Did Obama convince you on the health care bill?
President Obama talked to Americans last night about the future of health care in the U.S. and said that if nothing is done soon, health care costs will double over the next ten years, and even more Americans will lose their insurance coverage (46 million are already uninsured).
The president's main goal last night was to reiterate to Americans the importance of passing health care laws and to gain support for the current bill in Congress.
At the start of the news conference, he said, “So folks are skeptical, and that is entirely legitimate” but later added, “If we do not reform health care, your premiums and out-of-pocket costs will continue to skyrocket. If we do not act, 14,000 Americans will continue to lose their health insurance every single day.”
Obama also stressed his August 7th deadline for Congress to send him a health care bill to sign into law. Although he has said in the past that it could be a flexible deadline, last night he took a harder line saying “If you don’t set a deadlines in this town, things don’t happen,” but avoiding setting an actual date; “We will do it this year.”
Public support for Obama’s handling of the health care reform may be wavering, according to a new Gallup/USA Today poll which shows 50% of Americans unhappy with Obama’s approach to health care. 44% of those questioned approve of his approach however.
Did you watch last night? What did you think? Did Obama convince you that this bill is the right way to fund health care in the U.S.? Let us know, comment below.
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Comments
Here's part of the response at Causecast.org
Health care reform is one of the most necessary and urgent issues in contemporary American politics. For too long tens of millions of Americans have been uninsured, unable to get the medical attention we’re all entitled to as world citizens. Yes, I said “entitled.” We’ve decided, as moral, rational people, that Americans are entitled to certain benefits regardless of wealth or social status. Just a few examples: public schools, police and fire departments, public libraries.
On The O’Reilly Factor on Monday night, Bill O’Reilly read an e-mail with the point that wealthy Canadians often come to the U.S. to get health care, thus arguing that we have a better health care system. I would argue that wealthy Canadians come to America for the best doctors because they are wealthy, the same way that wealthy American parents send their children to private school. But, just because there is private school and some parents feel that’s a better option for education, is that a valid argument for eliminating the public school system? Here’s the bottom line: if education, free books, and protection from crime and fire are benefits that everyone should be entitled to, shouldn’t the most fundamental aspect of our lives, health, fit into that category?
Rest of it is here...
http://www.causecast.org/news_items/8773-obama-health-care-press-confere...