Response to President's Health Care Speech (Sarah Palin)

Sarah Palin's Facebook ^ | 9 September 2009 | Sarah Palin

[PhatHead]

After all the rhetoric is put aside, one principle ran through President Obama’s speech tonight: that increased government involvement in health care can solve its problems.

Many Americans fundamentally disagree with this idea. We know from long experience that the creation of a massive new bureaucracy will not provide us with “more stability and security,” but just the opposite. It's hard to believe the President when he says that this time he and his team of bureaucrats have finally figured out how to do things right if only we’ll take them at their word.

Our objections to the Democrats’ health care proposals are not mere “bickering” or “games.” They are not an attempt to “score short term political points.” And it’s hard to listen to the President lecture us not to use “scare tactics” when in the next breath he says that “more will die” if his proposals do not pass.

In his speech the President directly responded to concerns I’ve raised about unelected bureaucrats being given power to make decisions affecting life or death health care matters. He called these concerns “bogus,” “irresponsible,” and “a lie” -- so much for civility. After all the name-calling, though, what he did not do is respond to the arguments we’ve made, arguments even some of his own supporters have agreed have merit.

In fact, after promising to “make sure that no government bureaucrat .... gets between you and the health care you need,” the President repeated his call for an Independent Medicare Advisory Council -- an unelected, largely unaccountable group of bureaucrats charged with containing Medicare costs. He did not disavow his own statement that such a group, working outside of “normal political channels,” should guide decisions regarding that “huge driver of cost ... the chronically ill and those toward the end of their lives....” He did not disavow the statements of his health care advisor, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, and continuing to pay his salary with taxpayer dollars proves a commitment to his beliefs. The President can keep making unsupported assertions, but until he directly responds to the arguments I’ve made, I’m going to call him out too.

It was heartening to hear the President finally recognize that tort reform is an important part of any solution. But this concession shouldn’t lead us to take our eye off the ball: the Democrats’ proposals will not reduce costs, and they will not deliver better health care. It’s this kind of “healthy skepticism of government” that truly reflects a “concern and regard for the plight of others.” We can’t wait to hear the details on that; we look forward to working with you on tort reform.

Finally, President Obama delivered an offhand applause line tonight about the cost of the War on Terror. As we approach the anniversary of the September 11th attacks and honor those who died that day and those who have died since in the War on Terror, in order to secure our freedoms, we need to remember their sacrifices and not demonize them as having had too high a price tag.

Remember, Mr. President, elected officials work for the people. Forcing a conclusion in order to claim a “victory” is not healthy for our country. We hear you say government isn’t always the answer; now hear us -- that’s what we’ve been saying all along.

[ScottinVA]

“It may take a huge depression, but... “

If that be the case to save the country, then so be it!

[Tolik]

Sarah Palin:

After all the rhetoric is put aside, one principle ran through President Obama’s speech tonight: that increased government involvement in health care can solve its problems.

Many Americans fundamentally disagree with this idea. We know from long experience that the creation of a massive new bureaucracy will not provide us with “more stability and security,” but just the opposite. It's hard to believe the President when he says that this time he and his team of bureaucrats have finally figured out how to do things right if only we’ll take them at their word.

Our objections to the Democrats’ health care proposals are not mere “bickering” or “games.” They are not an attempt to “score short term political points.” And it’s hard to listen to the President lecture us not to use “scare tactics” when in the next breath he says that “more will die” if his proposals do not pass.

In his speech the President directly responded to concerns I’ve raised about unelected bureaucrats being given power to make decisions affecting life or death health care matters. He called these concerns “bogus,” “irresponsible,” and “a lie” -- so much for civility. After all the name-calling, though, what he did not do is respond to the arguments we’ve made, arguments even some of his own supporters have agreed have merit.

In fact, after promising to “make sure that no government bureaucrat .... gets between you and the health care you need,” the President repeated his call for an Independent Medicare Advisory Council -- an unelected, largely unaccountable group of bureaucrats charged with containing Medicare costs.

... Remember, Mr. President, elected officials work for the people. Forcing a conclusion in order to claim a “victory” is not healthy for our country. We hear you say government isn’t always the answer; now hear us -- that’s what we’ve been saying all along.

Nailed It!

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[dubie]

[nanetteclaret]

I've wondered about that myself. One would expect that after having been imprisoned and tortured, that he would have revulsion for anything looking or sounding communist. Instead, he gives them a pass at all turns. Something is really wrong with his judgment or else he is a fellow traveler himself.

[riri]

I don’t think she was disrespectful. She was analyzing his behaviors and what connections the tortures may have had influencing them. I think it is a valid assumption.

[ScottinVA]

A man brutually tortured as a prisoner of war should not be mocked in such a fashion. Whether you support his policies or not... do not mock his stint in the Hanoi Hilton. He did this country proud.

Amen to that. I'll blast away all day about his fecklessness in policy matters, but insofar as his experiences as a POW, in THAT arena, McCain will always have my admiration. I've met a lot of former POWs, and those who haven't experienced it can never understand it enough to criticize those who have.

[ScottinVA]

Even in pics that aren’t her best, Sarah still looks radiant.

[SupplySider]

Ms. Palin's statements are more coherent than anything coming out of Washington.

In a fair world, Tina Fey would be apologizing for her mistaken characterization of the governor, and Tracy Morgan would be doing devastating caricatures of Obama saying you can trust the government.

[mkjessup]

I have posted many times that McCain is a casualty of war, and I stand by it.

Agreed. The irony of it all is, had McCain died as a result of the torture of his captors, he would most likely have become a conservative hero along the lines of Captain John Birch, who is generally recognized as the first casualty of the Cold War.

[ArrogantBustard]

Zero would wet his pants and have a vapor even thinking about doing that.

[NoRedTape]

"The hell he is! What he has done in the “U.S Senate” since being a “hero” has more then shown him for the coward and left wing nut he became. I would never want to go where he was but what he is now and the laws he has helped to pass are borderline treason to the Constitution of this the United States of America."
His heroism was from his service in the Armed Forces. I thank him for that.And, I thank him for introducing Sarah Palin to the World.

Palin/Jindal '09

[carton253]

You and I are just going to have to honestly disagree about that then.

[Awestruck]

She’s right as usual..we need more just like her.

[afnamvet]

Sarah hits it out of the park.

[stylecouncilor]

Thanks!

[MattinNJ]

I cannot spare this woman. She fights.

God, I hope she wins in 2012.

[MattinNJ]

Bravo. I was also going to call the poster out on that. I disagree with McCain on many things, but he is undeniably a hero that deserves nothing but respect-even when in disagreement. He earned at least that.

[Sarah Barracuda]

Yeah, I was blocked from posting anything. Some liberal must have had me banned. Bastards

[RocketMan1]

Obama's all wee weed up...again.

Or in the case of our former Coke-snorter, Doobie-toker in Chief: "All wee weeded up!"

[RocketMan1]

I disagree with McCain on many things, but he is undeniably a hero that deserves nothing but respect

I agree and have always respected his service. BUT I will NEVER forgive him for his actions as a politician!