Posted on 08/22/2006 5:09:45 PM PDT by ohioWfan
After calling President Karzai of Afghanistan to discuss security measures and a potential visit, President Bush left the White House early this afternoon to go to Minnesota. In Minnetonka, he participated in a panel discussion on health care, and also signed an Executive Order to help increase the transparency of America's health care system - empowering Americans to find better value and better care. The order will require various federal agencies to compile information about the quality and price of health care they pay for, and share that information with their customers and each other. The White House website has posted a FACT SHEET about this order.
The President also attended a fundraiser for Minnesota Congressional Candidate, State Senator Michele Bachman after the panel discussion, and stopped for a frozen custard in Wayzata.
Enjoy your trip to Sanity Island on the Daily Dose!
Quote of the Day: THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Thank you. Please be seated. Thank you for coming. Thanks for the warm welcome. We've got some work to do. (Laughter.)
Thanks for being here today. And I want to thank our panelists for joining Secretary Leavitt and me to talk about health care. And before we do, I want to say a couple of words about some of the guests here. First, I'm real proud to be here with your Governor, Tim Pawlenty. Governor, thanks for being here. (Applause.) Senator Norman Coleman is with us. Senator, thanks for coming. (Applause.) Three members of the Congress: Jim Ramstad, whose district we're in. (Applause.) Mark Kennedy is with us. (Applause.) John Kline is with us, thanks for coming. (Applause.)
We've got members of the State House here. We've got local officials -- Mayor Jan Callison, the Mayor of -- Mayor, thanks for coming. (Applause.) This is the 50th anniversary of Minnetonka, right? Yes, good. Congratulations. Wait until you turn 60. (Laughter.) It's not as old as it sounds. (Laughter.)
We're going to have an interesting dialogue today. I'm going the sign an executive order after a while, but I want to explain why we're signing the executive order to you. We've got an interesting debate in health care in America. And I guess if I had to summarize how I view it, I would say there's a choice between having the government make decisions or consumers make decisions. I stand on the side of encouraging consumers. I think the most important relationship in health care is between the patient and their provider, the patient and the doc. (Applause.) Thank you. And health care policy ought to be aimed at bolstering the consumer, empowering individuals to be responsible for health care decisions -- is kind of the crux about what we're talking about.
DOSE PING!!! Please refrain from posting or re-posting photos or graphics until the ALL CLEAR is given!! THANKS!
Hello!
Just a reminder of the seriousness and steadfastness of those who protect our President from harm...........and a THANK you to all of them!
hi ohio!
Uff Da. A visit to Little Sweden.
Thank you.
He eats his ice cream with relish............. ;)
Good evening and thanks for the dose
Hey there defcon! You're NUMBER ONE tonight! Congrats!
Hi Georgia! ;)
Land of my kinfolk...........all those 'ssons' and 'bergs' and 'quists'..... :)
You're welcome, lysie! Thanks for dropping by. :)
Hey there, snugs! defconw's our toaster winner tonight.
"He eats his ice cream with relish............. ;)"
AND mustard! LOL!
I know you mean the other usage...I just had to go for the joke!
Thanks for this day's Dose!
Awesome! I am so excited!
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