Obama on Health Care Passage: ‘This Is What Change Looks Like’

This is a big step in the right direction.

To clarify, the passage of health care reform is a big step in the right direction. Thank God Obama was elected President.

The results of this health care decision will be horrible.

The passage of this bill flies in face of the Constitution and the wishes of the American public. This is on more nail in the coffin of democracy of a once great nation

“Some have predicted another siege of parliamentary maneuvering in order to delay adoption,” Obama said.
It’s called “sauce for the gander” Mr President.

Calling the vote “momentous,” the president thanked those members of Congress who stood up with “courage and conviction” admitting that he knows that it was not an “easy vote” for many members.
——
Changing momentous to vomitous and saying that Congress cowered to corruption and intimidation would be more accurate.
We now get to pay for four years for a bill that will probably bankrupt itself within a few years after it becomes effective.
Disgusting on so many levels.

people will realize HCR actually helps
Posted by: PO’d |
and all the little girls in America will get a free pony.

Statement from Victoria Reggie Kennedy at Boston Globe:
“….“This landmark moment belongs to President Barack Obama, to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the courageous members of the House, and to the colleagues [Ted Kennedy] cherished in the Senate. Most of all, it belongs to America—and it is one of the rare legislative achievements that belongs to the ages.
“When Ted stood with Barack Obama in 2008, he said he had new hope that we would break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American—north, south, east, west, young, old—would have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege. And now they do and from now on they will… “

Posted by: Teddy’s Big Stick | Mar 22, 2010 3:01:47 AM
I think Frum, a conservative, actually gets it right:
“Conservatives and Republicans today suffered their most crushing legislative defeat since the 1960s.
It’s hard to exaggerate the magnitude of the disaster. Conservatives may cheer themselves that they’ll compensate for today’s expected vote with a big win in the November 2010 elections. But…it’s a good bet that conservatives are over-optimistic about November – by then the economy will have improved and the immediate goodies in the healthcare bill will be reaching key voting blocs….
it’s Waterloo all right: ours.”

must clarify the term I used – whacked.
I meant that the pendulum would swing to the GOP and that democrats would get hit with losing their seats. As in, Scott Brown’s victory.

Huge step in the right direction for our Great Nation.
Can someone tell me “what American people” are being talked about? I’m an American, my co-workers and the sister I lost last month due to no medical insurance.

Posted by: marco | Mar 22, 2010 4:10:37 AM
It’s the end of the Republicans chance for recovery.
And yes, after the Bush wars and overspending and the crash of the economy – there will be some taxes paid. No doubt about that.

“This landmark moment belongs to President Barack Obama, to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the courageous members of the House,”
Yes, fortunately Republicans stood together (unlike the “stimulus” vote) and opposed this disastrous legislation. Obama and Pelosi set very high expectations for this legislation and every shortfall of the healthcare will land (rightly or wrongly so) at the feet of Democrats.
“guarantee that every American would have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege.”
First, health care is not a right as the government is infringing on the rights of others (to keep more of their earnings) in order to provide for those who do not have (but this is a completely different discussion). Second, access does not equate to quality (as we will find out as implementation of this legislation plays out).
“I think Frum, a conservative, actually gets it right”
David Frum (like David Brooks) self-label a conservatives in an effort to find some form a legitimacy and audience. Anyone who understands conservatism would not include either as representative of “mainstream conservative” thinking.

the immediate goodies in the healthcare bill will be reaching key voting blocs….
it’s Waterloo all right: ours.”
—
The taxes? Yeah, they will and it is.

tierra I hate to break the news to you but the wars are now obama’s. He had the opportunity to get out for over a year yet he has choosen not only to stay in Afganistan but has put additional resources and monies into the war.

“Tonight’s vote is not a victory for any one party,” Obama said. “It’s a victory for the American people and it’s a victory for common sense.”
Complete spin
How disgusting that our President talks so.
The Victory was for one party.
It is a loss for the American people, perhaps a win for The Nanny State.
There is no Common Sense in the bill, that’s why it’s so wordy and over 2000 pages.
Common Sense dictated a different solution but Congress failed to find it.
(sigh)

Welcome to The Divided Socialist States Of America!!

So now that healthcare “reform” has passed the House, will The One up his grade from a “solid B+”?

Now since the bill has passed I suppose the media will get busy, break down the bill and tell us of the hidden tax increases- privacy restrictions that are in it not to mention the fresh new batch of irs agents hired to track our checking accounts.
And for those who think the jobs situation will improve-you still have pockets where unemployment is going south and sooner or later the average* person will be able to see that there is a difference in buying a job with tax money thrown about or jobs created by someone taking a risk, developing a product or service and then selling it for a profit.
The average person is someone who has not become comfortably numb and has lost their pride with unemployment extensions, food stamps and government programs to keep them in their homes but a person who desires more for themselves and their families with a job that gives them more than this and a little dignity to boot.

How can human beings oppose this legislation with any heart. They sound like Ebenezer Scrooge, because without such health care legislation, you are saying let those die with pre existing conditions, low pay wages or unemployed and decrease surplus popluation. Help the needy? Liberty for all? Bah humbug. And how can these ultra conservatives call themselves Christian when Jesus is very clear that what they don’t do for the most needy, sick and poor, they don’t do for their Lord. When asked what one must do to be saved, Jesus said give your wealth to the poor and come follow me. And so the republican Christians who oppose this must also walk away sad that their fate is doomed because money is more important than the need of God’s people.

Last night the American People took a giant step closer to Bankruptcy. What kind of Utopia does the Democratic Party think we live in? Big business is not going to finance this monstrocity. They will be “out the door” or out of business with a blink of an eye. Are your math skills so bad that you honestly think the top 2% of the wealthy are going to be able to pay for this entitlement? Try to collect it from that Chateau in X foreign country. Now what do you do for a job? Unless Obama has an unlimited private stash This disaster is going to paid for by YOU, and YOU and YOU all the time you are watching the United States Fall!! Better brush up on your Chinese!

Prgressive momma: what benefits will we see by November?
Here are some of the benefits which take effect within a year of the President’s signature on the health care bill, per Reuters Fact Box “US healthcare bill would provide immediate benefits” (some go into effect after 90 days, many go into effect withing 180 days)
Insurance companies will be barred from dropping people from coverage when they get sick. Lifetime coverage limits will be eliminated and annual limits are to be restricted. (No more recision or coverage restrictive coverage limits!)
Insurers will be barred from excluding children for coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
Young adults will be able to stay on their parents’ health plans until the age of 26. Many health plans currently drop dependents from coverage when they turn 19 or finish college.
Uninsured adults with a pre-existing conditions will be able to obtain health coverage through a new program that will expire once new insurance exchanges begin operating in 2014. (temporary high risk pools)
A temporary reinsurance program is created to help companies maintain health coverage for early retirees between the ages of 55 and 64. This also expires in 2014.
Medicare drug beneficiaries who fall into the “doughnut hole” coverage gap will get a $250 rebate. The bill eventually closes that gap which currently begins after $2,700 is spent on drugs. Coverage starts again after $6,154 is spent.
A tax credit becomes available for some small businesses to help provide coverage for workers.
I’ll also add that in many communities, community health centers will receive funding to provide health and preventive services to people with no access right now.
—
If you go to the article I quoted and paraphrased from, it lays out the timeline for what happens in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.2015 and 2018 as well. For example, an excise tax on high cost employer-provided plans isn’t imposed until 2018, after the exchanges have been in operation for a few years.

Its a victory for the American people, and for security,compassion, doing the right thing and freedom.
Its also a victory over shady disinformation campaigns, scorched earth tactics, and for Congress doing SOMETHING.
Though from a purely political perspective, the GOP took a risk, and lost.
Matthew Yglesias:
“Credit for not buckling goes to Nancy Pelosi and other gutsy leaders. But it also goes to the GOP. They wouldn’t take “yes” for an answer when lots of people wanted to surrender and settle for something much smaller. Instead, whipped up into a frenzy of ideological fanaticism and overconfidence, they decided to take no prisoners. So nobody surrendered! …. The point of politics is to do stuff, not to vent your feelings of self-righteous outrage about “socialism” (and the poor and unhealthy, and hippies and ethnic others, my insert). By choosing the path of self-righteousness, the right-wing delivered a victory that progressives never would have been able to win on our own. And it’s a victory that’s no more likely to be repealed than Social Security, Medicare, Civil Rights or any of the other signature achievements of modern American liberalism.”

Freeloaders of America, rejoice!

progressive mama, thanks for posting the site for when changes become effective. Our oldest is graduating college this May and it is good to know he will be able to stay under our insurance plan by the end of this year. This alone will save our family at least $2400 a year!
Like you, I am so happy this reform passed. It could be improved but as it stands it will do a tremendous amount of good. I love that seniors on Medicare will be able to get a well-checkup at little or no cost each year. With seniors on fixed incomes (and thus saving doctors visits for when they are ill) this will help health problems be caught early. There are just so many common sense changes like that one in the bill.
Hurrah for Americans!

How many of you have had to go without insurance? How many of you have been laid off and had to pay Cobra almost all of the check that you received every week for health insurance? How many of you have had to charge your insurance on your Mastercard because you husband is self-employed and there are no jobs? Until you have been in the situation that alot of people are in, you may not understand the need for something to be done.We are paying for the uninsured now, what is the difference? I try to put myself in other peoples shoes. If I lose my job, I will be without insurance, I have a heart condition, before now, I would have to go without any coverage. I know that it will take awhile for all of the changes to take place, and I also know that I won’t like everything about the bill, but at least it is a step forward!!

Jackie, you said it all! I wish you the best.
My patriotism is for the land and the people. I don’t want the fact that I have good insurance to blind me to the fact that my neighbor can’t afford it, through no fault of their own. The suffering of those without insurance is monumental. How can I call myself patriotic if I didn’t care about the people who are my fellow Americans? I should be upset that insurance companies were ripping people off left and right. I should be upset that those with pre-existing conditions were denied coverage. All of the wrongs that this bill will correct should have upset us all these years.
With the passage of this health care bill, I’m going to be smiling all day today, happy for my fellow Americans, as well as my own family.

If a republican congress handed us over to the insurance companies the left would be up in arms. How foolish to see this as anything but a take over of the US by corrupt interests.
There is a thread of reverse racism here from those who hate American culture. Yes, America has a rich culture and we like it. I know that is a problem for the Democrats. Sorry! We are a kind and generous people. That is pretty obvious as we have let this travesty go on.

“This is what change looks like,” President Obama said appearing just before midnight after the health care bill passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 219 to 212.
You’re wrong Mr President.
You and your fellow Democrats in
Congress will find out what
“change looks like” in November and it
won’t be pretty!

like ‘they’ used to say to those who opposed the Iraq war ( besides the usual traitor nonsense), if you don’t like america because of the government policies,…. leave

@PO’d – I always find it interesting how the gov thinks that it IS America. And if you don’t like their policies then you should leave America the country. The gov is not America but rather simply the governing body destroying America the country. The country America belongs to the people and if we don’t like the gov’s policies then they need to leave.

Now it’s business by the Democrats alone and everyone else just has to suck it up until their voted out.
Posted by: Don
when republicans were the majority they did what they wanted………… didn’t really work out well for america….
Dems will now try and have their policies make a difference, correct some things, if they don’t they will be voted out just as the republicans were

boehner for president…that “hell no” was priceless!!!

Typo~OBAM-A!

that is the insurance industry who you have just been handed over to.
Posted by: welldirected
so impatient, there are things to come,
take your thumb out of your mouth, stop whining, uncurl from the fetal position…and stop over at your local secret FEMA detention camp….

A slap in the face for America
Posted by: betty11
maybe a slap in the face is exactly what america needs to finally wake us up from the travesty and fear that was the Bush/Cheney Republican years….

To PO’d… do you have loans? Because if you did, you might know that there are people who have those private loans and got screwed with 12% fixed APR’s and don’t have the ability to consolidate their loans like with Direct Government Loans. That means it makes it even harder to pay them back and raises the default rate. It’s actually HELPFUL for the goverment to remove those subsides and loan the money directly. There is no private loan company profiting off the government and students in that equations. WOW.

Sorry, PO’d, I was talking to betty11…