President Obama says Leiberman/Nelson "compromise" amendments make healthcare bill "even stronger"!

[Better Believe It]

"Health Care Reform is Not Reform if it Denies Women Coverage"
by John Nichols
December 19, 2009

While President Obama made a bizarre statement Saturday about how he was "pleased that recently added amendments have made this landmark bill even stronger," the co-chairs of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus signaled deep disappointment with the Senate compromise.

"As the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, we have serious reservations about the abortion provision included in the U.S. Senate's health care bill," said Congresswomen Diana DeGette, D-Colorado, and Louise M. Slaughter, D-New York. "This provision is not only offensive to people who believe in choice, but it is also possibly unconstitutional. As we have maintained throughout this process, health care reform should not be misused to take away access to health care."

DeGette and Slaughter, key House progressives, stopped short of saying they would oppose a final bill that included the anti-abortion language. But representatives of groups that advocate for the rights of women were arguing that the language would, if retained, make the bill unacceptable to supporters of reproductive rights.

Terry O'Neill, the president of the National Organization for Women, condemned the amendment as "a cave in" by Reid" that turns the legislation into "a health insurance bill for half the population."

Read the full article at:

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/507761/health_care_reform_is_not_reform_if_it_denies_women_coverage

------------------------------------



Democrats strike health care deal
By Carrie Budoff Brown and Chris Frates
December 19, 2009

President Obama praised the Senate bill, saying that “it now appears that the American people will have the vote they deserve on genuine reform that offers security to those who have health insurance and affordable options to those for do not.”

“As with any legislation, compromise is part of the process,” he said in televised remarks to the press pool in the White House’s diplomatic reception room Saturday afternoon. “But I'm pleased that recently added amendments have made this landmark bill even stronger.”

He didn’t respond to a shouted question about whether he regrets that the bill doesn't include a government-run health insurance option.

http://fredericksburg.com/News/Web/politico?p_id=1423

[4dsc]

1. BS ALERT...

[ClarkUSA]

24. Really. Pres. Obama never said what the OP claims.

Same bullshit, different day.

[angee_is_mad]

50. yep

yep, damn progressives.

[depakid]

60. So you're claiming that John Nichols of the Nation is a liar?

Damn- the cognitive dissonance is running deep here on this board.

[IndianaGreen]

40. Obama: But I'm pleased that recently added amendments have made this landmark bill even stronger.

December 19, 2009
President Obama on Health Care Developments
THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release December 19, 2009

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
ON HEALTH CARE AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Diplomatic Reception Room

1:42 P.M. EST

As with any legislation, compromise is part of the process. But I'm pleased that recently added amendments have made this landmark bill even stronger.

http://whitehouse.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/12/19/president-obama-on-health-care-developments/

[Skittles]

82. actually, Obama did say that

[yourout]

2. How could anyone say that with a straight face.

[Skittles]

83. someone who excels at giving speeches could

[w4rma]

3. Liar. Total BSing. (nt)

[GodlessBiker]

4. The pressure clearly is getting to him.

[polpilot]

45. REEEEEEDICCCULOUS!!!!!

[golddigger]

5. WTF?

[polichick]

6. Who does he think he's kidding?! nt

[levander]

7. I am so tired of the political spin on this issue

It's like no matter how bad, they stand there and tell us its good. And, the Republican bashing... It's just stupid.

[AndyA]

8. Everyone keeps talking about compromise.

There was NO COMPROMISE in this bill. Period.

COMPROMISE - a settlement of differences by mutual concessions; an agreement reached by adjustment of conflicting or opposing claims, principles, etc., by reciprocal modification of demands.

CAPITULATION - the act of surrendering or giving up.

The Democrats gave up public option, Medicare expansion, anti-trust modification, women's rights, and a slew of other things.

In return they got...what?

Not one single Reupublican vote.

Opponents of health care reform gave the Democrats virtually NOTHING.

You tell me: which is it? A compromise or a capitulation?

[phleshdef]

18. They didn't give up ANY of those things for a Republican vote. They gave them up for democrat votes.

At least democrats in name. If you are going to make a point, present the situation correctly.

[AndyA]

55. I said "opponents" which is not limited to the left or the right.

Normally in the process of compromize, you would be expected to "reach across the aisle" to the other side, which is why I emphasized that no Republican votes were gained by doing so.

That statement alone did not limit it to just the GOP, as opponents obviously can come from both parties.

I believe I did present the situation correctly and you stretched to make an issue out of it. :eyes:

[IndianaGreen]

9. Beware, Big Bro is watching you!

Don't you know that in Big Bro's world, war is peace.

Why would we be surprised at Big Bro throwing women reproductive rights under the bus when he cavorts with the likes of Donnie "Gays are Vampires" McClurkin and Rick "Execute Gays" Warren?

As it happened during the Bush regime, killing civilians is still called killing "terrorists." No matter who we elect as President, Big Bro remains in control.

[timeforpeace]

10. He's gonna become known as P.T. Obama.

[treestar]

11. O'Neill is wrong

You'd think abortions were the only thing females ever need from that statement.

[IndianaGreen]

13. so abortion rights are expendable in your book, right?

Anything can be surrendered as long as we get that big photo op at the signing ceremony.

[treestar]

15. That is so ridiculously unfair I will not respond

Abortion is not the only health care women ever need!

You jumped the shark ages ago.

[ShortnFiery]

30. It's part of "choice" ... how about you men give UP your insurance on your ED pills? eom

[phleshdef]

20. And exactly how are abortion rights and less available then they were beforehand?

[Better Believe It]

16. Do you support the Leiberman/Nelson amendments and agree they have made the bill stronger?

[ShortnFiery]

27. Fe-males? Damn, what do you Males want? How very disrespectful.

This FE-MALE wants choice and the government not to make rules over her body. :eyes:

[madfloridian]

12. Yes, he speaks of anti-choice amendments

[Ildem09]

14. I didn't know Orwell wrote for Obama

War is Peace
Private is Public
Capitulation is Winning

[Progressive_Angel]

17. obama clearly is

in trouble

[IndianaGreen]

19. Obama got the Nobel War Is Peace Prize, don't ya know?

Obama is just a slicker salesman for the oligarchs that really run this country.

[timeforpeace]

22. Obama doesn't realize 1984 was supposed to be a cautionary tale, not a treatise.

[ShortnFiery]

23. It's a continuation of American Crusade 2001+ ... here's the WH Instruction Manual =

[asjr]

21. When Obama spoke did he actually say Nelson

and Lieberman amendments or just "recently added amendments?" Sometimes words left out or words put into a sentence changes the meaning of something actually said.

[ShortnFiery]

25. This takes the notion of "benefit of the doubt" to inane levels. Obama's bought an paid for

by the insurance cartel and big pharma. Every DAMN thing he DOES proves it now. :grr:

[asjr]

37. Well, have it your way. Don't vote for

Obama next time.

[Better Believe It]

49. Will there be a next time? Obama has indicated he might not be the Democratic Party candidate.

[ClarkUSA]

28. Not only that, but Pres. Obama has already publicly and strongly decried the Stupak amendment.

Memories are very short.

[ShortnFiery]

32. Yes, like Obama supporting a STRONG Public Option while he was running for President? eom

[ClarkUSA]

63. He still supports it as does Rep. Weiner and Sen. Barbara Boxer, but they all support HCR

He can't be blamed for the decisions of a few Senators. SEIU's Andy Stern said last week he doesn't blame Pres. Obama
but he does blame Congress.

:hi:

[IndianaGreen]

42. Yea, and we can trust on Obama to say one thing and do another

That has become his sad track record.

Obama is just a slick used car saleman!

[ClarkUSA]

65. Repeating a falsehood doesn't make it true. He is keeping his promise to end the Iraq war by 2011.

He ended torture, is closing Gitmo etc. Check Politifact for the rest for some FACTS since baseless rhetoric is more your style.

[IndianaGreen]

68. Obama did not end torture. He is still continuing with rendition

which is torture by others on our behalf. Obama is expanding his wars into other countries, without Congressional approval and out of public scrutiny. He is a budding war criminal, since killing civilians is still a war crime.

Come 2011, let's see if Obama keeps this promise, or will he push the goal posts again.

[ClarkUSA]

72. "On Day 2 of his administration, President Obama reverses key Bush "war on terror " policies" (link)

"On Day 2 of his administration, President Obama reverses key Bush "war on terror " policies, signing orders that end torture..."

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/01/23/obama/

Repeating falsehoods do not make them true. FACTS tend to trip you up, don't they?

[IndianaGreen]

73. That was for show! Everything he has done since is a continuation of Bush's policies

including warrantless searches.

[ClarkUSA]

74. "Everything" eh? Your vitrolic mendacity is very amusing.

It's sad, too.

[IndianaGreen]

41. Obama: But I'm pleased that recently added amendments have made this landmark bill even stronger.

December 19, 2009
President Obama on Health Care Developments
THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release December 19, 2009

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
ON HEALTH CARE AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Diplomatic Reception Room

1:42 P.M. EST

As with any legislation, compromise is part of the process. But I'm pleased that recently added amendments have made this landmark bill even stronger.

http://whitehouse.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/12/19/president-obama-on-health-care-developments/

Do you hear the sound of women reproductive rights being thrown under Obama's bus?

[Better Believe It]

48. You're right! He was clearly speaking about the tax on indoor tanning service amendment!

It was the big story all this past week.

Thanks for the heads up!

:)

[ClarkUSA]

26. Your OP is misleading. Pres. Obama never specified the Leiberman/Nelson amendments.

Same shit, different day.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

29. Okay, what was he referring to?

[ClarkUSA]

36. He was being supportive of the process. He's on record as being against the Stupak amendment.

And Senator Barbara Boxer supports the Senate HCR bill because she also knows, as Pres. Obama and others like I do,
that the offending abortion policy language will be removed in conference:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=75939&mesg_id=75939

BTW, did you ever answer me as to what you meant by "baby-killing industry"?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8747423

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

44. Let's try again. What was he referring to? (I can help you out here...)

What recent amendments make the bill stronger?

I'll help you out... it is exceedingly unlikely that Obama was referring to the tiny concessions made to Bernie Sanders but if you just want to argue for its own sake while provoking a minimum of laughter you should say Obama was referring to the community health center amendment.

Probably not true, but since he didn't say what the heck he meant it cannot be refuted.

I give you this talking point in the spirit of the Holiday Season.

Ho, ho, ho.

[ClarkUSA]

46. You can try to spin his words like a top, but I've made myself clear.

Ho, ho, ho.

[cherokeeprogressive]

34. Since he didn't single them out, they must be included.

Wouldn't ya say?

[ClarkUSA]

39. That's ridiculous. He made a very public statement condemning the Stupak amendment.

He was being supportive about the forward progress of the bill, as a President should before a Senate vote.

[cherokeeprogressive]

47. Tighten me up a little here... Are we not talking about Nelson/Lieberman and the US Senate?

When did the fork in the road come where this discussion suddenly became about the Stupak amendment to the House bill?

"President Obama praised the Senate bill... As with any legislation, compromise is part of the process... But I'm pleased that recently added amendments have made this landmark bill even stronger.” (emphasis mine)

I don't see Stupak OR the House bill mentioned in that statement, do you?

http://fredericksburg.com/News/Web/politico?p_id=1423

[ClarkUSA]

51. Pres. Obama was approving of the process and never mentioned the Nelson/Lieberman amendment.

He is perfectly capable of mentioning the names of amendments if he wanted to, as he did when he condemned the Stupak amendment.

[IndianaGreen]

35. Obama: But I'm pleased that recently added amendments have made this landmark bill even stronger.

December 19, 2009
President Obama on Health Care Developments
THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release December 19, 2009

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
ON HEALTH CARE AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Diplomatic Reception Room


1:42 P.M. EST



But I'm pleased that recently added amendments have made this landmark bill even stronger.

http://whitehouse.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/12/19/president-obama-on-health-care-developments/

[dave29]

31. He said no such thing.

.

[ShortnFiery]

33. Yeah, who ya gonna believe: your own stinking eyes and ears or "corporate democrats"

attempting to gift the insurance cartel with more of our middle class tax dollars? :eyes:

[IndianaGreen]

43. Obama could sell a Yugo to his apologists on this board

and they would call it a Cadillac.

[cherokeeprogressive]

53. They would never call it a Cadillac.

Cadillac is a gas-guzzling, poorly designed, cheaply built American product.

I'd bet the apologists would never admit to driving one of those.

[Better Believe It]

52. Right. The White House lied when they quoted Obama's statement in their press release.

So who should we believe?

You or the White Houe on that quote?

[ClarkUSA]

54. You didn't quote from the WH press release in the OP title. Instead, you made up a false OP title.

Same shit, different day.

[IndianaGreen]

56. OP tittle encapsulates what Obama said on WH press release

Obama ordered Rahm to get Reid to give Lieberman what he wanted. On Saturday, Obama celebrated the Ben Nelson changes to the bill, which gave him his bloody 60-votes.

[ClarkUSA]

58. Pres. Obama never mentioned the Nelson/Lieberman amendment. The OP title is deliberately misleading.

I agree with Howard Dean when he said on MTP this morning that he wanted the Senate bill to go to conference so language can be fixed:

I would let this bill go to conference committee and see if we can fix this bill more… Let's see what they add to this bill and make it work.

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/12/20/howard-dean-walks-it-back.aspx

Dean also "said the Senate bill had actually “improved” over the past few weeks..." this morning on MTP.

Maybe Dean is talking about the Nelson/Lieberman amendment? Gasp! :eyes:

[IndianaGreen]

62. Those that doubt Big Bro, are guilty of thoughtcrime!

Nothing but goodspeak is allowed!

[ClarkUSA]

67. Those that blatantly mislead with false OP titles get called on their bullshit is more like it.

:)

[IndianaGreen]

70. It is you who always ask for when did Obama specifically say blah, blah, blah

about everything, from public option to habeas corpus, from DADT to DOMA, etc.

[ClarkUSA]

76. Moving the goalposts? The OP title is clearly wrong.

And nothing you can say changes that FACT.

[IndianaGreen]

38. Obama: But I'm pleased that recently added amendments have made this landmark bill even stronger.

December 19, 2009
President Obama on Health Care Developments
THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release December 19, 2009

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
ON HEALTH CARE AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Diplomatic Reception Room

1:42 P.M. EST

As with any legislation, compromise is part of the process. But I'm pleased that recently added amendments have made this landmark bill even stronger.

http://whitehouse.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/12/19/president-obama-on-health-care-developments/

[Metta]

57. Anything Obama says anymore is 1984-speak.

He regrets .... He was hiding for the most part while the insurance industry bailout was going on. He has himself to blame for the suffering that's coming. Happy karma, blind man.

[ClarkUSA]

59. False OP title. FYI, 'Dean said the Senate bill had actually “improved” over the past few weeks...'

Gee, sure sounds like Dean agrees with Pres. Obama...

After setting off a political firestorm last week for telling legislators to kill the Senate health-care bill, progressive leader Howard Dean walked back his opposition this morning on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Instead of advising Congress to vote against the bill for not containing the public option, as he stridently declared on Thursday, Dean said the Senate bill had actually “improved” over the past few weeks...

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/12/20/howard-dean-walks-it-back.aspx

Oh no, Dean must be also talking about the Nelson/Lieberman amendment!! How could he???! :eyes:

[IndianaGreen]

66. Dean did not approve of the Ben Nelson appeasement

and he hopes the House can change the bill.

Dean also repeated that if the final bill looks like the current Senate bill, he would vote against it.

[ClarkUSA]

69. Neither has Pres. Obama approved of it. Dean & Obama agree that good things have happened, tho'

He also doesn't want to "Kill The Bill" anymore and wants the bill to pass so it can go into conference to get fixed, like
I have always said.

Disappointed?

[IndianaGreen]

71. Oh, is Obama going to veto the bill if the Nelson and Stupak language remain in final bill?

Obama's words are not even worth recording, they are so full of lies. Only deeds count!

[ClarkUSA]

77. Sen. Barbara Boxer & Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz are confident the language will be changed.

Senator Barbara Boxer own recent words are very clear:

Abortion remains at the heart of Nelson’s resistance to supporting the bill. Also in the negotiations was liberal Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), a leading abortion rights supporter in the Senate. She expressed confidence that the Senate could craft language to create a “firewall” that would segregate government funds away from any private funds used to pay for an abortion.

“We spent all day trying to address the issue of a firewall, we've made progress and I'll talk to you about it more tomorrow,
for sure," Boxer said. “I'm optimistic that we can get 60 votes, yes.”

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=75939&mesg_id=75939

And both Senator Boxer and Rep. Wasserman Schultz have been on MSNBC repeatedly to say that any offending abortion policy
language will be changed or removed in conference. Like Howard Dean, I'll wait until the final bill emerges before passing judgment.
Pres. Obama is working behind the scenes with Bernie Sanders and others to press for better language, too. Too bad others can't stop
their whining until then.

[freddie mertz]

61. Our forthright and principled president.

I wish.

[IndianaGreen]

64. Elmer Gantry from Chicago

He'll sell you a Yugo at Cadillac prizes, and convince you that you got the best end of the deal.

[bvar22]

75. K&R...back UP to an even zero.

Kicking for wider distribution.

[mcablue]

78. No medicare buy-in makes the bill stronger?

That's news to me.

[IndianaGreen]

79. Obama is the new slick salesman for corporate America

For the people he works for (which isn't the American working class) he is doing an outstanding job. Did you see how health insurance stocks went throught the roof on Friday?

[freddie mertz]

80. It's ridiculous happy-talk, aimed at people they "hope" are stupid.

How the mighty are fallen.

[Better Believe It]

81. For DU'ers back in town from weekend trips

[IndianaGreen]

84. Here is an illustration where we are in the scheme of things: we are the proles

[WT Fuheck]

85. How any Democrat can support a bill that sells every female in the country down the river

is beyond me.

[JVS]

86. That's just fucking pathetic.