What Obama Will Say

[berni_mccoy]

I'm guessing Obama is going to turn this debate on its head. He needs to take all the Republican Talking Points and aim them squarely at the current system. For example:

- Republicans are right to fear Death Panels. There are Death Panels every day as part of Insurance Companies who deny claims. Americans who pay their premiums are suddenly dropped when they become sick and forced into Medical Bankruptcy to be followed in many cases by death.
- Republicans are right to fear involvement by Bureaucrats who say what medicines they can have and what treatments they can receive. It happens every day with Insurance Company Bureaucrats who dictate what medicines a doctor can prescribe or a treatment he can give. They also are strong handed when it comes to paying the doctors, hospitals and pharmacies for their services and often times delay payment to these services for more than 6 months. Needless to say, the insurance companies have a direct hand in the credit crisis.
- Republicans are correct to worry about rationing of health care. It's already happening. More than 50 million Americans who cannot afford healthcare are going without it.
- Republicans are right to raise issues of cost to the government. Because people can't afford healthcare, they are not going to the doctor when they should be, putting the load on the emergency rooms and hospitals who will never get paid and must rely on government funds to keep them operational.

All of the issues Republicans raise against a Public Option are already caused by Private Insurance. Putting a Public Option in place will actually solve these issues while remaining deficit neutral. A Public Option is the most efficient way to solve the Health Care Crisis.

Of course, he will do a much better job than I've outlined here, but I get the feeling this is in line with what he is going to say.

[NYC_SKP]

1. I think that would be a very effective way to use their talking points against them.

:toast:

[endless october]

2. what i hope he says :

after long deliberation, it's apparent to me that there's too much lobbying money tied up in this bill, and it's going to make for a system that is worse than the one we have because of it. therefore, we're scrapping it and drafting a single payer bill, which we will pass because you gave us a 60 seat majority.

taking insurance companies out of the mix will save hundreds of millions in paperwork alone. the rest of the bill will be paid for by ending the drug war.

you're welcome, America. stay classy.

[dflprincess]

3. We can dream....

[T Wolf]

4. There should be a pool as to how strongly the Prez will push for "real" reform and/or

attack the pukes (as OP suggests).

Until I see what he says, I will try to hold down any expectations. So far, he has not been as strong as some of us wanting true health care reform would like.

I would love to be surprised.

[FredStembottom]

5. Berni, that's really quite good.

But I expect something much more weasel-y.
The arguments you put forward are logical and popular - but all things logical and popular have been jettisoned from this "debate".
The whole discussion has happened on the playing-fields of myth and sentiment.

"I'm against health care reform cuz' that's not the Cowboy way!!!" (sorry Riders in the Sky!)
is reported in the WSJ as: Grave Misgivings Across America About the Viability of Health Care Reform.

The White house then spends 2 weeks looking for a cowboy with insurance to refute this grave concern.

While all along, the irrefutable, knock-out punches of reasoning (simple, home-spun reasoning that anyone can follow) remain locked up in Rahm Emmanuel's desk.

Our Democrats have been preventing these simple air-clearing truths from being used.

There is no other conclusion.

[berni_mccoy]

6. Well, I can't say I disagree completely, I hope you are wrong

I don't believe ALL Democrats have been preventing them, but I do believe some have.

[FredStembottom]

8. I hope i'm wrong, too!

Everyday I hope that.

:hi:

[W_HAMILTON]

7. Probably the same as always.

Nothing substantive. He "endorses" the public option but doesn't believe it should be a sticking point. Do you remember how his press conference on healthcare flopped a few weeks ago? I imagine that he will say many of the same things. He won't be forceful, he won't tell the Republicans to go to hell, and he won't solidify his base by fully supporting a public option.

It will most likely be a big let-down.

I hope I am wrong, but I would be surprised to see otherwise.