Posted on 09/09/2009 9:52:51 PM PDT by 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.
This one’s for you Ms. Palin!!
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7795961
You’ve got more backbone than the whole lot of them!!!
Pretty cogent resppnse.
I hope she shows up on Sat to lead the Keynote address.
Now that would be a great surprise guest to the 9-12 event.
obama is a politican, a partisan, who lies and speak from both sides of his mouth. he talks about creating jobs, yet destroy them, he talks about helping the poor, yet hurt the poor. Obama has no credibility at all in any of his promises
I’m sure Axelrod is asking himself why they encouraged all those crazy idiots in Alaska to “force” her out of office.
I love how she responded 0’s speech tonight. Tomorrow there will be two talking points: 1) Wilson’s “liar” outburst and 2) Sarah’s attack.
This is an excellent response, and she threw all 0’s points back to his face. She is forcing him to spell out his plan. Force his socialist tendencies in the open. This is becoming a debate between Sarah and 0.
Applause for Sarah.
She makes her points clearly and concisely, saying more in a few paragraphs than 0 does in any of his big speeches.
I appreciate your efforts at pushing potentially unknown content, but could it be a tad less... wow?
Geez! What a response after only being posted for 41 minutes!!
I see the members of the communist faction are spreading their ill messages on Sarah’s facebook page. They love Obama so much that they hate anyone else.
Sarah’s voice of reason and intelligence is a foreign language to them. As they cry “more government” and “more for free” they do not sense the new costs that will swamp them and this nation.
We'll hear obama's response as soon as his teleprompter guy gets into work tomorrow.
He's still an American hero, and that comment was uncalled for.
Its only fitting if Sarah had given the official rebuttal on TV.
‘Maybe he learned how to submit to communists in Viet Nam????’
I got a bit mad when I first read this line, but you know what? Maybe you’re right. I never thought of it that way before.
She took him to the woodshed. They’ll have to respond, like they already did earlier today...and she will show herself driving the debate and the dialogue.
What is a shame is that some liberal ass clown banned me from posting on her facebook page. So what I did is created a new account so that I can post there, unfreakinbelieveable isn’t it. I get banned for supporting her but liberal pricks can go there and smear her
Word!
Again, no disrespect intended to McCain. He is a war hero.
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