I was impressed. He got specific. He was tough, yet stayed in the middle, offering to work together with both sides. President Obama’s health care speech was another step in the right direction towards reform of a system that is itself, critically ill.
Focusing on positives from the start, and what agreement there already is on both sides, President Obama specifically laid out his ideas for a comprehensive overall. To my mind, this was the first time he has done that. There’s been reigning confusion as to what the actual proposals consisted of. Unfortunately, politics had an opening, and misinformation and fear started taking over the debate. Representative Joe Wilson’s outburst starkly showed some of the ill-mannered, hot political manuvering that’s been going on.
We all agree that the system is in need of repair. Too many people are without health coverage and when accidents or catastrophic illnesses strike the results are disastrous: withholding of urgent care, families stressed beyond limits, bankruptcies. Everyone has to be taken care of; everyone needs basic health care. It’s obscene that in America, one of the most prosperous countries on earth, that so many people are left behind. For those who are insured, there will be limits on out-of-pocket expenses, and the end of cancellations, and preexisting conditions limitations.
Obama got tough. He called out the lies that have been used for political, and even racist agendas. I hope that the “town hall” hate sessions are now nipped in the bud. Obama exposed the lies of “death panels,” “government takeovers,” “hurting seniors,” and “Socialist agendas.” Those are obvious scare tactics, and untruths. I believed our President when he promised that there would be no deficit spending, and that government would not be making decisions that should be left to doctors and patients. I believe him that senior’s coverage wouldn’t suffer and Medicare and Medicade would continue. His plan would increase prescription drug coverage, helping to end the “donut” in existing programs. We cannot be forced out of our insurance due to illnesses. We will be able to continue to chose our doctors and care. Taxes will not go up with overhaul of the healthcare system.
He finally called out insurance companies. By saying that the health insurance industry is 1/6th of our entire economy, he put things into perspective. Further, his statement that there are really only 5 insurance companies is shocking. He could have gone a bit further and said that insurance companies are the richest companies on earth, other than oil companies. It’s scandalous that the insurers are so rich, when so many people are left behind. It’s disgusting that our healthcare system isn’t among the best in the world with the amount of money that’s spent in it.
He’s right to use the free enterprise system to increase competition for health insurers. We’ll be able to compare, and bid. By opening markets, and adding millions of potential customers, insurance companies will further prosper and so will consumers. The power to choose will be strengthened. The Republicans liked that, and they should. They still don’t appear to like the public insurance option, though. For the small percentage of those uninsured, we should have a non-profit alternative. We already have it with Medicare and Medicade!
Laws should be enacted to insist on health coverage. We have them for auto insurance, why shouldn’t we for our own people’s care?
As Barack Obama said, the time for bickering and lies is over. We must move forward together. We must do something, now, for the people, not for politics. Healthcare is vital; it’s too expensive, and only for the privileged now. It must be for everyone.
My favorite line was near the end: “We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it. I still believe we can act even when it’s hard.” I believe we can, too. We need to put aside partisan politics, hatred, racism, and fear mongering.
Please comment below on what YOU thought, and your concerns for healthcare.
Please contact your senators and congressional representatives and tell them to get healthcare reform passed ASAP. We need it now.
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