Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Obama lies at AFL-CIO speech on health care reform

President Obama spoke yesterday at an AFL-CIO picnic about health-care reform. He spoke at great length about his opponents on the subject while predictably painting those who oppose the 1100-page so-called reform bill proposed by the left wing of his party as being against health care reform. He portrayed Republicans as heartless and greedy people who want American lacking health insurance to die and maintain the status quo. He even goes so far to ask - "Where is your solution to health reform?" then boldly declares that his opposition doesn't have any solutions. [You can view his speech here - go to about 2 minutes in the video to get to the aforementioned strawman.]

Once again, Mr. Obama is WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. The President is either clueless or being deliberately deceptive. I suspect it is the latter but this is what happens when one has the bully pulpit and no qualms about using it. You can label the opposition as the "Party of No" and no one in the media will dare question it.

Here are at least four plans proposed by members of the Senate which do not include a public option.

  • S. 391 The Healthy Americans Act - Proposed by Senators Bennett (R-UT) and Wyden (D-OR).
  • S. 1324 The Health Care Freedom Act - Proposed by Senator DeMint (R-SC).
  • S. 1099 The Patients' Choice Act - Introduced by Senators Coburn (R-OK) and Burr (R-SC). This bill also includes support from members of the House.
  • Coverage, Prevention, Reform (CPR) - A plan suggested by Senator Gregg (R-NH). [Note: At present, I found no legislation proposed by Gregg with this plan included.]

A staff source for the Senate Republican informed me Senators Hatch (R-UT), Kyl (R-AZ), Cornyn (R-TX), Ensign (R-NV), and Barrasso (R-WY) are working on another proposal. The plan has more state-based reform, which would encourage states to make needed reforms in a way that isn’t “one size fits all” currently favored by the Democrats. There are also several pieces of legislation in the House (drafted by The Republican Study Committee) that have been consolidated under the Empowering Patients First Act.

What's that? You had no idea there were all these proposals out there? Most people don't. The media and the Democrats have a strange way of sheltering us from the truth - for our own good, of course.

In the coming weeks (assuming legislation isn't passed quickly), I will attempt to break down each of the proposals and highlight things that will truly reform our nation's health care. In the meanwhile, I recommend watching some of the video clips from the Senate Doctors Show. Drs. Coburn and Barrasso talk with people in the medical industry (and the public) and listen to their concerns. It is very enlightening.

A big thanks to Kingfish for allowing me to share this with you here.

Cross-posted at my blog.

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm not pro/con on Dem/Rep, but you incorrectly characterize his comment as attacking the Republican party. I believe in general, he put the challenge out to fear mongerers to offer solutions, not fear tactics, emotional foolishness, etc.

My read on his comments is, instead of creating an environment of fear, offer up ideas that contribute to the overall healthcare SOLUTION!

Anonymous said...

Another thing, as a moderate, if the right continues in its temper tantrum tactics, it will only serve to push moderates into a leftward lean. I believe people like to work with people they can work with, and frankly, like. Most of the folks today acting in a grass roots fashion (read PAC's) demonstrating against the Administration's ideas seem to look really mean-spirited.

Anonymous said...

And your choice of "Lies" in the title really makes you and your blog look and sound sensational. I am surprised KF allowed this to be posted. We love facts here, not sensationalism. Present the facts and we can all enjoy a very engaging conversation.

Anonymous said...

Finally, my original comments were made after watching the video you posted and critically analyzing the speech. I encourage all to take a look and please tell me I'm reading it wrong. WRONG WRONG WRONG...lol.

Anonymous said...

First there must be a common definition of the problem and the extent to which citizens are responsible for solving the problem.

Anonymous said...

Where's the money coming from to pay for anyone's health care plan? Just print more?

Anonymous said...

Another thing, as a moderate, if the right continues in its temper tantrum tactics, it will only serve to push moderates into a leftward lean.

That is your opinion but right now, unless you are saying that the town halls are only attended by those on the right, the idea that moderates are seeking refuge on the left isn't the reality. Good try.

Anonymous said...

I'm just looking at the PAC's that are funding the town hall "disruptions." Don't try to be cute.

Anonymous said...

And your choice of "Lies" in the title really makes you and your blog look and sound sensational.

If you are so offended then don't read the post. Or you could direct the readers here to your blog.

Anonymous said...

Well if you are looking at the PACs then you'd see the unions and special interest groups who are working to interfere with free speech.

Anonymous said...

3:59 pm Problem: Healthcare is wiping out America's prosperity at the individual level. Many citizen's do not have healthcare. Take a survey of people around you and ask how many of them have insurance. If they don't ask how many of them are on payment plans to pay for their healthcare (ie. unplanned emergencies). Finally, if you want to say that there is no problem, go ahead, put your head in the sand. I have insurance and I don't know about you but my insurance costs over the past 10 years have outstripped income growth tremendously (ie. the income pie is growing moderately, but the healthcare slice is exploding).

Anonymous said...

Thanks Kingfish for bringing to JJ readers other conservative writers. Kudos and welcome Conservative Belle.

Anonymous said...

4:06 And?

Anonymous said...

And Belle BTW, it is nice to have conservative writers...my critique is just that, nothing personal. I just find the conservative media today to be a bit over the top from Ann C. to the rest of the bunch. I feel there is no need for mean spirited debate and do appreciate your opinion.

Anonymous said...

Sure. Telling a writer that you don't care for their post title, telling them you only want facts, telling them they are being sensational and then questioning KF's wisdom isn't "mean spirited".

Anonymous said...

4:13 where is your blog?

Anonymous said...

I don't have a blog. I am a commenter. Anonymous. Your point?

And I don't find the original posts mean spirited, I think the operative word was surprised. Mean spirited would have been "Geez KF what the hell do you have a right wing nut with nothing more to say than LIAR, WRONG, FEAR." That would definitely been mean spirited.

I kinda liked the post because it did provide a wealth of information on competing bills, I was just surprised by the sensationalism for this blog, ok, i'm sorry if it offended, really, kisses, lets make up.

BTW S. 391 struck me as universal required HC, with a lot of perks for the drug/med device co's benefitting...read it all and you will see. Not sure but it sounds a lot like the MA current system. I welcome comments.

Anonymous said...

Healthcare costs are awful and rising. Insurance companies should not be able to limit for a pre-existing condition. But the biggest and scariest monster in the room is Medicare and how its costs are set to explode. Sadly neither the President nor Congress has found a way to control Medicare's inevitable growth and none of the plans in Congress will do so. The worst option is the "public option" which will destroy the system worse than dong nothing would.

Anonymous said...

What we need is a public option for ALL professional services ... medical, dental, legal, etc..

You can't get a little pregnant.

Anonymous said...

You are so right, the Medicare and Bush passed Drug Bill both are the Pink Elephant in the room. I have seen folks saying Medicare is working in the media (all sides), well yes it is, but its kinda like Social Security and frankly, isn't that running out too? Ugh, so many Pink Elephants, eventually, we will have to talk about them, the room is getting crowded.

Anonymous said...

Full blown communism. That is the only solution. You can't selectively take for selective purposes. All or nothing.

Anonymous said...

So full blown communism is your solution, or your critique? You need to be clearer than that here. I hear the CL is looking for quality commentators like yourself.

Anonymous said...

Auto insurance is mandatory but driving or owning a automobile is not. To compare Obamacare to auto insurance is misdirectional folly.

Conservative Belle said...

@3:14 (and the others) I don't mind your criticisms at all. From my perspective Obama did lie. In the video, he said that the people who are criticizing public health care options aren't offering any solutions. He implies they want more people to die without insurance. That is the part that is not true. And I posted plenty of evidence to demonstrate how wrong he is. It appears to me that he is painting his opposition with some kind of broad brush, because he knows most voters don't know about the solutions that have been proposed. Either way, it seems he is the one who is subjecting his audience to fear-mongering.

One more thing - some of these solutions have been proposed by the Republicans for years - before Obama took office. What Obama (and others from the left) are saying about no solutions is purely prevarication - a lie.

Did you happen to take a look at any of the proposed solutions? What did you think of them? I find many of them to be very sensible.

Anonymous said...

There is no middle. There is no moderation. You are either in or out. Moderates don't get to pretend that they get to decide how many toes we'll dip into the water. Shit or get off the pot.

Hookah said...

I'm a big fan of Tom Coburn. I think him as President and Ron Paul as Vice President would be a knockout punch for the GOP and Conservatives in 2012.

Both of their stories include the charitable giving of FREE health care from a community aspect.

Anonymous said...

We need a public option for legal services. There needs to be set fees for common legal work and a pre-determined fee schedule for all else. An attorney is no different than a doctor. Regulate them all.

Anonymous said...

Look of you all profess one side or the other you've already drank the koolaid. When you going to figure out...they are all lying and basically FOS.

Anonymous said...

6:04 spoken like a true fascist

Anonymous said...

6:04 spoken like a true fascist

Anonymous said...

Sorry I meant 6:40, dyslexia you know

Anonymous said...

And oh yes 6:40 we DO decide who gets to dip their "toes in the water". And we can't stand temper tantrums.

Anonymous said...

Look, this hold thing is being takin way out of context... I just lost a family memeber in her 80's. If it were not for a "public option", SS, she would have died in total proverty. Medicare keep her nose above the water.... She was a health nut who watched everything she ate and took care of herself for years! By the way ALL of her family is productive tax paying citizens. When it effects the "other guy" it is real easy to be critical, because it's painless!

Maybe we just need to forget about each other, carry guns, have total freedom from any Goverment....survival for only those who provide for themselves...guns, food, money and just leave me the f@^k alone!!

Anonymous said...

If we are going to have health care reform, we need to nationalize the for-profit pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, path labs and pay doctors salaries so there is no incentive to perform unnecessary procedures and tests. Obviously, some form of tort reform has been passed in many states and costs of healthcare continue to spiral out of control. The ERs are full of people who wouldn't be there if they had coordinated care by a PCP. Hospital acquired infections kill 100,000 people each year, yet hospitals refuse to implement the simple infection control methods which brought hospital acquired infections to near 0 at Presby in Pittsburgh- these measures were simple and involved a checklist. ER doctors are routinely told they should meet a certain admit percentage, whether or not warranted. There is no coordination of care among the chronically ill, who often see multiple physicians and as a result, take often 11 or12 medications when less would suffice. The institute of Medicine study revealed that somewhere between 44,000 and 90,000 patients die as a result of doctor error.
I have a lot of sympathy for these docs as they are pushed to see more and more patients each day by hospital owned practices, or in the ER, or simply to keep the lights on when they hire one insurance/benefits person per 2 doctors.
Our health care in this country sucks.

Anonymous said...

So does our legal industry which is completely out of reach to those without the means. Nationalize the legal industry.

Anonymous said...

Watched a bit of Uncle Barack on the tube. David Hampton must be jizzin' his pants tonight.

Anonymous said...

The question was posed to " special interests". Perhaps, READING the text as well as listening more carefully would be helpful. Context does matter.

The Republican party has some good points to be made about the health care package but this is another example of them shooting themselves in the foot and losing credibility.

Especially after the speech tonight, thanks to Wilson of SC (who must have been raised by wolves and embarrassed Charlestonians if no other South Carolina natives) and the paper waivers ( who couldn't figure out in advance that no one would know what the hell they were waving), and that poor fellow with the handmade paper in his lap that look like a cocktail napkin scribble, the RNC is looking like the party of the crazy, uncivilized,uneducated and ill mannered.

Way to recruit GOP! NOT

Anonymous said...

You really told them off. Wow.

Anonymous said...

I stuggle with understanding a lot of the insurance facts, and I think the sensationalism is what President Obama's overall point is. I think sensationalism of all kinds needs to stop. For instance, I think tort reform is important to helping control insurance and medical costs, but it is not a true solution. We have an economy based in capitalism and if tort reform is passed, ultimately it just improves net profits. I do not really believe anymore that if tort reform were passed Doctors would be inclined to chage less, nor insurance companies lower their rates. Doctors have made it clear that at the end of the day they think their worth is higher than getting paid. Thus if their malpractice costs drop, then they will only see that as extra income. Again, with or without tort refom people who have insurance are content for the large part. They will pay whatever insurance companies charge and stock holders will not let insurance companies lower rates. So someone help me with this, is there any real expectation for doctors, hospital, or insurance companies to see tort refom as an opportunity to lower rates, because it seems far more likely that it will be seen as validating their worth and increasing their bottom line?

Anonymous said...

The government couldn't even correctly guess the cost of the cash for clunkers program. That was not nearly as complicated as health care.

Do something to reform Medicare - show the people you can fix something and then maybe I will give a vote of confidence.

Until then - no trust here.

Anonymous said...

OBAMA IS A LIAR. JOE WILSON WAS RIGHT.

AND TO CALL PEOPLE WHO AS AMERICAN CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE CRAZY THEN YOU ARE COMMUNIST.

NOT ONE THING THAT OBAMA HAS SAID WOULD HAPPEN WITH THE BAIL OUT OR ANYTHING ELSE HE SAID WOULD BE HAPPENING IS HAPPENING.

YOUR ARE A PLANT AND HARDLY A MODERATE. YOU ARE HARD WING LIBERAL RADICAL AND WE ALL KNOW IT.

Anonymous said...

4:46 I'm all for the right to assemble and even protest.
I do believe , however, that can take place without uncivilized behavior. I'm for a two party system as well as it is essential.

I didn't think the Yippies and other out of control left wing extremists during the 60's were civilized or mentally stable either, but at least the kids had youth as an excuse. The irony is if you were of age in those days, you thought they were heathens too.

I do think those who get so angry they scream, shout and come unraveled in public and who are so immature they resort to name calling as if they were on a playground and who have to use profanity to make a point have emotional problems in that they cannot control their emotions . Emotionally healthy people can get angry without behaving like a two year old. Those who lie to get their way are immoral and have sociopathic tendancies.

The fact is that my family has served this Nation, including in combat,in EVERY generation for in every generation since before the United States was officially a Nation( that would include against Communists in Korea and Vietnam against Communists. We have more than our share of military headstones, including at Arlington.

I have served this Nation and when it was impractical to refuse compensation ( I did when I could), I donated my " pay" to charity.

Both extremist Republicans and extremist Democrats have accused me of being a closet member of the other party. That serves only to further persuade me that neither party deserves my loyalty. And, it has left more than a few of us unable to donate or serve as party loyalty and towing the party line has become more important than trying to make decisions based on facts.

The Republican party doesn't seem to remember what happened to the Democrats after they let extremists control their party during the 60's and into the 70's.

Those of us who are INDEPENDENT and feel able to think for ourselves have watched and are aware that both Republicans and Democrats seem to forget we are the difference between victory or defeat at election time.

YOU have also forgotten that it was the Bush administration and Republican controlled Congress who passed the first bailout. You also don't seem to feel that administration had any responsibility for our economic problems even though they controlled BOTH houses. Please google " Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and mortgages" before you go off on the mortgage part of that.

Or as my Daddy, a highly decorated WWII combat veteran use to say, " I fought for the right to be wrong and free speech, but I didn't fight for ignorant,crazy people to be so unpatriotic as not to respect that being a good citizen requires you to know what the hell you're talking about before you shoot your mouth off in public. I thought I was fighting against that kind of people.

Your remarks are nothing more than an attempt to silence debate through intimidation. In case you missed it, I don't come from a cowardly bunch and am not about to run when a bully tries to call me out. You neither impress nor frighten me.

Or as Daddy would say, if you can't point out examples of specific lies or show us where Wilson was correct about illegals, why don't you just confine your emotional venting to the four walls of your home. You aren't helping persuade anybody. You are just seeking " atta boys" from those who agree with you.



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