What we will have next year that we don't have now:

[Raven]

- no existing condition exclusion
- no caps on coverage
- control of premium costs
- coverage affordable to more people

...among other things.

This is far from perfect but it is a beginning. Given that no other President has been able to get this far, I think Obama deserves my gratitude and support.

As far as the Republicans are concerned, they know they have lost a big one.

They brought their rabid town meeting culture to the floor of Congress last night...evidence of the magnitude of their loss and a sad reminder of how far they have fallen.

[trayfoot]

1. Agreed!

[Clio the Leo]

2. looking forward to it! NT

[grantcart]

3. the most important thing we will have is ... the idea that the government should control HC

Exactly how it will be controlled will change but the idea that it is the government's role to do so will be estabished.

[TheKentuckian]

7. You see clearly

We have to change the mentality towards the role of government before BIG changes can be made.

[lunatica]

4. It seems to me that he wants to put something in place

That will prove successful in the future and will then develop into real reform. It's like Medicare. It was put in place and didn't seem like much, but it's proven to be successful now and people actually want it to be expanded. That's the feeling I came away with after listening to Obama's speech. President Obama's speech.

[Peacetrain]

5. Good points... K and R

[bigwillq]

6. Next year?

:shrug: I thought he said Four years.

[rug]

8. What we won't have next year are thousands of people who would have lived had we had health care now

[Myrina]

9. Please define "affordable" ?

Many employers and insurance companies offer coverage now that they deem "affordable" but the hourly line-worker weighs the monthly premium/deductible against their rent, groceries for their kids etc, and says ... "yeah I can't really afford that" ...

[BonnieJW]

10. I heard Paul Begala a few weeks ago

and he said that if the original Social Security bill came before Congress today, it would not pass even by Dems. It excluded many people who are covered today. But it was a beginning. That first bill started the ball rolling until we have the Social Security system we have today. I urge everyone to accept the best health insurance reform we can get now. We can get the ideal single payor in time.