Posted on 09/03/2009 1:52:05 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache
Obama Speech to Hit on Familiar Themes By David M. Drucker Roll Call Staff Sept. 3, 2009, 4:10 p.m.
When President Barack Obama addresses a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, he will try to resuscitate a health care reform effort that’s been badly bruised and battered over the August recess.
But according to talking points being circulated in the Senate by the White House in advance of Obama’s prime-time speech, at least some of the president’s message will remain the same: Obama will frame the health care debate as one that pits those who want to improve the system against those who support the status quo.
“The speech will make clear what health insurance reform means,” reads one of the memo’s bullet points.
Another bullet point reads: “After this speech, opponents of health reform will either need to propose their own plan, or explain why they think it’s best to do nothing while premiums crush American families and thousands lose their coverage everyday.”
Obama is expected to use the speech to more specifically define his principles for reform. However, it remains unclear if he will throw down the gauntlet on some of the more contentious issues that have divided the Congress, including whether any overhaul should include a public insurance option to compete with private insurers.
The talking points suggest that Obama will tout the progress the House and Senate have made on the issue so far, despite the fact that neither chamber has passed a measure amid intra and interparty objections. And the president might also look to downplay the significance of recent town hall meetings across the country in which some Members encountered angry crowds and protests.
“It is important to recognize how far we have come,” reads one of the memo’s bullet points. “Four out of Five House and Senate committees have marked up bills. There is basically 80 percent agreement among those bills and all of them are in line with the principles laid out by the president at the beginning of this debate.”
“We are entering a new phase in the debate, Congress is coming back from recess,” says the next bullet point. “While cable news may have replayed over and over a few the protests that took place over August, Members of Congress also heard from Americans who are struggling with high costs and the insecurity of knowing they might lose their coverage. Thousands of conversations have taken place at kitchen tables around the country. It is pretty clear here in Washington that inaction is not an option.”
What a flat-out liar.
"I am an incompetent buffoon swimming in waters far too deep"
0be needs to explain how more people getting quality health care is going to cost less. Other than not cutting people’s feet off for $50K a pop, I haven’t seen the path to improved efficiency.
“Obama Speech to Hit on Familiar Themes “
Excellent, I’ll be wearing my hip boots.
Familiarity breeds contempt.
Will he have the Roman Columns brought back for effect?
How about "I don't want my life or death determined by some GS-9 bureaucrat in Washington".
“It is important to recognize how far we have come,” reads one of the memo’s bullet points. “Four out of Five House and Senate committees have marked up bills. There is basically 80 percent agreement among those bills and all of them are in line with the principles laid out by the president at the beginning of this debate.”
So, it was essentially BS when some senators tried to claim that the House bill wasn't there, so they didn't have to answer for it and would only talk about the (secret) Senate bills.
Since all those bills are essentially the same, they should all be tossed in the shredder.
Perfect, just build the new hospitals out of foam too. That’ll save $billions.
Obama Speech to Hit on Familiar ThemesHope, change, uhh, hope, ahhh, spread the wealth around, change, uhhhh, shared sacrifice, uhhhh, the fierce urgency of now, uhhh, hope, ahhh, Bush's fault, uhhhhhh, change, uhhhhhh, yes we can, uhhhhh, typical white people, uhhhh, god damn America, uhhhhh, hope, ahhhh, change...
Let’s see.... “We must act now or else”, “No longer will Americans suffer without healthcare”, “The previous administraction screwed everything up”, “The evil rich have had everything to themselves for too long”, etc., etc.
Love it. They are STILL not taking the protests seriously and trying to dismiss them as made up by cable news. It will cost the DEMS dearly in '10 if they try to shove it down the peoples throat.
Hail,Barackus-We who are about to die salute you!
“Will he have the Roman Columns brought back for effect?”
LOL LOL LOL!!!
Wouldn’t it be fun to see the Congressional reps holding up Tea Party type signs in the middle of the speech? //wicked grin//
I like the “few” protests line. Who are they kidding? They are going on across the country every day.
He wants to frame it that way, but it will only succeed for him if we allow him to frame it that way.
We CANNOT allow the premise to stand that those who support this plan want to improve the system. That is key.
It may be true that they THINK it will improve the system, but we need to make sure people understand that they not only have no evidence that their plan will improve it, there is ample and documented history and logic that this plan will be a disaster from which there will be no turning back for generations.
He wants to paint this as those opposing this government takeover have no ideas and only want things to stay as they are, contrasted against those who want to make it better for everyone and save money.
If conservatives allow him and his fellow travelers to frame the issue in this fashion, they will win with the large number of people who will accept that premise at face value.
More lies and Platitudes... Obama is Fake as a $3 bill.
There is only one side trying to be bipartisan and that is the Republicans. Nancy Pelosi has shut down all debate in Congress regarding this issue and has drafted a Socialist government takeover plan and thats what has people up in arms.
If he truly wants bi-partisanship he will
Address the High cost of Medical malpractice insurance and tort reform and how that increases medical costs.
Drop any option that appears to be Government take over in the form of a Public Option.
Talk about pooling of existing insurance resources across state lines.
Talk about tax incentives for Health Savings Accounts to help people better use that option.
Talk about people taking ownership of their Healthcare.
Talk to the young people about how their health insurance should be a factor in their budgets just like their car insurance is.
Talk about personal responsibility and the need to reduce risky lifestyle choices.
But he won’t talk about these things because then he truly would be Bi-partisan. Instead he will continue to BLAME conservatives for the position that we are in and allie himself with the Radical leftwing Progressives that want marxist socialism in America.
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