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.
Is this a great country, or what?
/sarc
Great question at a Dem primary town hall, "Ugh, can I go on welfare when your president? I tired of working so hard".
Hey there obama ya jerk just who's going to pay for your idea there pal?
Obama is now, officially, a self-proclaimed socialist.
Nice of you to volunteer.
Anyone who thinks socialized medicine is such a hot idea should be made to spend some time in a country that has it.
Obama won't be the one standing in line for health services... no doubt Congress will exempt themselves just like they do on Social Security.
Like Welfare? Then you'll love Universal Health Care.
Where the same courteous, efficient, and helpful people who run the DMV are in charge of your healthcare.
If we can't convince Dick Cheney to run, could we at least talk him into debating these jackasses? His performance against Edwards, it was a thing of beauty.
Another democrat promoting socialized medicine. What a surprise.
If you think health care is expensive now, just wait until Obama Osama makes it "free".
I know I don't want to pay for it.
Early retirement is looking more and more attractive.
"Anyone who thinks socialized medicine is such a hot idea should be made to spend some time in a country that has it."
Better yet, "Anyone who thinks socialized medicine is such a hot idea should get sick in a country that has it."
THIS is the clarion call for 2008, "Free" health care...
Every Democrat will be screaming it from the high heavens, and any Republican that opposes it will be called a baby-killing hater-of-the-poor, or worse...
And in the end, those of us that can afford to will go to MEXICO for good care, just like Canadians come here now...
Many people here FORGET that Bush's strength was comprimising these huge Dem givaways by accepting PART of it, and claiming it as his own, thus difusing the Dem's Great Hammer......
The only difference being that Obama's plan is to cover every American and Edward's plan is to cover every lawyer.
Oooh, oooh, Hillary! Pick me! Pick me!!!
So BOTH our flaming socialists are waving the hammer-and-sickle pushing for disasterous socialized medicine....notice that NIETHER of them can expound upon the VIRTURES of socialized medicine because there are none -- just go talk to Canadians about their great system...how few people it servers compared to the USA population and ask them why they keep coming to the USA for health care...
"He said Americans pay $15 billion in taxes to help care for the uninsured."
Oh, so now the Democrats are proposing another program to solve the problem they created with Medicare? And who's going to pay for the health insurance?
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