General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsOUCH:"“If I had known” Mr. Obama said, according to the aide, “we could have delayed the website.” "
If I had known, Mr. Obama said, according to the aide, we could have delayed the website.Mr. Obamas anger, described by a White House that has repeatedly sought to show that the president was unaware of the extent of the websites problems, has lit a fire under the West Wing staff. Senior aides are racing to make sure the website is fixed by the end of the month as they confront the political fallout from presidential promises, now broken, that all Americans who liked their existing health care plans could keep them.
Inside the White House, there is anxiety that if the health care problems are not righted, they could imperil the rest of Mr. Obamas presidency, especially as criticism grows that the president misled consumers about the plan. Mr. Obama sought to tamp down that criticism by apologizing in an interview with NBC News on Thursday. I am sorry that they, you know, are finding themselves in this situation, based on assurances they got from me, the president said.
MORE:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/09/us/politics/a-white-house-in-crisis-mode-but-some-allies-prod-for-more.html?hp
leftstreet
(36,076 posts)Ugh
Xipe Totec
(43,872 posts)He was between a rock and an elephant.
Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)Folks still could have signed up via mail, by phone, and in person - if the website launch had been delayed.
So, that would not have been good enough for the republicans.
Xipe Totec
(43,872 posts)Sept. 29: GOP-led House changes its demands from defunding Obamacare to delaying the implementation of the law for one year and repealing its tax on medical devices.
Sept. 30: The Democratic-led Senate rejects that reworked House proposal. Bill returns to the House, who once again rework their demands. This time, instead of the Sept. 29th provisions, the House GOP asks that the president delay for one year Obamacares individual mandate to buy health insurance; and that the president require Congress and its staff to pay unsubsidized health insurance costs. The Senate rejects those provisions, and so
Oct. 1: Commence (partial) government shutdown. 800,000 federal workers furloughed.
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/a-brief-history-of-the-2013-government-shutdown/
Other parts of the law, such as the employer mandate, a major provision of the law that requires companies with over 50 full-time employees to provide health insurance or pay a penalty, for one year was already delayed.
Delaying the launch of the website would be perceived as delaying the implementation of the law and you can bet the pugs would have jumped on that with both feet and used it to "prove" that they forced the President to cave.
Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)Delaying the website would not delay the law - folks would just be forced to sign up by mail, phone, or in person.
But of course the GOP would 'spin' it as they got 'their way' but in reality they wouldn't have.
Xipe Totec
(43,872 posts)This had to be perceived by the public as a complete and utter defeat for the GOP. The President had to show absolute and unquestionable determination to hold the line. There had to be absolutely no way to link the delay of the website to the government shutdown. Otherwise, the GOP would argue that the shutdown achieved some results. and then, they would do it again.
B2G
(9,766 posts)They will say the shutdown needn't have ever happened.
Wait Wut
(8,492 posts)I'll call b.s. based on that, alone.
cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)It is normal journalistic practice to name someone by their job-title in the first appearance of their name, and "Mr." thenceforth.
The OP is an excerpt.
kiva
(4,373 posts)the first two words are "President Obama" and there are several references to 'the president' throughout the article...but don't let that get in the way of trashing an article you haven't read.
Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)Lied to so we could go to war, no mushroom clouds, and no mission accomplished. Americans are so stupid. If you can't keep the insurance you have, you just might qualify for medicaid. The WH is making too much of this. Fuck the GOP.
spanone
(135,627 posts)VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)but can you imagine the criticism if he had of pushed it back?
Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)deutsey
(20,166 posts)Unfortunately, none of what has happened here is surprising.
It's quite typical, actual.
B2G
(9,766 posts)It likely won't be functioning very well in 2 months.
They should pull the plug and devise a backup plan. Trying to fix a system this broken that's still open to end users is like trying to nail jello on a wall...frustrating for everyone.
The real issue is what to do for the folks whose policies have already been cancelled but can't enroll. I hope that's issue number one they're trying to figure out.
Mass
(27,315 posts)Before posting these types of things, read this.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/29/anonymous-sources-guide-washington_n_4175565.html
Source/person/aide/official familiar with the situation: This is a source, most likely a spokesperson, who has been briefed about something, but was not personally present for the meeting. It's a way of confirming information without attaching a particular office to it. But think about all the situations with which you are familiar -- would you put a lot of stock in what you have to say about those situations? If you just answered yes, you have probably appeared in multiple political stories lately
I have no doubt that the White House and the president are frustrated by this mess, but somebody defined as "the aide" is most likely just somebody dropping a quote to please a reporter.
Frankly so many stupid things in this article like this.
People expect us to fix the damn website, a senior White House adviser said. But they want us to move on, and stay focused on improving the economy.
I would hope that the White House can do more than one thing at the same time.