Obama Warns Democrats of Urgency of Health Bil

[depakid]

President Obama challenged wavering members of his own party on Monday not to give in to their political fears about supporting health care legislation, asserting that the urgency of getting a bill through Congress should trump any concern about the consequences for Democrats in November. In a high-octane appearance that harked back to his “Yes we Can” campaign days, Mr. Obama jettisoned the professorial demeanor that has cloaked many of his public pronouncements on the issue, instead making an emotional pitch for public support as he tries to push the legislation through a final series of votes in Congress in the next several weeks.

Appearing before 1,800 students and other members of the public at Arcadia University just outside of Philadelphia, Mr. Obama cast himself almost as an outsider in Washington, expressing disdain for “the sport of politics” and saying the time for endless debates is over.

“Let me remind everybody: those of us in public office were not sent to Washington to do what’s easy,” Mr. Obama said. “At this moment, we are being called upon to fulfill our duty to the citizens of this nation and to future generations.”

His immediate target was the health insurance industry. Citing big rate increases — 40 percent, 60 percent, even 100 percent — for buyers of individual insurance policies in some states, he sought to focus attention on provisions in the legislation that he said would protect consumers from the worst excesses of insurers, give people more choice among insurance policies, insure most people who do not have health coverage and put downward pressure on health care costs.

Boiling his proposal down to a few sentences, Mr. Obama asked: “How many people would like a proposal that holds insurance companies more accountable? How many people would like to give Americans the same insurance choices that members of Congress get? And how many would like a proposal that brings down costs for everyone? That’s our proposal.”

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/health/policy/09health.html?hp

Well, at least he's getting the messaging right- though it's always better for Democrats to have good messaging flow from good policy, to decide what you think will work best and then to figure out how to talk about it so that what you are saying is compelling to the average voter.

[VMI Dem]

1. "not to give in to their political fears"

Now thats funny.

[IndianaGreen]

2. Hollow words!

Without a public option, the for-profit health insurance industry will be free to squeeze every dollar of profit at our expense.

[Captain Hilts]

3. I thought it was urgent six months ago. nt

[Oregone]

4. That is disturbing when you think about it enough

If the nation isn't under the imminent threat of collapse if a bill doesn't immediately pass (as has been proven), is it really "urgent" (relative to weeks or months)? OR is the word used to instill fear and manipulate people? Or?

[subterranean]

5. It's urgent to get the bill passed before the mid-term elections.

After that, it may be virtually impossible to get anything passed.

[depakid]

6. Fear is a very strong motivator for public policy

Whether it's fear of going bankrupt or dying due to lack of care (or denial of treatment) or fear of losing one's seats or chairmanships- or of being blamed for what looks at this point like an unprecedented electoral debacle.

A commentator of Huff post mentioned that very same thing over the weekend:

President Obama and House and Senate leadership need to use fear. They tried being nice. Trick me once, shame on you, trick me twice...

Obama said he wants a bill voted on by Easter recess. He drew a line in the sand. Now he needs to inject fear. Fear into fellow Democrats of the political cost of inaction, and fear into Americans over the cost of doing nothing.

What kind of fear? The basic kind. It isn't pretty to scare Americans into wanting health care rights, but it is the last and only resort. Fear of what? Personal bankruptcy, losing your job and not having health care, illness, poverty, a worsening safety net, not enough money to retire, and death.

The niceties should now be over: they have gone on for a year. Bipartisan cajoling is done. It is Democrats who need to lead or risk being permanently defined for lacking the ability to govern. Democrats in power should be scared. When they are scared enough by the prospects for 2010 and the need to follow through on the health care reform they promised, they will turn that fear outward. That requires a consistent, concise message. The message? Forget politics and hand-holding. Without health care reform, you could die.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-donahue/fear_b_488572.html

[rug]

7. The only thing urgent is his desire to pronounce "historic legislation".

The four year wait to eliminate pre-existing conditions is not as urgent.

[ShortnFiery]

8. The more things/people change, the more they remain the same.

Not unlike his predecessor, President Obama is using the snide bait and switch methods to serve his beloved masters within the economic upper 1%, i.e., to include the Insurance Cartel.

[denimgirly]

9. +500