Posted on 01/25/2007 8:38:25 AM PST by 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.
Wonder what all those Canadians who come here for health care, because their health care sucks, will do?
as per the discussion of the Bush health care plan during the SOTU - this is why its so important to maintain the employer provided system we have now, and not start taxing it as the administration proposes.
the main rebuttal republicans have for this, is to tell the 150+ million americans who get employer provided plans (with co-pays and deductibles to be sure) - "you want to lose your current plan?". that's all they have to say.
At least he's getting his socialist agenda out in the open up front! I can't say that Hillary! will be doing the same. It'll be interesting to see if Hillary! matches this plan with her "platform".
If "universal" care passes, you'd better believe that the top lib pols won't be waiting six months or more for a major operation. Ditto for all the Hollyweird libs.
And those unwilling to pay for the medical bills of others, will be shot! This is the road to serfdom.
You said it. My wife grew up in England. She want's no part of "universal (socialized)" health care.
He joins the mainstream of the Rat party and our wonderful Gov. Arnold here in Cali. Sigh.... Why are our politicans and the chattering class so eager to get the People goose stepping?
I "retired" a while ago looking ahead, as it was apparent that we'll all be getting "free" healthcare, etc. (I wound up with my own business, but am still looking forward to all these "freebies"). /sarc
The Liberal plans, however, seldom include those who are resourceful, and have any earned income or investment income; it's only for those who DON'T work for a better life.....
DING! DING! DING!
We have a WINNAH !
Was that the sound of a frying pan meeting a cranium I just heard?????
I'm not interested in THE children, I'm interested in raising MY child. I work for MY family not others.
>Anyone who thinks socialized medicine is such a hot idea...<
Seems I've heard alot of grumbling from Canadians lately about their lousy health care system. Since Congress is ever anxious to follow the paths of failure, I expect they will take us there once again. Why can't we seem to get rid of these anti-American politicians?
>Anyone who thinks socialized medicine is such a hot idea...<
Seems I've heard alot of grumbling from Canadians lately about their lousy health care system. Since Congress is ever anxious to follow the paths of failure, I expect they will take us there once again. Why can't we seem to get rid of these anti-American politicians?
If we think of those Americans with good health insurance as having a whole pie, and those without health insurance having a small slice of pie, the universal healthcare promoters would have us believe that their system will provide everyone with a whole pie. Not so.
What will result is that everyone will be given half a pie, with the rich being able to buy the rest of their pie, and those with only half a pie waiting for months for surgery and diagnostics and waiting in lines for a government doctor.
And don't forget, the vast beaurocracy would take back a quarter of each person's pie, because someone has to pay for all those clerks and buyers and logistics managers and case reviewers and schedulers and overseers. So we all get left with a quarter of a pie and higher taxes. An outcry will go up over the unsatisfactory performance and the Democrats will lovingly respond, saying that's right, this is not enough, we simply must take more pie from "the rich", meaning everyone who is not a cashier or union member. Then we'll be broke and have half a pie. Woo hoo, I can't wait.
Most excellent! They're going to start trying to out-do each other in liberal-ness!
just like Freedom ... Free Healthcare isn't Free
everyone started charging more for everything because there was so much money they could get, and it has turned into a vicious cycle
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