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Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
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The president proposes a plan to overhaul a system he says has the country at "a breaking point."
In a prime-time address to a joint session of Congress, Obama laid out the specifics of his proposal to change the way Americans’ medical care is paid for, responding to critics who have complained that he has not set forth precisely what he thinks the new program should be.
In a prime-time address to a joint session of Congress, Obama laid out the specifics of his proposal to change the way Americans’ medical care is paid for, responding to critics who have complained that he has not set forth precisely what he thinks the new program should be.
Sep 9, 2009 7:43 PM
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
Easy to say. Back up you're challenge instead of just running interference.
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
Perhaps I misunderstood your statement. Were you referencing Joe Wilson's heckle, or addressing Pres. Obama?
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
I wish they would have a second copy of these speeches sans-applause. Then I could bear to listen to it in 1/4th the time.
By: hypersapien
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
The best bet is the transcript. Then you can just scan throught it without the dramatic pauses, applauses and cat-calls.
By: shitba
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
The thing is, this really delineates the reaction from those who represent us. There's an interesting tactic being employed, the use of highly publicized events, the town-hall meetings, to make it seem as if there is a grass-roots reaction to this initiative, and that the GOP is truly acting on behalf of the people that voted for them.
The problem is that MOST Americans support reform. The townhall meetings were hi-jacked, filled largely with people literally bussed in by healthcare companies, who make it look like there is more dissent than there really is, and to lend legitimacy to Republican opposition to reform.
Really, though, Republicans are representing the people who pay them, the same insurance industry that will see a reduction in profits if reform goes through. Insurance companies spend 1.4 million dollars
(that 1,400,000 dollars) EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Since 2002, insurance companies have increased the average premium 87% and increased their profit margin almost 500%. FIVE HUNDRED PERCENT. In seven years.
The problem is that MOST Americans support reform. The townhall meetings were hi-jacked, filled largely with people literally bussed in by healthcare companies, who make it look like there is more dissent than there really is, and to lend legitimacy to Republican opposition to reform.
Really, though, Republicans are representing the people who pay them, the same insurance industry that will see a reduction in profits if reform goes through. Insurance companies spend 1.4 million dollars
(that 1,400,000 dollars) EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Since 2002, insurance companies have increased the average premium 87% and increased their profit margin almost 500%. FIVE HUNDRED PERCENT. In seven years.
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
Clarification, insurance companies spend 1.4 every day on lobbyists in Washington.
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
Majority opinion is only one aspect of how U.S. democracy works. A small number of people who care enough about something to write their representatives, go to meetings, and work the media can make change happen, even if the rest of the country doesn't care. A lot of research on specific diseases gets funded because a small number of people affected by it organize and lobby government. The citizens loudly agitating against government involvement in health care may be half-crazy, paranoid, and gullible, but they're motivated. If the people who support health care reform had half that motivation, we would already have passed the president's plan.
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
With all respect, I believe your assumption that people who support health care reform don't have "half that motivation" as those who fight against it is simply not true.
I'd guess (er, assume? :) you make this assumption because we all see these angry detractors on the corporate mainstream news media - yet we see not the same vitriol in supporters who call for public health care.
I wonder why that is?
Many people in my town have held major rallies (and angry protests) in favor of single-payer health care and against those who would oppose this option.
But, just as the mainstream media ignored up to one hundred thousand independent Americans who organized themselves against the Iraq War, the corporate news somehow finds time at the dinner hour to cover the "outraged" (supported by Dick Armey's astroturf millions) in their emotional stance against health care for all Americans. God bless us, every one.
And again, I wonder why that is.
Just because we don't see it on the news doesn't mean it isn't happening.
I'd guess (er, assume? :) you make this assumption because we all see these angry detractors on the corporate mainstream news media - yet we see not the same vitriol in supporters who call for public health care.
I wonder why that is?
Many people in my town have held major rallies (and angry protests) in favor of single-payer health care and against those who would oppose this option.
But, just as the mainstream media ignored up to one hundred thousand independent Americans who organized themselves against the Iraq War, the corporate news somehow finds time at the dinner hour to cover the "outraged" (supported by Dick Armey's astroturf millions) in their emotional stance against health care for all Americans. God bless us, every one.
And again, I wonder why that is.
Just because we don't see it on the news doesn't mean it isn't happening.
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
As a staunch atheist, Canadian, young, healthy, middle-class individual with little to gain from the US political process, I say without hesitation,
Thank God for Obama.
Thank God for Obama.
By: Shiggety
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
where is white wolf when you need him?
By: poonhound
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
Off in the woods somewhere, licking his balls.
Hey, I would too if it were physically possible. It's a wonder he has the spare time to post at all.
Hey, I would too if it were physically possible. It's a wonder he has the spare time to post at all.
By: decavolt
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
Must be quite a workout sitting in the crowd here.
*and stand up and clap, and sit down and clap, stand up and clap, shout!...*
*and stand up and clap, and sit down and clap, stand up and clap, shout!...*
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
Almost like Catholic mass, except without the lite snack and sip of wine in the middle.
By: decavolt
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
The shit eating grin and thumbs up from McCain is a huge victory i itself, considering the invective he employed when discussing Obamacare in his screened "town-hall" meetings, during which he offered a doctor who likened Obama to Hitler a job.
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
There was a guy in the initial applause going, "Woo WOOOO!" You don't suppose he was imitating Bubb Rubb the whistle-tip guy, do you?
By: SmartLX
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
At 2:47, the man standing at the right-center of the screen and applauding... Since when did The Wolf Man become a member of Congress? Hurray for lycanthrope representatives in our government!
Great speech.
Great speech.
By: decavolt
