In Speech, Obama Will Not Insist on Public Option

[Zenlitened]

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — President Obama will talk about the advantages of a public-insurance option in his nationally televised address to a joint session of Congress on health insurance reform Wednesday night, but he will not insist on it, the White House said on Wednesday afternoon.

"Security and stability" for those who do not have health insurance, and for those who do, will be a paramount theme for the president, with a public option a possible means to an end rather than an end in itself, White House officials said. They briefed journalists on condition that the details of Mr. Obama’s remarks be withheld until he speaks.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/us/politics/10obama.html?_r=1&hp

---

Well, so much for withholding details of his remarks until he speaks. :wtf:

[Ikkru]

1. If that's true...

then what's the damn point???

[Robb]

46. I was going to reply to you and tell you it turns out it wasn't true at all..

...But I suspect you already knew that. :D

Enjoy your dirt nap.

[mike_c]

2. the selling out of the electorate continues unabated....

Change you can believe in. Right.

:puke:

[MNDemNY]

10. Here, have some more kool-aid and take a nap. It will all be over , soon.

Greater minds than ours will take care of this pesky issue. It's a chess game, don't you know.

[Autumn]

61. I thought the

point in playing chess was to win.

[DaLittle Kitty]

71. Did You See That Hilldebrand Dude? I Knew That He Would Be "Back On Board W/ BO!

The whole NY Times Ad was just part of the "screen play" Just a f*ck'n scam and trick on the progressive community! A SCAM! They must think that we R MORONS!!!1

[fascisthunter]

3. well then... he will lots of support

and so will the party as a whole.

[Ian David]

4. THE CAKE IS A LIE! n/t

[Coventina]

5. Of course not! Because that would require political risk!

It seems "Change We Can Believe In" really means "What Our Critics Are Okay With".

GAHHHHH!

Obama, I want to believe you are better than this.

:mad:

:-(

[MNDemNY]

8. But we MUST compromise, we can't get EVERYTHING !

Obama knows what is best for us. shut up, sit down and do as you are told.

[xultar]

12. Tee heehee. I agree with what you're trying to say. Whether we like it or not

though it is reality.

And what is funny is, people were trying to tell y'all to watch out for this during the primaries and no one listened.

Once Obama became president he inherited all the people, not just us. He said so on his election night speech.

He'll get something passed. It won't have the PO and people will be POed.

I said it yesterday that is what was coming. But many shot me down.

[Demeter]

29. If the GOP Jumped off a Cliff...

why in hell would any Democrat, especially Obama, follow?

[natrat]

40. dude, it has nothing to do with R or D, that's just a distraction

America is being sold out and the bureaucrats and politicians are now actively working against the state, sory. You can only be fooled so many times. Although around here it might take a bit longer.

[lovepg]

72. To show bipartisanship??? nt

[rucky]

14. and like it!

[cutlassmama]

6. Then he'll be a one-term President n/t

[IndianaGreen]

11. Afghanistan is the albatross around Obama's neck

and ultimately it will be Afghanistan, and not anything else, that will be the undoing of the Obama Administration as Vietnam was Johnson's. Of course, Obama can always admit his escalation of the war was a mistake and bring all the troops home ASAP, but considering all the war hawks he has surrounded himself with, I don't see anyone around Obama that can do to him what Clark Clifford did to Johnson: bring him to his senses.

[amandabeech]

33. The economy is also an albatross around Obama's neck.

If the employment picture doesn't look a lot better than it does today in 2010 and especially 2012, Obama will be out.

Unfortunately, the Republicans don't have anyone who is even remotely reasonable to run.

We could end up with a yo-yoing White House for a few terms because neither party comes up with a candidate who can do a decent job with multiple very serious problems.

Lincoln had one job, and that was to see us through the civil war, which he thought meant holding the union together. Even FDR got to focus on the economy first for several years before he had to focus on the serious possibility of war, too.

Now the economy is in the crapper despite two decent sized wars going on. Plus health care, education, climate (with energy) whatever it is that my aging brain can't remember right now.

[Grinchie]

25. He already IS a one term President

He knew that months ago, so why rock the boat when the DLC is sailing full speed ahead in a Corporate Orgy?

He has a wife and kids to think about you know.

[mvd]

7. Respectfully, I think he should

It's crunch time. But he's the President and may know more than I do.

[DJ13]

9. This is called an easy letdown

Obama wants people to think he wants a program he knows is popular nationwide (PO), but he doesnt really want it and he's expecting it to get killed off in the final bill.

Talk it up now, but remain on the sidelines during the actual Congressional Reconciliation,and his advisors believe he will be insulated from criticism when theres no public option passed.

They're wrong, he will pay dearly for his betrayal from his base, but they dont give two shits about the base until its reelection time anyway.

[MNDemNY]

15. He's playing chess, before we know it...Pooof ...Single payer!

He's magic, you know.

[villager]

13. and the surprise here would be....?

n/t

[Iowa]

16. I knew it! Our Caspar Milquetoast president caves to the corps again.

[polichick]

17. Valerie Jarrett told Andrea Mitchell today that he won't make ultimatums...

...maybe because an ultimatum would make healthcare look like a complete fail if he didn't get the public option.

[aikanae]

18. The end of the Democratic Party

No one will believe them again or believe they have good intentions but no power to do anything.
This really was it.

[dflprincess]

19. They have the power,

they just choose to do nothing rather than upset their corporate contributors.

[aikanae]

23. No Power with Blue Dogs

They don't have the power. They have Blue Dogs instead. Right on the Blue Dog website it states they will not vote for a public option and always has said that. They were formed in '95, after the Clinton Plan failed, by a Republican. If the "public option" (lousy name) fails it will be because it was an inside job.

[pa28]

26. Yep. It's a mistake to think this is about weakness.

It's about representing corporate interests and then trying to frame it as pragmatism.

[ShortnFiery]

37. "It's about representing corporate interests and then trying to frame it as pragmatism."

Spot on! This is what it's all about. We get to vote for one of two corporate duopolies.

We're now The Corporate States of America ... have fully morphed and it started with Reagan.

It don't matter if you're covered with "a pre-existing condition" if you GO BROKE paying super high premiums. :eyes:

[EndElectoral]

20. I will wait until I watch the speech, but without a line in the sand my support goes elsewhere

[Lorien]

21. Yep. nt

[Zorra]

22. I want you to do it, but I will not insist that you do it, but of course you do know

that I will totally kick your ass if you don't do it. Unless, of course, you can provide me with a more effective plan, which we all already know that you can't - so it would be wise not to waste any more of my time. So quit stalling and get this done, or, believe me, you will pay.

(There's a lot of ambiguity in the phrase "will not insist")

[SergeStorms]

47. The eternal optimist.........

it's always refreshing to see someone swim against the current, whether it be an exercise in futility, or not. :hi:

[yurbud]

24. any other means of giving health care to all will be a windfall for insurance criminals

[Doctor_J]

27. He's making Bill Clinton look brave by comparison

During the primaries I wrote a 50-rec treatise on how I was supporting Obama because I feared Prez Hil would mean 4 more years of appeasement to the likes of Limpballs, Boner, and Inhofe. I can't link to it because that forum hasn't been archived, but it was really good.

I am crushed. I will give no more money to the DNC. I won't walk the district handing out fliers. My Dem Congressman in a red district is now doomed to a single term. The House will likely go Repuke next year, because there is simply no reason for any of us to even go to the polls, let alone work.

The worst of this is that it is all due to hate radio. When we are ready to rid the world of Beck, Limpballs, Hannity, and all the rest of them, we will have a chance to take the country back. I'm taking a break from politics for awhile. If you know of a group that is planning to take care of hate radio, let me know, because nothing else we can do is of any value.

[ima_sinnic]

28. thanks for nothing, you weak fucking LIAR

and months ago, when I said "change" was a fraud and I wanted my campaign contributions back, I was severely chastised and ridiculed.

Hey, Obama, you've still got a few unquestioning cheerleaders, but that's ALL you're going to have now--until you show how expendable they are, too.

If tonight's speech is somehow NOT what I am expecting, I will be the first to reply to myself that I posted bullshit.

[bc3000]

30. He will make the case for it, now WE must insist on it.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AusDem]

39. nice, real nice

you are basically just proving pretty much everything RWs have been saying:

- "he's an empty suit"
- "he'll be the worst president ever"
- "oh, the shine has come off now hasn't it you libtards"

way to go off the edge completely.

take a chill pill and wait this one out.

Does anyone have a link to all the achievements that Obama had in the first 100 days? somebody needs to put that up again so that edc can stop hyperventilating.

[natrat]

41. that is old and stale, even the stupid on our side are starting to get it

[AusDem]

56. get what?

that its hard to get things done in washington? that it takes more than a snap of his fingers to pass the most consistently failed piece of legislation in modern history?

sorry for the use of cliches, but they are appropriate. I'm not saying you can't be disappointed in how things have been going, and passionate about what you believe is right, but some of the reactions are ridiculous. But hey, if that's old and stale, you're free to say so.

[Libertas1776]

32. Come 2012, I'm voting for this guy

It's better than four more years of this guy.

http://www.notmytribe.com/tag/interrogation

[Freddie Stubbs]

36. That clown Moore supported Pat Buchanan:

Although Moore has fluctuated between volunteering on campaigns for independents (John Anderson in 1980; Ralph Nader in 2004) and Democrats (George McGovern in 1972), he supported Pat Buchanan as the Reform Party candidate in 2000. "I did because he was for fair trade over free trade. He had some progressive positions that I thought would be helpful to the common man. It's bitten me now. People have been critical of me for being in the Reform Party."

more: http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A266409

[AusDem]

57. wait, aren't we supposed to be AGAINST comparing obama to hitler?

[humbled_opinion]

34. ENOUGH !!

I don't care anymore public option no public option triggers, co-ops, whatever. People need to stop taking this out on Obama like it is his fault. He is doing the BEST he can. If we have Democratic leaders that will not get onboard that is not Obama's fault. He needs to say plainly who are the obstacles to this BILL obviously we know all Repukes are but we have enough Democrats int he House and Senate to do this without Repukes at all.

Put the names of the DEMOCRATS that oppose public option out there and we need to launch serious discussion with them. Force them to get on board or they will be campaigned against in the next election.

A Blue Dog only has some conservatives that vote for him he can never get elected if he doesn't have Democrats voting for him...


ENOUGH !

[knixphan]

38. exactly.

There were 3 branches, last time I checked.

And how many people backed Dennis in the primary?

[ThorDem]

60. I did - Vegans Unite!

[enlightenment]

44. Then back out of the discussion.

But don't you DARE suggest anyone should be quiet because YOU have had 'enough'.

I'm listening to weasel words - and Congress didn't write his damned speech.

Go polish your rose colored glasses and think up some more excuses for the President.

[humbled_opinion]

75. I never suggested anyone be quiet

If you actually read my post and digested it instead of scanning it and coming to a false conclusion, then you would have seen that my post, is a rant at US, that we as the grassroots should be doing more to make it clear to the "BLUE DOGS" or whatever the hold up is that we will not support them if they do not get onboard with a single payer.

Have you done your part or is Obama just supposed to carry us all?

[ShortnFiery]

35. Lovely.

If President Obama does not DEMAND a robust Public Option, I'm through ...

Enough! Indeed. :grr:

[AusDem]

66. so whats the verdict then?

[LSK]

42. Computer says no....

Wrong.

I believe he JUST SAID he will not back down from a public option.

[bread_and_roses]

50. Did I not hear "this will not be open to those who have insurance?"

Because if I did - and though I was driving, and I admit already in a red hot rage over the things he was saying, like REQUIRING individuals to contribute to the Ins Cos profits by BUYING insurance - I believe that is what I heard, until I can check it against a transcript - but if it was what I heard, that is NOT an option - it is a pool of last resort for the sickest and poorest who somehow do not qualify for Medicare/Medicaid - and NOT combining it with either/and Medicare/medicaid means a whole 'nother system, unnecessarly adding to what no doubt will already be the high cost of caring for the sickest and poorest. This stinks, sucks, it is not what millions of us worked for, it is a sham and a sell-out and a colossal defeat for "the public" he purports to serve.

[jgraz]

51. Where?

Here's the text of the speech. Where did he "just say" that he "will not back down" from a public option?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8639359


The public option is only a means to that end – and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal.

Hmmm... that doesn't sound like "not backing down" to me.

[LSK]

68. this is what I was referring to

"But I will not back down on the basic principle that if Americans can’t find affordable coverage, we will provide you with a choice."


Who is "we"???

[jgraz]

73. Sounds like a trigger to me

Which is a far cry from a true public option.

ETA: Read his speech again. He goes to great pains to make it clear that a public option is not essential to healthcare reform.

[Fire1]

43. Well, THAT turned out to be another LIE!! n/t

[high density]

45. yeah, that was crackpot reporting for sure

What is the purpose of these lies?

[TheEuclideanOne]

48. OBAMA YOU ARE DEAD TO ME!!!!!!!!

There is nothing more to say. All of a sudden, the mute switch will be automatically going on in my head when Obama is speaking.

[izzybeans]

49. Then you missed him insist on

a public option.

a weak one, but a public one.

[TheEuclideanOne]

52. Yeah, whatever.

I heard him say that he would not sign a bill that would not pay for itself. I didn't hear him say that he would not sign a bill unless it contained a public option. If you have been paying attention, you will know exactly why that ommission is so significant.

[izzybeans]

74. uh huh.

[Sabiancym]

53. We must have been watching a different speech.

I heard him insist on a public option for those who need it. Which is what I thought the point was. Help those who can't afford health care.


Did you guys really think that'd we'd get a Canadian style health care system overnight?

[TheEuclideanOne]

69. We heard the same speech, but were listening for different things.

To be honest, I was listening for one thing and one thing only. I wanted to hear a strong line in the sand, one that involved threatening a Veto if no Public option was involved. Without him taking a strong stance on it, it is political speak for sacrificing it. Period. You know that as well as I do. Without his taking a strong stance on it earlier, he did not set a good lead for the congress to follow. We may not get a Canadian style health care system overnight, but if we don't fight for it now, it will NEVER happen.

[AusDem]

59. so what you're saying is you don't care anymore

ok, good night, thanks for playing

it was actually a pretty decent speech IMO. unfortunately not a game changer, but he did take it to the repubs, and they shouted back like the little whiney children that they are.

[TheEuclideanOne]

64. It was a great speech. In fact, his great speaking skills will now work against him.

If he does not follow through on what he says, what does the delivery matter? I am starting to feel like all of those folks who say that he gives a great speech, with the negative connotation that it means that the words are pretty but there is no substance. Nonetheless, without a Public Option, all of the little changes become meaningless and may or may not work. No substance. He got elected on a platform of change and he caved in at a time when he could not have any more conditions in favor of the democrats. No public option means that there is no significant change. None! Nada! Zip! Thanks for playing.

On top of that, tonight is the night that we found out his official position on a public option!!! Tonight!!!! Fucking tonight!!! As great as a communicator as he is, how could he fail so significantly in getting a message out that nobody even knew his position on the most important position in this debate?

Last but not least, at what point does he realize that no matter what he promises that republicans will not support anythin he proposes. When will he wake up? When does he stop pretending that they have any goals other than making him fail. It is not about issues to them and they are not even shy about making that clear.

[pjt7]

54. please remove this post

as it's b.s.

[Endangered Specie]

55. Musta been watching an alternate universe speech then

[natrat]

58. uh oh

[Deep13]

62. Sounded like universal coverage to me.

It also sounds like insurance companies will be reduced to a nominally corporate arm of Federal health care policy. I'm not hearing much to dislike. And there is still a public option for those without coverage.

[AusDem]

65. but, but, but, but Obama is a corporate sellout whore, haven't u heard?

[kevsters]

63. Video of Republican yelling LIAR during speech.

Here is a clip of Republican Joe Wilson yelling LIAR!!!

http://progressnotcongress.org/?p=2855

[underpants]

67. Wellt he NY Times really hit it on the head ...huh?

:rofl:

[Endangered Specie]

70. In other NYTimes news: Dewey Defeats Truman, Kerry's VP pick: Gephardt