Posted on 03/10/2010 4:24:34 PM PST by seanmerc
WASHINGTON -- Finally!
President Barack Obama has at last zeroed in on the greedy health insurance companies and their opposition to health reform.
It’s about time.
The president also seems to have awakened the public to the fact that congressional Republicans have mounted a solid wall of resistance to serious efforts at improving the American health care system.
Obama is now in the final chapter of his year-long effort to win legislation that would make health insurance affordable and accessible to more Americans, 46 million of whom lack coverage.
The Republicans have been admirable for their party discipline: They have formed a united front against the president, mainly on grounds of cost and fears of "socialism."
At the same time, cost apparently is not a problem in congressional readiness to shell out for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Billions are spent every week for those wars and for the hundreds of military bases we maintain around the world. But the blatant needs of deprived Americans are ignored by their elected representatives.
The president, who in the past has been cool -- too cool in the heat of the battle, toughened up this week in a stern address at Arcadia University near Philadelphia.
"We can’t have a system that works better for the insurance companies than it does for the American people," Obama said.
The president’s campaign coincides with soaring public anger against the insurance companies, which have been raising their premiums steadily. They have made themselves rich targets for the Obama administration.
While Obama was speaking Wednesday in suburban St. Louis about his endorsement of Republican proposals to root out fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid, he unleashed Kathleen Sebelius, his secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, to get into the wrestling ring with the health insurance industry.
Speaking at a meeting of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the insurance industry’s trade group, Sebelius challenged the industry to stop its whining opposition to reform.
According to the American Medical Association, 99 percent of all metropolitan health insurance markets are “highly concentrated,” Sebelius said. This means "that there are only a handful of cities in the entire country where there is real choice and competition.
"When Americans have so few choices, can you blame them for being frustrated when their premiums go up 10 times faster than the cost of health care?"
Sebelius continued: “So you have a choice. You can choose to continue your opposition to reform. . . . Or, instead of spending your energy attacking the parts of the president’s proposal you don’t like, you can use it to strengthen the parts you do."
Meanwhile, the Democratic leaders in Congress are trying to count votes and decide when -- and whether -- they should schedule votes on health reform legislation.
Obama has staked a lot on this issue, which he has made the hallmark of his first year in office. Some say that he has been so hungry to enact a program that he has lowered the bar too much to appease those members of Congress who really don’t want it at all.
It’s my regret that Obama ignored the supporters of a single payer health insurance program, which would create a government-run health insurance agency to compete with private insurers -- to help keep them honest.
Yoo-hoo, Helen Thomas ping list members! FReepmail me if you'd like to be added to the list.
A deadly case of nausea.
Funny she didn’t mention the greedy commies in the White House who want total control of the banking industy, the automotive industy and now the health industy. Come on Helen! Do your Fn job you slob!!! Knock off the suckin’ up to Barry. You’re destroying the reputations of those who came before in your profession.
Obama doesn’t like insurance companies, banks, doctors, auto companies etc. In his eyes, they’re all greedy robbers that need to be vigorously controlled by the government. And he “claims” he’s not a Socialist.
That poor cat.
Those are some homely pixels, my FRiend! And they complain about all the bandwidth that I use! :-)
This is unretouched?
I guess I have to feel a little sympathetic for her, having to carry around that phizzog.
Wuz she always this ugly?? She is scary ugly.
Lol!
I vote we boot you off FR!!!!!
I just thought you deserved a little eye candy today....:P
It’s big. I know. This thread deserves it.
Only SATAN could have provided the Seed for this Horrendous Monstrosity!! This picture must be submitted to the Guiness Book of World Records for the Absolute Udliest Human Being?
My computer screen just blew out!!!!!!!!!
All’s she needs is the coffin....
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