Emanuel Sets a Challenge In Push For Universal Health Care

[babylonsister]

Emanuel Sets a Challenge
By JONATHAN WEISMAN


President-elect Barack Obama's incoming White House chief of staff challenged chief executives and other business leaders Tuesday night to join the new administration in a push for universal health care, saying incremental increases in coverage won't be acceptable.

"When it gets rough out there, a lot of business leaders get out of the car and say, 'We're OK with minor reform.' I'm challenging you today, we're going to have to do big, serious things," Rahm Emanuel said, speaking to The Wall Street Journal's CEO Council, a conference convened to elicit corporate opinion on the challenges facing the new president.

Since the president-elect named Mr. Emanuel his chief of staff, the famously voluble Chicago congressman has limited his public appearances and strained to stay out of the news. But on Tuesday night, he was combative with a business audience.

more...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122706319966040053.html

[rockymountaindem]

1. DLC! DLC!

:sarcasm:

It looks like he's putting his "bad" attitude to good use already.

[babylonsister]

2. I'm thinking this is a good thing,

but you'd never know it by the responses. So thanks! I think we'll warm up to Rahm, maybe. ;)

[TwilightZone]

5. It is a good thing.

It's also an indicator that Emanuel is in place to support Obama's agenda (as anyone should reasonably expect) and not his own.

[TwilightZone]

3. But, I thought he was a right-wing fascist?

:shrug:

[babylonsister]

4. I know; I'm SO confused now!

:crazy:

[KittyWampus]

6. It's interesting we hear this about Health Insurance from Emanuel and the info about HillaryKennedy

yesterday.

[babylonsister]

10. Yes, agreed. The timing makes me go hmmmm... nt

[Fumesucker]

7. The Devil, of course, is in the details..

I'll be extremely surprised if we get anything anywhere near single payer health care.

I'd also be willing to put a small wager that something like Hillary's "I can envision a time when you have to show proof of insurance at the job interview" has a decent chance of happening.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

13. Exactly.

"Universal Health Care" can mean a whole bunch of things to different people. I want single payer, not a plan like universal health "insurance" pushed by Clinton in the primary.

[shadowknows69]

8. Love what I'm hearing here

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

9. Big business, health insurance companies or big business, large companies that feel it

would be better that the government runs health care and their companies wouldn't have to deal with the cost of covering their employees?

[Javaman]

11. here were I work we are about to get a new screw job health coverage...

the one we have now is okay and works well enough.

I take it as a bad sign when they won't even tell us who the new carrier is until we show up for the meeting.

sad times.

[Tatiana]

12. Rahm has always believed in universal health coverage.

I think we will get it in Obama's first term. Teddy will get the legislation hammered out, Rahm will corral the votes, and Obama will sign the bill.

And freepers heads will explode... while they wait to sign up for the health coverage.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

15. What is his version of "universal health coverage"?

Is it insurance? Is it single payer? I am unfamiliar with the details on his ideas.

[Winterblues]

14. I'm not sure Harry and Louise are gunna like that....

All I can say is, it is way beyond time...