RE: How are you liking Obama's speech?

I wish that this had been a speech from the oval office instead of directly to congress. The cheering, clapping, standing, sitting on one's hands, and other political posturing takes away from the message. Same thing occurs with the state of the union address. I would prefer to hear the president speak without the distraction. Other than that, I found that the speech was did enlighten me a little more about a few issues that I was previously unaware of. Loved the laughter across the board when he said there were still a few small details to work out.

Apparently the congressman who yelled out "you lie" was Joe Wilson of South Carolina

What I heard is that he wants to make it illegal to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions or dropping coverage when people get sick.

That puts cost burden on insurance companies not the govt. They may pass the cost on through premiums put that doesn't effect the deficit.

The public option insurance exchange is to be set up as self sufficient to cover its costs - so that won't add govt cost but will put pressure on insurance companies to keep its premiums reasonable countering the concern above. This will start off small so it won't have much of an initial impact. And it won't grow if insurance companies give good value.

Create a law that requires people to have health insurance just as they need to have automobile liability insurance. This puts more money in the insurance bucket, public or private. A lot of these are healthy people that will give more than they take. No govt cost there.

Now there would be subsidies for small companies and low income indivuduals who could not afford the coverage. No revenue add there. Their costs would have to be absorbed by the whole. But their costs are already absorbed when they receive medical care they cannot afford now and don't pay for. But now they might get earlier treatment that could avoid greater costs down the road.

So that's how I see the cost/benefit that was explained during the address.

And the insurance companies will stay in business.

I am trying to understand some of the negative reactions.

Like. Regardless of which direction reform goes, he's done his part to get it though. He managed to stay true to his beliefs while showing that he's reasonable, thoughtful, and logical. Maybe the plan isn't for the best... but he called out the Death Panel "private industry can't compete" folks.

Maybe now we can have a R-E-A-L discussion.

Throw in a little more for Tort reform, make sure the insurance companies can keep reasonable margins, and we could have something pass.

Due to pressure from within his own party, Congressman Wilson has issued an apology: "This evening, I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the president's remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill. While I disagree with the president's statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility."

He should be forgiven. Great speech by Obama, by the way.

It's hard to imagine that he could've done a better job.

I just rewatch the video about the Canadian who had to come to Buffalo, NY for surgery on his brain tumor. Otherwise under Canadian healthcare he would have had to wait, what? 6 months? And be dead.

But it's free.

Our system is not perfect but what you are referencing is not at all indicative of our system and as I understand it, not even factually correct.

The whole health care process has been a pile of BS.

Legislation fundamentally affecting 350 million people and a huge chunk of country's economy should have started with exhaustive hearings with all stake holders = the insurance people, doctors, hospital administrators and patients.

Instead from the congressional back rooms emerged a 1000 pages of legalese nobody seems to have read except for the people at Fox.

Tonight we were told all over again... it won't cost us a dime more yet quality of HC will be better, there'll be more people covered and we all save money.

Sort of like the commercial for diet pills 'you can eat everything you want and still you lose 30 lb in 30 days'.

The Looks wrote:

Due to pressure from within his own party, Congressman Wilson has issued an apology: "This evening, I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the president's remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill. While I disagree with the president's statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility."

He should be forgiven. Great speech by Obama, by the way.

That idiot should be thrown out of congress just for being so ignorant.

There are only two types of illegal immigrants in the country regarding health care.

1. They falsified identity to work so they are actually paying taxes and covered by employers insurance policy. They probably rarely would ever use the insurance for fear of getting caught being in the country illegaly.

2. Working "under the table" and have no insurance. Currently, they show up at ER to get care and hospital eats cost or gets some gov't subsidy. If health reform doesn't address these people, they are either still going to get same care (free) before we ship them home, or they will be denied care and either die or hopefully get shipped home before they die. I am sure denying health care to illegals and letting them die would put us in a great light around the world.

Go to google and type "indigent health insurance" and read. There are people that have health insurance with a co-pay of $7 for dental, $5 for physical, and $10 or so for prescription drugs...and they don;t pay a dime or even have to have a job. That's better than what my employer give me.

The catch is they have one ortho they can use and they have to go to a doctor that is picked for them. Sounds like a shitty deal, unless you have NO insurance. I know someone with this insurance and it covers EVERYYHING.

here by inteligent design wrote:Legislation fundamentally affecting 350 million people and a huge chunk of country's economy should have started with exhaustive hearings with all stake holders = the insurance people, doctors, hospital administrators and patients.

Instead from the congressional back rooms emerged a 1000 pages of legalese nobody seems to have read except for the people at Fox.

You must have a bad memory.

So far, we've seen town hall meetings directly soliciting public opinion. When's the last time that happened in a non-election year? On top of this, the White House kicked off their effort by going to industry stakeholders too. Remember the different agreements they brokered? With the pharmaceutical industry? AARP is on board. The AMA is involved. There are others too.

And, about the "back room" point... that's a mis-characterization. The whole process so far was done to let the different groups debate and to figure out what is feasible... and what isn't. If you have a problem with it that's the way Congress works. The President never officially got involved in determining what he specifically wants until tonight.

Bottom line? Whatever - if anything - passes it'll have gone through a process that gives the public and those involved plenty of say.

Check Out:

I also think he hit it out of the park. The Congressman from S.C. was an embarrasment. I am glad that he at least had the sense to apologize. I wasn't sure about many parts of this healthcare insurance pland until tonight, but now I feel that I do understand it and believe that it will help revolutionize the misearable health care system that now exists. Overall great speech.

We need to end all bickering. Free speech and debate only leads to wars.

I really like the part about all my kids should work hard and go far at the big universities. How he is gonna make sure it is all equal and fair by getting rid of affirmative action.

Really isn't much he can do about getting rid of affirmative action unless they change the law. That being the case, your kids better study hard. The good part is that they will be earning their education through performance -- and building character in the process. I thought his "talk" on education gave the correct message...work hard and do your best to get educated. His words to the kids was actually a breath of fresh air...a President who actually puts value on education.

I think he did great. I just wish less partisanship would occur and more people would come on board instead of playing politics. They are playing at their own peril not realizing that they are shooting themselves in the foot.

I can't understand why people would fight a public option that would create competition for greedy health care giants who currently hold all the cards in a semi-monopoly? Is it wise to oppose the president at all costs? If Obama fails to come up with true reform, or passes a watered-down bill, the health care giants are going to feel empowered and really stick it to us.

So, you think if you aren't for a public option, that you are simply "playing politics"? I am for health reform, but not this plan. Have you downloaded the plan and actually read it? It is extremely tedious reading, however, every citizen should examine for themselves just what the plan entails. Do you realize that while current employees are grandfathered and can in theory keep their health plan, it isn't that simple. First of all, if you change jobs or are new to the job market, you can't join an employer's health plan, but will automatically be dumped in the public option. Secondly, employers would be required to pay a penalty if they don't provide health insurance. However, that penalty will be cheaper than providing insurance. Therefore, many employers will simply pay the penalty - again dumping many into the public option. So, repeatedly telling the public that if you like your health plan, you can keep it is misleading at best, a lie at worst. The Republicans "wild" claims about it being a government takeover of health care aren't so "wild" after all.

As far as "a public option that would create competition for greedy health care giants" - you sound like you are parroting the "partisan" democratic talking points that you denounce. Competition among health insurers is important, but is easily accomplished without a public option by allowing citizens to purchase insurance across state lines like we do auto insurance. For example, while there are over 1300 insurance providers, in California, you can only chose between 6 providers. Open California to those other 1300 providers and prices will come down.

By the way, did anyone else notice that President Obama dramatically changed his estimate of how many individuals are uninsured last night. Before last night, he had always stated there are 47 million uninsured - last night, however, that number magically dropped to 30 million. What happened to change his estimate so dramatically? Where did those 17 million people go overnight?

By the way, no one has said where all the family doctors are going to come from to support this system. GP's are very overloaded now, so how is the system going to handle taking on another 47 million, oops, I mean 30 million new patients? Lastly, the idea that this plan could possibly be deficit neutral, is simply a lie. Read the CBO's report - it isn't possible. Not that you need a CBO report to tell you that - no big governement plans are ever deficit neutral.

However, as usual, President Obama can't explain how to pay for it and the speech had the extremely partisan tone you decry. It is frustrating to hear the Democrats continually say the Republicans have no ideas except to say "no" and that they don't want health reform. The truth is that Republicans have submitted over 800 amendments - again President Obama is either lying or completely out of touch.

Most Americans aren't intelligent enough to read anything of that length and complexity and understand it.