that would address flaws of the pre-ObamaCare system. He singled out Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), saying the Republican leader "refused to answer" when asked what his alternate proposal was.
"He just repeated 'repeal' over and over and over again," Obama said.
Earlier Tuesday, McConnell said the president's "campaign-style event won’t solve the myriad problems facing consumers under ObamaCare."
“The American people have been learning about the impact ObamaCare will have on individuals and families in the form of higher premiums, disrupted insurance, and lost jobs—more broken promises from the administration. And they’re becoming increasingly aware of the fact ObamaCare is broken beyond repair," McConnell said.
White House press secretary Jay Carney said Tuesday that the president's event was the first of many in a "renewed effort to refocus the public and the public's attention on the benefits of the law."
Carney said that in the coming days, the president and other White House officials would talk about existing benefits under ObamaCare, including insurance plans mandating free preventive care, ending discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, and the curbed growth in healthcare costs.
The White House spokesman said that sales effort would use "a number of different venues," including press events and Internet advertising campaigns.
"This is an opportunity now that the website is functioning effectively for the vast majority of users and we are seeing high volume and high volume being handled effectively by the website and people enrolling that it's an opportune time to talk about, again, the actual benefits that are provided by the law," Carney said.
Being quiet is either working furiously to talk, or sabotaged.
There is enough for Article 25? Whatever it is to declare him rogue and hand-cuff him.
Quietness on our side is a good sign, again, I think. Wheels are turning.
Wheels are always turning, but often, not in the direction we'd like.
Abbott isn't the reserved or quiet type, which is what most Texans love about him. It's uncharacteristic of him to be MIA when so much turmoil is going on.
Makes me think he's cutting deals or being turned somehow (much as it pains me to think that).
Abbott’s not a type to be turned. Dewhearst ust is, and to some extent, Perry.
The silence means something. Our guys wouldn’t go against the admin this far to just sit down now.
Man, I really and truly hope you're right. I want to be wrong about my gut feeling on this.
Greg has launched numerous suits against zero. All constitutional. Many copied by our sister states.
Article 5 seems to be where the brightest minds are convalescing. We have reps..
Hey Congressional Democrats, how does it feel to know you’re worthless, that Obama will keep this thing afloat with or without you? He doesn’t have to worry about Congress overriding his veto because he knows what a pack of losers fill those halls.
Pathetic bunch of eunuchs!
Obama and the dems don’t want the law enforced strictly.
They want to hand out exemptions like party favors.
CAMPAIGNING THE ONLY THING THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZER KNOWS HOW TO DO...
and he is a Pro at it, for that is ALL he does...
Wake up Voters...before it is too late...
Yes. I just saw tonight that the first application to hold that convention has been filed. I believe it was in South Carolina. I hope to see more very soon.
“We” is too many people. YOU are going to jail. It may take time but you’re going there.
I wish I could be so sure. Recall, that this is the party which thinks slaughtering babies in the womb (or leaving them to die if they make it out) is a Right. They will rationalize saving the 'expense' of caring for the people with chronic conditions, then the elderly (who will be portrayed as consuming more than they should, and for the purpose of accelerating the seizure/inheritance of assets before the doctors get it all).
Funny how the Communists berate Capitalists as "greedy" while they steal every dime they can. Evil, evil, evil wretches, all.
hope you are right!
time to stand up to be counted,,,
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