At Close of Summit, President Obama Says It’s Time for Decisions “And Then That’s What Elections Are For”

all I saw was a smug Obama, saying I am the President that is why I am right…And many sob stories and no information on how much is all this going to cost an over burden over spending government

New plan cuts overhead costs & carbon footprint of white collar workers by 50%. We can no longer afford to let all white-collar workers that still have jobs work banker’s hours when we can work two shifts per day in government and private industry and cut our overhead costs in half.
This simple paradigm shifts solves three problems: It jumpstarts economy and fights poverty, cuts pollution, reduces budget deficits.
Most office space is very expensive yet white collar workers only us it 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. This amounts to only 30% efficiency which is completely unacceptable in today’s economic and ecological environment.

Barry got schooled and looks like a complete buffoon. Uhh ahh uhhh ahhh I bought car insurance from acme uhh car insurance. ROFLMAO!

“We have to start over”
“Why?”
“Don’t know, we just do/”
“That’s all you got? Lame.”

Once again the Democrats and the President come across as the ones attempting to do the responsible job on this issue – and the Republicans as contrarians offering mostly complaints and not solutions.
It became very clear that many of the Republican ideas have already been adapted into these bills.

The simple fact is that the best plans that the CBO has said would save the most money are those that the Republicans, blue dogs, and health care industry have seen to it will not pass.
And so, for most, we get consumer protections instead. Not a bad thing, but not revolutionary.
The idea that “someone will get soaked paying for someone else’s care” overlooks the main point. They’re *already* getting soaked for it. This isn’t revolutionary legislation, but it will improve the status of health care in the US.
Not as much as public health care, which helps the people of Canada live nearly 2 1/2 years longer than those just a short distance away in the US, but still… it will help, in numerous regards.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy

I was happy to see after Jake’s post yesterday that Rachel Maddow on MSNBC called out the Republicans for saying that Democrats passing the health reform bill through reconciliation is the same as the nuclear option.
Maddow: “What’s going on here is a deliberate attempt on the part of Republicans to define nuclear down — to conflate these two totally separate things to demonize the way that Democrats have to pass health reform right now. By calling it the nuclear option even though the nuclear option is a real thing in the Senate, and this isn’t that — it has nothing to do with that. Perhaps the reason that Republicans are so unwilling to call this what it is, reconciliation is because they have a really long record of using reconciliation.”
Meanwhile, Think Progress has a post up called “McCain assails reconciliation, forgetting he once said the GOP laid the foundation for its use”
TP also notes in that post: “The GOP majority used reconciliation to pass President Bush’s tax cuts, which have so far cost the federal government nearly $2 trillion and continue to add to the deficit. The CBO, meanwhile, said that the Senate’s health care bill yields “a net reduction in federal deficits of $132 billion” over 10 years. PolitiFact.com noted that it’s “probably true” that Bush’s tax cuts cost more than the Senate’s health care bill.”

From what I watched of the summit it was Obama dominating all comments and opposing the few comments that the Republicans got to make. This guy is like a spoiled brat who always thinks he’s right. He has got to be the worst president our country has ever had.
I’ve said it before, November, 2010 can’t come any sooner. So Democrats, get on with it — in the words of Clint Eastwood and Ronald Reagan, “Go ahead, make my day.” Your days in Washington are numbered and you get to join the ranks of the unemployed!”

Just saw a great video of the Republicans all just repeating the same talking points — VERBATIM!
It was incredible!
It’s unfortunate that they didn’t come to seriously talk about how to address this healthcare issue.

If the healthcare bill was good, it would have been passed and some Republicans would have supported it. This Administration messed up big time — they thought they could get the bill they wanted without working with or listening to THE AMERICAN PEOPLE — forget Republicans — they have no power. The Dems were unable to pass this bill despite controlling all three branches of government — they should be fired and hopefully will be in November.

“I thought it was a terrific discussion and we’ll see whether it made any difference in terms of people’s attitudes,” – President NoBo
Including yours sir.

I watched this program and what I got out of it is Obama is really not a very nice person nor smart.
In addition knowing that deals were made with hand full of states and special interest groups he did not say I will see they are all taken out because that is not right!.
I have never seen a president who was so ignorant, arrogant and such a bad leader. Up to now I could not imagine a worst president than Jimmy Carter. Carter had his faults but Obama could not carry his bags.
Obama should resign if cares about our country but he won’t – Obama doesn’t care one bit about what Americans think or feel. Boy – we have 3 more years with this guy, may God helps us all.
Today Obama showed himself for what he is and that is a real loser what a shame the black people of our country has him as their first black president. Colin Powell would have been great and there are many other black men we could all be proud of. But we were fooled.

Up to now I could not imagine a worst president than Jimmy Carter.
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Okay, so you missed George W. Bush? That makes your judgment really suspect . . . “ignorant, arrogant and such a bad leader” are you words . ..

I’m truly concerned for the welfare of this great nation. The posturing and total lock-step adherence to the party of choice. The constant insults and bickering. The complete lack of independent thought beyond what is fed in sound-bites and slogans.
No, I’m not talking about the members of Congress or the President.
I’m talking to 99% of you posting here and on other conversation threads. So many of you are totally incapable of seeing the reality that took place today at the Blair House.
Members from both parties of a deeply-divided Congress came together and were able to actually discuss portions of the health insurance reform issue. They were not perfect…after all they are politicians.
Too bad the bigoted hate so many of you have blinds you to the good that was done by both parties and the President.

Yeah the GOPers would just love to start the process all over again. Just so they can be in a stronger position to derail it and stall it till the November elections. So transparent. Health care reform is like civil rights legislation in that opposition to it is a core principle for the GOP. The Dems reached out and tried to work with the GOP, far more than Bush and Tom DeLay ever did!! History is calling, and the GOP still refuses to even pick up the phone. Let the GOP run as the Party that lets the phone ring through to voice mail as our country teeters on the edge.

“And yet if you read the news they’ve switched gears and are contributing to Republicans!!! Get current, or sound like someone stuck in the past and not very well-informed.
You may also want to read up on Republicans huddling with wall street, oil lobbyists and health care and insurance lobbyists to plot bill killing strategies.”
So the ‘Pubs got bought out like Democrats? I’m shocked! You’re right the buying out of Barry being old news…But like I said, a cheap deal. But you forgot the part of how they made sure their pal Timmy stayed around too. Goldman calls, Barry listens…Bonuses are now good!

I’m shocked!
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Sure, you are. LOL.
The good news is despite the contributions, some Democrats and progressives ARE pushing financial reforms. Most Republicans don’t seem willing to break ranks. We need independent thinkers in Congress. Enough of the stranglehold of the two party system.

Healthcare reform will pass and America will be better for it!!! All Republicans can do now is run their mouth!!!!!!!! That’s all they can do!!!! I wish that the parties would get along enough to get more things passed for the betterment of the American people!!!!!!!! But I doubt that this will happen!!!!! The Democrares just need to move on and get this bill passed and move on to getting more jobs out there for the American people!!!!! companies here in my town are starting to hire people again. But I think the government needs to do more and help produce more job a lttle more quickly!!! I still support President Obama and his Administration because they have anre are getting things done and are trying to be there for the American people. So, for you “no” sayers out there try to help America help each other with positive actions and not negitive actions!!!!!! people need hope and action!!!!! That’s what Presint Obama is providing!!!!

The Dem’s wrote these bills behind closed doors, shut out the Rep, Cut deals upon deals with our tax money
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It seems you didn’t listen very closely to the forum today. Did you miss the part about all of the bi-partisan committee work on this bill? And the Republican amendments included?

It was quite obvious that Obama had no real intention of reaching any agreements.
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It was even more obvious that the Republicans didn’t either.
EJ Dionne (WaPo): “The Republicans simply don’t want to pass comprehensive health-care reform. That is the main lesson of today’s health-care summit. It started, as Steve Stromberg pointed out earlier, with the Republicans wanting to talk more about process than about the content of the various health-care bills. It approached an end with House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) delivering the core Republican message: “Scrap this bill.”
… Republicans wanted to talk about process or tried to poke holes in President Obama’s proposals. They sought not to emphasize their own ideas because their own bills are so much smaller and do so much less.”
NYT: “Beyond the question of government intervention in the private insurance market, their most profound disagreement was over expanding coverage to the uninsured. The Democrats want to cover more than 30 million people over 10 years; Republicans said the nation could not”

We have honest disagreements about — about the vision for the country and we’ll go ahead and test those out over the next several months till November. All right?”
Its disappointing that this point wasn’t covered here:
Maggie Mahar (Health Beat blog):”Today, I think the president accomplished all that he could hope to do. He gave Republicans an opportunity to propose a plan to provide health care for 30 million uninsured Americans. And the Republicans made it clear that universal coverage is not their goal. Anyone who still believes that bi-partisan compromise is possible didn’t watch the summit.”
Paul Krugman: “House Republicans don’t have anything to offer to Americans with troubled medical histories. On the contrary, their big idea — allowing unrestricted competition across state lines — would lead to a race to the bottom. The states with the weakest regulations — for example, those that allow insurance companies to deny coverage to victims of domestic violence — would set the standards for the nation as a whole. The result would be to afflict the afflicted, to make the lives of Americans with pre-existing conditions even harder.
Don’t take my word for it. Look at the Congressional Budget Office analysis of the House G.O.P. plan. That analysis is discreetly worded, with the budget office declaring somewhat obscurely that while the number of uninsured Americans wouldn’t change much, “the pool of people without health insurance would end up being less healthy, on average, than under current law.” But here’s the translation: While some people would gain insurance, the people losing insurance would be those who need it most.”

Let the majority rule, pass this health bill. Don’t let the republicans stop it again.

So XXX are they gonna jump on the exchange after it is mandated? Why not? Its the same as they have right? Keep dreaming. Hey you want to buy some ocean front property in Tennessee I hear I can get it real cheap for you. Its about the same thing.

Can someone please explain to me why the Republicans are so against helping hard working people get afforadable health care. The cost of premiums is crippling people and this Im alright Jack attitude is beyond belief.
The only people making any money are the insurance companies. They have been given the power to play God and that is wrong. People should not be denied medical treatment because they cannot afford it. SO America get a grip and start to follow the lessons in the bible that we should look after our fellow man. America claims to be a Christian god fearing country well I see little evidence of that.

Career politicians are one thing. Insurance companies deciding who gets coverage and who doesn’t, who goes bankrupt and who doesn’t – that is something else. In every other western industrialized democracy, there is universal health care – both public and private insurance.

MT Hayes
There are ways it can be done that would not incur a trillion dollar deficit. Adding a legislative program that cost more money while the have 2 broken systems 3 if you include SS. They (Rep and Dem) need to go back and find a way to reform the institutions and in a way that does not burden us further. Quite frankly the Deficit has gotten way outta control and to add insult to injury is not the way to go. Rep and Dem are responsible for the Deficite. It is time the Dem and Rep are responsible. I am for reform but the bill on the table is not the solution. The whole process of the way the bill/s were created is a result of our flawed system and it is time for change across the board with statesmen concerned for our rights and interest and the removal of career politicians.

Career politicians are one thing. Insurance companies deciding who gets coverage and who doesn’t, who goes bankrupt and who doesn’t – that is something else. In every other western industrialized democracy, there is universal health care – both public and private insurance.
tierra
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And so adding a socialist health care program; or call it what ever you want, is suppose to make our system better. If the “Universal Health Care” is so great then why do those counties come here to get care? Because that is not the answer. This is not a fix its another program that cost more money and in 10 to 15 years we will be trying to fix it like they are the medicaid/medicare programs now. Its simply not the answer. The obviously know the problems as the stated today so start over with those issues and create so legislation that works.
Focus on fraud in the MM programs and funnel it back, wright legislation to restrict dropping and denying while forcing the Insurance companies to use a model that does away with the pools and uses a pool that has everyone in the same bubble if you will. across the nation better. just an Idea but its better that the trillion dollar program that is not really going to fix anything and will create and even greater financial burden in the future.

There are ways it can be done that would not incur a trillion dollar deficit.
Posted by: jrh | Feb 26, 2010 2:53:19 AM
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The Congressional Budget Office has determined the Democratic plans will reduce the deficit. Are you not for deficit reduction?
Posted by: tierra | Feb 26, 2010 3:01:40 AM
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Based on a bill that is incomplete and not truly finished with lots of holes. the cob even admitted that they had to run the figures based on very vague verb-age. Those numbers are not true to task. This bill has been on rush mode just so Obama can force it thru. When all the smoke and mirrors clear that price tag is going to be a lot more. just wait and see. by then Obama will be gone and sipping a drink in whatever country he was really born in. point is when it hits the fan he won’t be there. And we will be the worse for it.

“by then Obama will be gone and sipping a drink in whatever country he was really born in.”
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Oh boy . .. please don’t include yourself one of the nutty club. We’ve seen enough nonsense.

I am for Deficit reduction and Health Reform not
Health take over over or a socialist health plan. Free enterprise is the catalyst of this nation. It is what has made this country great. It is what has identified us and set us apart from other nations. The Government taking over and running things are not the answer. Bureaucracy and socialism is like a vine that chokes the life out of a tree. it creeps up on you slowly but eventually it chokes the life out of you. There are other methods that could be taken but i do not see this bill happening as they say it will. I say we need to explore real reform mandates and this model that they are proposing with subsidized funds will not produce the results you want.

So you don’t believe the Congressional Budget Office? Oh well . .. you don’t believe government then. That becomes your only comment then – “I don’t believe government”. Not much room for discussing health insurance reform.
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As I said:
Based on a bill that is incomplete and not truly finished with lots of holes. the cob even admitted that they had to run the figures based on very vague verb-age. Those numbers are not true to task. This bill has been on rush mode just so Obama can force it thru. When all the smoke and mirrors clear that price tag is going to be a lot more. just wait and see. by then Obama will be gone and sipping a drink in whatever country he was really born in. point is when it hits the fan he won’t be there. And we will be the worse for it.
How about reading it all!

So you’re against reducing the deficit and you’re against improving health insurance and health care? Sounds confused to me.
I am for Deficit reduction
I am for health care reform that leads to better health insurance and health care.
Adding another legislative program to 2 broken programs fixes what? in 10 15 years we get to fix the new one.
focus on the fraud in M/M and funnel it back into M/M
Address the real issues with Insurance and force the insurance into a model that protects us and empowers us. It can be done without a trillion dollar price tag.
It takes more time than the forced measures they have come up with.

“by then Obama will be gone and sipping a drink in whatever country he was really born in.”
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There you go again, buying into the nonsense and bigotry.

I say goodnight cause I have to get up and go to work in the morning. So I bid you adieu….

Posted by: jrh | Feb 26, 2010 3:53:07 AM
Best wishes . . .

Obama: “and then that’s what elections are for”. This guy is frozen in permanent campaign mode. When he accused McCain of it, then comes up with this statement, tells me that this guy cannot move beyond advertising himself. That’s all this summit was about – Obama campaigning for 2012, nothing more.

tierra, you trust in King Government too much. According to the Cato Institute, a non-profit public policy research foundation headquartered in Washington, D.C., “Past forecasts often overstated deficits by huge amounts even for the current year — by $78 billion in 1992 and $102 billion in 1997. In early 1998, the CBO thought the next year’s surplus would be $2 billion, but it turned out to be $125 billion. Looking further ahead, CBO errors have been staggering. Next year’s budget, now estimated to be in surplus by $176 billion, had once been expected to show deficits of $579 billion (per the CBO’s 1993 forecast), $349 billion (1995 forecast), and $188 billion (1997 forecast).”

Perhaps this is “SUCCESS” in disguise. If the dems push this Health Care Bill through, then the simple truth is that “they” are through. They will be voted out of office come November in droves. You must admit it; it would be worth passing that broken down health care Bill just to rid America of pelosi, reid & other dems & FINALLY….obama in the next Presidential election. The funny thing is, dems are so intransgigent that they just don’t see that they cut off their nose despite their face. God……are liberals really that uninformed? I guess so. Soooooo, with that I’ll ask two questions (both for the dems)#1 How’s that “HOPE-Y – CHANGE-Y stuff going for you a year later. and #2 “CAN YOU HEAR US NOW?”

Pelosi looked as if she had lost her best friend.. look for Rahm’s short sell health care plan b.. to surface.

Testing 1 – 2 – 3
“President Obama Says It’s Time for Decisions “And Then That’s What Elections Are For”" – ABC News

……. and how’s that new centerfold senator that won in that “stunning” MA election??? We don’t hear much gloating anymore……… especially since he voted in favor of the jobs bill. Thought you were going to get another obstructionist, din cha??!!

I just pray that Americans will eventually see through Mr. Obama – one of the most hideous President in US history.

If the dems push this Health Care Bill through, then the simple truth is that “they” are through. …
I’ll ask two questions (both for the dems)#1 How’s that “HOPE-Y – CHANGE-Y stuff going for you a year later. and #2 “CAN YOU HEAR US NOW?”
Posted by: Richard | Feb 26, 2010 7:36:59 AM
Let’s push it through then! And vote in progressive independents in the fall who can add on the public option and Wyden’s free choice amendment.
(Or you can keep hoping Republicans will change … lol, lol, lol… and parroting Palin. )

Obama has made this issue a “legacy” issue for his administration. Therefore, he has lost all objectivity, in regards to it.
He needs to return to square one, and start over, and look at what the bill actually will do.

Harvard Law educated Obama didn’t even understand his own car insurance policy. He has no business making decisions about MY health insurance.

The negative atmosphere on the side of the republicans was evident from the minute they came into the room. They will cooperate if President Obama uses ALL of their ideas. The key to the whole scene is the statement he made: He said….I can work with several of your suggestions what is it that you can work with…give me some ideas…and not a word was said. They looked at each other and said nothing. That was the answer….they want all or nothing. Just how bi-partisan is that. Whether or not you like Obama is not the answer here…the answer lies in the fact that if they don’t like you or agree with you…they won’t cooperate. That is why the American people are angry. It is not all about this president…it is about cooperation and working together. Why should the party who won bow down to the party who lost? These sore losers would rather waste four years and cooperate on nothing than to work together for the people who put them there.

The Democrats got exposed as the hateful liars they are yesterday. They want to destroy the constitution and take our liberties.

Too many racist in America who will never support anything that helps minorities. But we do have a majority of good citizens that is why Obama is president. I am sure he will do the people’s work who voted him to office and ignored the racist republicans and tea party jim crow supporters who hate him for being black.

Yes, Obamma, that’s just what elections are for. Hello? You had to have a Beer Summit II to jack up your belief that NJ, MA, and NC weren’t votes? What an idiot!
Perhaps, if you’d had this campaign promise bi-partisan C-span televised negotiation done LAST YEAR, there could have been a successful bill.
Like I said, your Beer Summit II was just Obamma “acting stupidly.”

The POTUS is right…”that’s what elections are for….”and the thing I dislike about that right now is waiting for the next one. The next one will be so coooollll…..we get to say so long to the Cook County crowd.

ignore the fact the Congressional Budget Office calculates the Democratic health care bills will REDUCE: posted by tierra
You forget that the CBO only came up with the # to suit the WH and democrats after they got strong-armed by the Pres.

If you cannot tell who is actually working for the American people after watching that summit, then there really is no hope for you. President Obama tried to keep the conversation about healthcare and Republicans were constantly going back to their talking points. I don’t know how Pres. Obama can stand that Eric Cantor or John McCain. They both bore me to death. All they did was grandstand, use props and talk about a government takeover. Why are they trying to scare Americans? Oh yes, they are paid off by the wealthiest of the Americans to spout their talking points and that is it. There is no real discussion from the Republicans. All they want to do is protect big business, The Healthcare Industry, The Pharmaceutical companies etc. They are all bought off and John McCain has the nerve to talk about shady backroom deals. Give me a break. American are not fools. We saw the kind of man they think should be in the Whitehouse. That’s what happens when we put a Republican in office who gives big breaks to the rich and spits on the poor. What cracks me up is how anyone middle class could possibly be a Republican??? They vote against there best interest and it boggles the mind.

The Healthcare Industry, The Pharmaceutical companies etc. They are all bought off and John McCain has the nerve to talk about shady backroom deals. …
Posted by: Lana | Feb 26, 2010 2:39:33 PM
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If you really think someone was bought, ask why there is no public option? Why isn’t the prez. insists on including it in the bill? Who do you think was bought by the Ins. Cos.?

“As it happens, in order to attend the healthcare summit, McCain had to cancel his other plans for today — a fundraiser sponsored by BGR PAC
Posted by: progressive mama
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Oh, Jesus Christ!!! If McCain attending a fundraiser bothers you I’m sure you’re sickened that ubama is putting his re-election team together 3 years ahead of the next potus term.