Obama's Health Care Lies And Reversals

[freddie mertz]

Run time: 05:43 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8wmN3wvhNM   Posted on YouTube: January 07, 2010 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: January 07, 2010 By DU Member: freddie mertz Views on DU: 6945

 
Obama in Newport News, October 2008:

"John McCain calls these plans 'Cadillac plans.' Now in some cases, it may be that a corporate CEO is getting too good a deal. But what if you’re a line worker making a good American car like the Cadillac? What if you’re one of the steelworkers who are working right here in Newport News, and you’ve given up wage increases in exchange for a better health care?

Well, Senator McCain believes you should pay higher taxes too. The bottom line: the better your health care plan – the harder you’ve fought for your good benefits – the higher the taxes you’ll pay. You see, Senator McCain would pay for his plan, in part, by taxing your health care benefits for the first time in history."

The tape goes on to Obama's discussion of why is against mandates.

The person who narrates describes himself as a disappointed Obama supporter, but the tape itself is what matters.

[FarLeftFist]

1. Shocking...A politician that lies.

[freddie mertz]

2. It's odd though, that he really hasn't EXPLAINED the thinking behind these policy "shifts"...

Very strange.

[FarLeftFist]

4. He received 20 mil from HC industries in campaign donations....

And he is dealing with Dem senators that aren't progressive enough. Plain and simple. Can't make the impossible happen. There is alot of good in the bill too, he may not be helping you or your situation but there are millions that will be helped.

[freddie mertz]

9. Why not explain the reversals?

All he did was try to deny he was ever really for the public option... which is not true.

Then there is all this.

There has to be some accountability, how can we support the man if we don;t know what he stands for?

[dotymed]

42. I too worked for and voted

Obama. When I was still able to work as a Union carpenter, we would usually get a raise of approximately $1.00 annually. For at least 4-5 years, we voted to put at least 80% of that increase into our health benefits (because the prices were rising, and still are, exponentially). I guess I have a "cadillac plan." But, we chose to put our money there instead of our pockets so our families were taken care of. Unless I encounter a miracle, my insurance will expire shortly anyway. Still, to tax average (hell the wealthiest 5% of Americans own & earn more than the rest of us, they do not even have to have insurance, they can afford to pay for any health needs) Americans who are really suffering in this economy is ludicrous. When FDR was president he raised the income tax on the wealthiest Americans to 90%, he did not expect the underprivileged to foot the bills. Obviously, Obama is a liar and now a member of the elite ruling class who have no interest in the lower earning 95% of Americans. One term Obama.

[Name removed]

57. Deleted message

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

[izquierdista]

60. Millions will be helped

Yes, Stephen Hemsley's millions. They won't be as lonely.

[DeSwiss]

64. "Can't make the impossible happen."

- It would appear that he's having trouble making the possible happen as well...

[butterfly77]

56. Its also very strange how you are always ...

looking for some type of controversy against the President...

[emilyg]

3. You seem ok with that. Where's

the change?

[FarLeftFist]

5. It's been a year....

And some changes have been made. Let the ongoing drama during this whole HC debate be the example of why things get done at a very slow rate in DC. We really need political reform and constitution reform before our problems will be solved. I hate that the constitution is the end all be all, it is viewed as a spiritual document. Are we to assume these human beings were perfect. Don't get me wrong, I love the constitution and all it stands for but there is definitely room for improvement.

[freddie mertz]

8. Do you think it is important for presidential candidates to tell the truth about...

... MAJOR issues?

I do.

[FedUp_Queer]

36. Amen!!!!!!!!!!!

I get sick and tired of people telling me that I am ridiculous to think he was the "savior" or whatever. I don't think that. I actually believe that politicians should do what they say they are going to do (maybe it's one of those silly idealistic streaks in this increasingly cynical body) or explain why they have changed. I understand people change. I understand things change. When they do, they should explain why circumstances changed. Claiming they haven't has an eerie 1984-ish "We have always been at war with East Asia" feel to it.

[FarLeftFist]

53. Yes I do, but I can't recall one that ever did.

At least in my lifetime.

[grahamhgreen]

30. You are disturbed. You need improvement, not the constitution.

[beardown]

49. What Constitution?

You folks are so 20th century. What Constitution are you talking about? The old one with the Bill of RightS or the new one with the Bill of Right?

Kind of misplaced anger on how well the Constitution works or doesn't work when it's been ignored at will by administration after administration, especially the Congress which has given up the power to make war to the president.

Not a rant on any postings here, just an observation.

[FarLeftFist]

52. I am very 20th century.

[FarLeftFist]

51. Just a realist bro.

If something seems to good to be true it usually is. The constitution doesn't give Govt power, it limits Govt power.

[FormerDittoHead]

16. Sounds like a great fund-raising slogan. Good luck with that!

It's not as catchy as 'read my lips' but it may get the same result...

[bjobotts]

27. You stupid fucking troll.What a twist of what is actually happening with taxing cadillac plans

and adding that more and more plans will be called cadillac plans is nonsense...or that we cant keep our plans if were satisfied with them because of increased taxes on such plans. My brother worked for 3-m with a plan that had a $2000 deductible but a friend that worked wall street with no deductible. Which is the cadillac plan. And on such plans what would be the tax increase...$10-20 yr?

I am extremely disappointed in Obama but for honest reasons, not bullshit...like killing the PO before negotiations ever took place or getting Lieberman to make sure the bill had no PO...or civil liberites rights that are just like Bush's etc...etc...but this is nonsense and dishonest.

[FarLeftFist]

54. Your post should probably be deleted...

B/c

1- I'm not a troll, not in the physical sense or in the cyber sense. Seems a little inflammatory.
2- I stand by my comment, I am not shocked a politician would lie or break a promise to get elected. I mean were all rooting for our President, but I guess I'm just not easily phased by lies of someone who makes a career out of becoming a politician.
3- I am the most anti-republican Democrat you will ever meet in your life.
4- See #2

[grahamhgreen]

29. Yes, especially this one that we put our hope and trust in!

[FarLeftFist]

55. There were many before him, and will be many after him.

Politics in America is a game of inches, rarely leaps and bounds......Especially after only one year. We've been a nation for what, 300 years, and we still have citizens whose civil rights aren't equal to everyone else's. Am I saying give up? Hardly, we are all in the fight to make America's future society a better place to live. All the activists and revolutionaries in our history paved the way for our lives to be better than their's and we are just part of that history.

[IsItJustMe]

6. Say what ever it takes to get elected. I am with guy, I don't know what the hell Obama stands for.

[LiberalLovinLug]

7. Disappointing

I'm not that surprised that the Health Care bill is so watered down, and these positions reversed, but I am surprised that President Obama did not more forcefully stand up and fight for a public option, and was so cowed by what?.....his DLC handlers? .....the MSM?.....his own lust for approval with the 'moderate' voter? who knows.

[slipslidingaway]

10. This part is from the 4:55 mark ...

so the detailed plan by the candidate that could save up to 300 billion was replaced by a deal with the lobbyist Tauzin for 80 billion. The study referenced in the Obama plan may or may not account for the increased enrollment by the baby boomers, 46 million to 79 million over the next twenty years.

Tauzin got a good deal IMO, Medicare and seniors not so much.

:(

Candidate Obama ...

"And we are tired of watching as year after year, candidates offer up detailed health care plans with great fanfare and promise only to see them crushed under the weight of Washington politics and drug and insurance lobbying once the campaign is over.

That is not who we are, that is not who we have to be, enough is enough, it time for us to change."


http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/HealthCareFullPlan.pdf

"Allow Medicare to negotiate for cheaper drug prices. The 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug
Improvement and Modernization Act bans the government from negotiating down the prices of
prescription drugs, even though the Department of Veterans Affairs’ negotiation of prescription drug prices with drug companies has garnered significant savings for taxpayers.32 Barack Obama and Joe Biden will repeal the ban on direct negotiation with drug companies and use the resulting savings, which could be as high as $30 billion (per year),33 to further invest in improving health care coverage and quality."


Obama's $80 Billion Deal with Pharma Is a Very Bad Deal for Us

By William Greider, The Nation. Posted August 8, 2009.

http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/141856/obama's_$80_billion_deal_with_pharma_is_a_very_bad_deal_for_us

"The White House has cut a deal with Big Pharma that smells like the same old rotten politics that candidate Obama regularly denounced.

So now we know why the president wants everyone to make nice in the healthcare debate. His White House has cut a deal with Big Pharma that smells like the same old rotten politics that candidate Obama regularly denounced and promised to end. The drug industry agrees to deliver $80 billion in future savings and the president promises the government will not use its awesome purchasing power to negotiate lower drug prices.

Wow. This is roughly the same deal that George W. Bush cut with the drug makers when he was legislating Medicare's new coverage of drug purchases. It is the same bargain that Democrats in Congress universally condemned as wasteful and corrupt. The deal does not smell any better now that a Democratic president is embracing it..."

[ProfessorPlum]

11. Wish I could rec this 50 times.

It is exactly the way I feel, for the same reasons.

[thereismore]

12. The cadillac tax stinks! Obama promised no new taxes if you make under $250,000! WTF! nt

[Jumping John]

13. Lying is one thing. Taking the exact position of one's opponent is being a traitor to your party. nt

[IndependentDem]

23. My thoughts exactly. He is doing things he directly campaigned against. nt

[FedUp_Queer]

37. Fuck being a traitor to the party.

This is being a traitor to the voters who voted for you and the workers who worked THEIR ASSES OFF for you.

[Starry Messenger]

14. K&R

[slipslidingaway]

15. kick nt

[icee]

17. I feel exactly the same way. Well, Obama may be a lame duck

already. If we could name a primary challenger now and find the right Progressive, we could actually use Obama's lies to our advantage. But we have to get to work now. There has got to be some Progressive out there who could win.

[GreenTea]

18. Many lies for sure.....public option nor single payer was never a real fight for him...

It was an appearance of "reform" in health care and he was NEVER going to stop big business-insurance corporations from losing a single dime....in fact he'll now pay them back with forcing even more customers to them using our, OUR tax dollars!

All to get re-elected in 2012...and Obama will get lots of the insurance industry's money, AGAIN!

[blueknight]

19. i will

just sit out the next election and let the chips fall where they may. when i voted for obama, i didnt expect " george bush lite " i will just wait until a REAL liberal runs again

[dflprincess]

26. At least show up and vote for the Socialist candidate

or whatever 3rd party candidate appeals to you. If people just stay home they'll think it will be spun that the voters were "not interested" or "over confident" that their candidate would win - they'll never admit or care it was because the voters were fed up with both major parties.

[suzanner]

20. No one trusts no one. The end.

I just have to wonder if Obama really wanted the office. My intuition tells me he will not be enthusiastic about a second term. He's set his family up for life; perhaps that is the extent of his ambition. We had a similar let-down with Carter in his first term but at least Carter leveled that he was helpless on some issues. I really really want the same psychological/substance testing for all political candidates with a review board of unbiased smart people like corporations require of their new hires. We deserve that much.
The trouble is: we CAN handle the truth if we have a sober and responsible media.

[BABarackus]

21. Oh well.

He's still head and shoulders above any other president I can remember in nearly every aspect. The president is a politician. I'm not sure if we'll ever get anything better than this, unless we get a progressive version of GWB elected somehow (somebody who just does what he feels is right in his gut without actually thinking about it (with a little anti-Dick on his shoulder telling him what to think)). But, that's just not going to happen. So I suggest trying to make the best out of what we've got.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[femrap]

22. I just emailed the WH the following:

"Why are you betraying those who campaigned and voted for you? Why are you telling The House to allow taxation of the 'cadillac' health plans? You are stabbing Labor in the back. I'm not surprised. I'm just glad I didn't lift a finger to help you get elected. And it was the first time I had to hold my nose to vote. I knew you were 'bought and paid for' by the Corporations. Your mother would be ashamed of you. You will not avoid Karma. And this Terror crap is not distracting any of us."

What is sooooo ironic were the two words I had to type in to send the email:

Dr Roundup !!!!!

[Prana69]

24. But...but...but.....

....Obama didn't actually say he was AGAINST the "Cadillac Tax" in that speech. He was just pointing out that John McCain stood FOR the tax.

So, technically it's not a lie.

That'll be the pro-Obama defence, right?

"Ra ra ra Obama" and all that.

Duped.

P69

EDIT: Sorry - was meant to be reply to Original Message, not #22.

[Smashcut]

25. Wow wow wow.

I had forgotten about that. He really is doing EXACTLY that which he campaigned against, terminology and all!

[grahamhgreen]

32. Well doone, thank you. Agree 100%.

[democracy1st]

33. K & R

[shotten99]

34. WTF is this? The Palin 2012 campaign?

If you guys want to see a single payer system, how about helping the Democrats hit 63 seats in the Senate?

[freddie mertz]

43. 60 wasn't enough, and 63 won't be enough, even for a weak public option.

We need to get rid of about ten of them, then add 13 more.

And we would also need a president committed to sound HC policy, which we do not have right now.

[onpatrol98]

45. Public Option

They didn't want a public option. It was smoke and mirrors. They knew Americans wanted it.

They went behind closed doors, made all kinds of deals, sent us out chasing clueless republicans by telling us that it was their stalling and bipartisanship that was preventing them from getting the bill that we wanted. It's all a big lie. We had the votes. All the republicans could do is bark and bark loudly. They were essentially neutered, wisely, thanks to us, the American people.

So, we gave them what they said they needed to do what we wanted. What we didn't know was that they were already bought and paid for by corporations.

But, democrats knew we would be skeptical UNLESS they brought us someone believable. Someone who could appeal to us and seemed trustworthy.

I never thought Bush was bright enough to run his mouth much less the country. Cheney was really president, and a sorry one at that. But, now I feel stuck. Who's really running the White House? Is Rahm president? It sure isn't Biden.

I don't see any good options. A republican is out of the question. What other progressive could raise the money to challenge a sitting and still popular president? I think most Americans like President Obama. They just aren't sure he's leading the charge on their behalf like he said he would. And, then if you take a "weakened" incumbent (after a primary battle) into a general election, either the republican wins or we're stuck with four more years of this. There is no way, in my opinion, a "new" progressive could overtake Obama AND a republican at this point. It would have to be someone that we're looking at AND trust, with their own money, right now.

I was played. Plain and simple. But, I don't have to like it.

[Divine Discontent]

35. OH WOW! Yes, I forgot about this (from when it happened), and look how he ends up doing the very

damned thing McCain wanted!

How shameful.

The cheerleaders have nothing to defend him with here, they think he's the end all be all and gosh darnit, at least he's no B*sh, well who gives a rat's ass if he's better than B*sh!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't give a flying F*CK if he's 10000% better than W - my left nipple is more intelligent than Dumbya, and it's no comparable position to say "at least he's way better than B*sh!".


DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN....


Seriously, he is going to lose the election in '12 with a couple more years of this right-wing bullshit - and there will be NO ONE to blame but himself. Hopefully, if he continues to lead this way, we have a real progressive to run against him, and so we don't have to deal with a president Romney!

[olegramps]

38. This is pure bull shit.

The union worker's benefits will not be taxed since they don't come close to when the tax would set in. It would hit executives with real Cadillac plans. McCain's plan would have actually taxed the union type plans. Why are you spreading disinformation?

[theFrankFactor]

40. Show Us Please.

And why tax the fucking plans at all? Just askin'.

[onpatrol98]

46. Union Workers will be affected...

Some union workers will be affected. That's why unions are fighting it. Lots of unions bargained for better health care plans when they couldn't get better pay. Not to mention, some state employees better take a second look at those health care plans. You have to consider the "value" of the overall plan.

Quote: "Under the Baucus plan, insurers selling a plan costing more than $8,000 for an individual and $21,000 for a family would have to pay a 35 percent excise tax on the excess amount.



Nationwide, about one in 10 family insurance plans would be subject to the new excise tax, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a liberal-leaning policy and research group."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/health/policy/21insure.html

And, don't believe that bs about they're not taxing Americans, they're taxing corporations.

Back in my business school days, there was one "truism"...businesses don't pay taxes. We do. They pass it right along to us. Even if you're a small business owner, an entrepreneur working out of your house. If your expenses increase, but you still need to keep a certain profit margin, you do it by charging more or changing what you're doing somehow. Perhaps you start using cheaper materials, change your suppliers, but something has to change.

You do everything you can, NOT to experience that "loss" in your income.

Unfortunately, even if it wasn't Business 101, it would just be common sense.

[freddie mertz]

47. Not disinformation. These are raw clips of candidate Obama's speeches.

It's information, which can and probably will be spun by the GOP to damaging effect in 2010 and 2012.

If this worries you, contact the White House.

They are the ones responsible for this screw up, not me, and not the person who put up the video.

[theFrankFactor]

41. Lee Stranahan, a pretty credible source actually.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lee-stranahan/#blogger_bio

[dugaresa]

44. All of this is just so disappointing to me and is exactly what I hoped would not happen

because it would crush all those optimistic people who volunteered for the first time in their lives for Obama and now he just turns out to be the just the same kind of politician they didn't like in the first place.

[change_notfinetuning]

48. It's all about appearance and speeches, just like Reagan, except Reagan not

only talked the talk. Reagan walked the walk and followed through on his spoken words.

Anyway, WTF is so important about getting this done in time for the State of the Union Address? Ah, another thing right out of the Reagan playbook. We had to launch a space shuttle the morning of Reagan's SotU Address, against the advice of engineers who knew better. It had a teacher on board, the first teacher going into space, and it was to be the highlight of Reagan's speech. We know what happened to Challenger.

Now, health care - make that "health insurance reform" - is to be the highlight of the Obama SotU Address. We can only hope that this doesn't blow up into a complete disaster, like the space shuttle. That killed seven people in 73 seconds. This deform plan will negatively affect millions of Americans for decades.

For you cheerleaders who respond that this is a first step, and they will revisit it and improve it, I have one question. Will that be before or after Obama revisits NAFTA?

[V_Byl]

58. ...Will that be before or after Obama revisits NAFTA?

Oh, Snap!

But honestly, like NAFTA could be improved anyway, it does exactly what it's design to do... make the unions toothless. Just like taxing health care plans will give them *0* room for negotiating with their employer. Union member tax rates will increase because their 'cadillac' plans would count as compensation, even though that 10K-12K just goes into the pocket of a health insurance company.

On the bright side, you're employer still gets to write labor (and your insurance policy) off as an expense.

But Obama's no corporatist.

[AllHereTruth]

50. What i love about DU

Is i post a video similar to this and it gets locked for being Inflammatory.

Wait.

Maybe thats what i dislike about DU.

[freddie mertz]

61. It's hard to know what will survive and what will get locked.

For now, this seems to have survived.

[freddie mertz]

59. Kicking.

[slipslidingaway]

62. kick nt

[vegiegals]

63. and again.

[jacksmind]

65. Cadillac Tax is a good idea.

Assume for the moment that the tax on Cadillac plans is a good idea. That workers would recoup money in wages, and it would put downward pressure on health care across the country. Now I know that's hard for some people to believe, but what if it was, do you think that people would easily support it? I don't. People would react just like they are now.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/the-health-insurance-excise-tax/

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/influential-economists-say-tax-on-cadillac-health-care-plans-must-remain-in-health-care-bill.php

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122843914&ft=1&f=94427042

I know it's hard for the steelworkers and autoworkers to support this because they are thinking of themselves over the nation just like the bankers are, and Americans really don't like to listen to experts.

[democracy1st]

66. Kick