Obama rejects criticism on health-care reform legislation (WaPo)

[jefferson_dem]

Obama rejects criticism on health-care reform legislation

By Scott Wilson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 22, 2009; 2:38 PM

President Obama rejected in an interview Tuesday the criticism that he has compromised too much in order to secure health-care reform legislation, challenging his critics to identify any "gap" between what he campaigned on last year and what Congress is on the verge of passing.

"Nowhere has there been a bigger gap between the perceptions of compromise and the realities of compromise than in the health-care bill," Obama said in an Oval Office interview with The Washington Post about his legislative record this year. "Every single criteria for reform I put forward is in this bill."

As the Senate prepares to pass its version of health-care reform, Obama has come under sharp criticism for the size and shape of the legislation, including most recently from the left wing of his own party.

Former Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean, for one, has said he would prefer that the Democrat-controlled Senate defeat the bill rather than have what he considers to be weak legislation pass into law.

In the interview, Obama offered a vigorous defense of the legislation and the priorities he set out in shaping it, saying he is "not just grudgingly supporting the bill. I am very enthusiastic about what we have achieved."

He said the Senate legislation accomplishes "95 percent" of what he called for during his 2008 presidential campaign and in his September speech to a joint session of Congress on the need for health-care reform.

In listing those priorities, Obama cited the 30 million uninsured Americans projected to receive coverage, budget estimates of more than $1 trillion in savings over the next two decades, a "patients' bill of rights on steroids" to protect consumers from being dropped by insurance companies, and tax breaks to help small businesses pay to cover employees.

<SNIP>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/22/AR2009122202101.html?hpid=topnews

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Well, of course, he rejects criticism.

That's what presidents do.

[timeforpeace]

33. He also said he accomplished unprecedented accomplishments at Copenhagen.

[EFerrari]

2. Blue Cross agrees!

[jefferson_dem]

5. Shall we start listing those who disagree...

Beginning with the inbred, basement-dwelling teabaggers?

[EFerrari]

9. Someone was just questioning whether progressives were being called teabaggers.

Thanks for the new example!

[jefferson_dem]

17. Can you read?

I was referring to those who disagree with Obama's health reform. Teabaggers immediately come to mind. Is that wrong?

Actually, you doth protest too much. I wonder how many "progressives" recommend hitching their brand of "populist rage" to the teabagger wagon like some bloggers do.

[EFerrari]

36. And for the second new example.

[Donnachaidh]

15. you've certainly adopted the teabagger's tactics

really BIG TENT of you. :wow:

Where do I send the boot polish? :sarcasm:

[jefferson_dem]

21. A hoot.

Pointing out that teabaggers opposed health reform is to adopt teabagger tactics.

Enjoy that bit of irrationality.

[Bluenorthwest]

41. Here's one for you. Obama agrees with Fred Phelps

they both oppose equality for all. Obama also agrees with Sarah Palin on that issue and all three of them say their mutual religion is the reason for their prejudiced opinions.
I could do this all the live long day.

[jaxx]

3. This is an historic time for the American people.

One man was willing to spend his political capital on the people, and one congress was willing to stand up and legislate for the people. President Barack Obama and the 111th Congress will leave their mark on history....as the ones who cared enough to risk the wrath of the rightwing.

[EFerrari]

11. Yeah. They stood up to real reform and gave the American people

a mandate to buy an overpriced bad product! Now, that is a legacy!

:woohoo:

[amandabeech]

18. If the tables on the Kaiser Family Foundation site are anywhere close to being accurate,

the healthcare coverage will not be affordable to this Dem, unless this Dem finds a way to get income or goods from the unreported economy so as to keep a very high subsidy. I wish that there was a catastrophic policy available. I might be able to afford $200a month not $400 a month. I tried to find the cash for a policy a couple of years ago and it just wasn't there. I make less now.

[jaxx]

19. It's the first one you've seen come down the pike, isn't it?

People are so quick to say what's wrong and totally disregard what is right. The comments on here prove that the "what's in it for me" is prime in some people's minds. Nobody ever told me I was the only person in the world who counted, and I bet they didn't tell you either.

[EFerrari]

35. Well, no, it isn't. Iirc, the Patriot Act was spun this way, too. n/t

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

4. Breaking News: Politician speaks highly of himself

[jefferson_dem]

7. Ha.

They all do that, don't they?

Of course, it's important that we consider the merits of their arguments nonetheless.

[grantcart]

8. The Audacity of Defending Yourself

He has no shame

[Donnachaidh]

16. and there wouldn't be a NEED to defend himself if this wasn't a POS give away

But hey, his beautiful mind was getting disturbed because the worshipping had gotten quiet....

[jaxx]

23. WoW

I am amazed that was posted.

[jefferson_dem]

25. DUers are "jumping the shark" on a routine basis.

Thanks for providing the latest illustration.

[jaxx]

28. Looks to me like they ate the shark and it gave them a belly ache.

;-)

[GreenArrow]

30. Better to jump over the shark

than into the shark.

[Armstead]

6. This sounds distressinbgly like the DLC Message Machine in action

If he claims this is 95 percent of what he said he wanted, then he sure as hell wasn't sharing that with us.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

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

[grantcart]

13. welcome to DU

some members play a drinking game where mentioning DLC scores both points and shots!!!

[cliffordu]

37. Who's this shitcanned already???

[Armstead]

22. Not nuts at all -- Rahm is his right hand man,. Rahm is DLC Clinton returnee

Therefore it would not at all be "nuts" to think that Rahm and Obama are using the same message machine.

[depakid]

38. And the architect of 1994's debacle

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/8372

[grantcart]

12. Ezra Klein just called me and asked me to suggest that he was sharing exactly that

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/12/remembering_barack_obamas_camp.html

But the basic structure of the proposal is remarkably similar. Here's how it was described in the campaign's white paper:

The Obama-Biden plan provides new affordable health insurance options by: (1) guaranteeing eligibility for all health insurance plans; (2) creating a National Health Insurance Exchange to help Americans and businesses purchase private health insurance; (3) providing new tax credits to families who can’t afford health insurance and to small businesses with a new Small Business Health Tax Credit; (4) requiring all large employers to contribute towards health coverage for their employees or towards the cost of the public plan; (5) requiring all children have health care coverage; (5) expanding eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs; and (6) allowing flexibility for state health reform plans.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

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

[jefferson_dem]

29. Who is this "we"?

:shrug:

[jenmito]

32. it's

360girl, m448, and Teddykin. :rofl:

[cliffordu]

39. Mebbe it's got a rat in it's pocket////

[Cha]

34. All your multiple personalities were betrayed.

:nopity:

[Armstead]

20. No mention of his disavowal of mandates

And he sorta said he really wanted a public option, didn't he?

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

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

[Armstead]

26. I reluctantly think we were -- and are

[DrToast]

27. Where's the competition?

[winyanstaz]

31. Of course he rejected it....because he is refusing to listen to the people

[Bluenorthwest]

40. Gee, how surprising that he is pleased with himself

The man who slandered others for supporting mandates, derided the need for mandates, celebrates his mandates without a hint of self awareness.