Obama broke these 6 health care promises.

[dixiegrrrrl]

Biggest promise:
Universal Health Care:

May 14, 2007

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, seeking support from labor union members in New Jersey, vowed Monday to make health insurance available to all Americans by the end of his first term in the White House.

''We can have universal health care by the end of the next president's first term, by the end of my first term,'' Obama said, bringing 600 union workers to their feet during a question-and-answer session with members of AFL-CIO affiliated unions.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/385287,051407obama.article


When he was campaigning, he also promised us this:

1. No Individual Mandate.
In this transcript of his Jan 31 2008 debate with Hillary, he was against a mandate, saying she was for it.
"if, in fact, you are going to mandate the purchase of insurance and it's not affordable, then there's going to have to be some enforcement mechanism that the government uses. And they may charge people who already don't have health care fines, or have to take it out of their paychecks. And that, I don't think, is helping those without health insurance. That is a genuine difference."
********* Well, the bills have mandates.

2. Complete Transparency

Candidate Obama promised that health care deliberations with Congress and special interests would be transparent to the extreme.

"That's what I will do in bringing all parties together, not negotiating behind closed doors, but bringing all parties together, and broadcasting those negotiations on C-SPAN so that the American people can see what the choices are," Mr. Obama said during his Jan. 31, 2008 debate with Clinton. "Because part of what we have to do is enlist the American people in this process. And overcoming the special interests and the lobbyists who -- Senator Clinton is right. They will resist anything that we try to do."
********** But deals were cut with Big Pharma in private meetings at the WH.

3. Enable the Government to Directly Negotiate Drug Prices

In the Jan. 31, 2008 debate, Mr. Obama said, "If a drug company -- if the drug companies or a member of Congress who's carrying water for the drug companies wants to argue that we should not negotiate for the cheapest available price on drugs, then I want them to make that argument in front of the American people."

"We'll negotiate with the drug companies for the cheapest available price on drugs," Mr. Obama said again in an Oct. 15, 2008 debate with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
********* Nope....not happening.

4. Allow Drug Importation

During the campaign, Mr. Obama said his plan would "Allow consumers to import safe drugs from other countries" because "some companies are exploiting Americans by dramatically overcharging U.S. consumers."
******* Nope...part of the secret deal with drug companies was no importation.

5. Lower Premiums by $2,500 for a Family of Four

"If you've got health insurance through your employer, you can keep your health insurance, keep your choice of doctor, keep your plan," Mr. Obama said in his Oct. 15, 2008 debate against McCain. "The only thing we're going to try to do is lower costs so that those cost savings are passed onto you. And we estimate we can cut the average family's premium by about $2,500 per year."
******* Both proposed bills will reduce employer coverage, and dramatically RAISE insurance bills, on top of the rapid premium increases we have seen already.

[jgraz]

1. It's almost like he never intended to keep them.

:shrug:

[dysfunctional press]

2. he didn't.

[krawhitham]

206. Fuck You

lets see you do better with the current congress

[Oregone]

7. He intended to get elected

The theory goes, its better to have liberals in office. Can you imagine the bailouts, wars, crappy health reform, and tax cuts posing as stimulus that the Republicans would of brought?

[PurityOfEssence]

38. Imagine? We've got them.

I presume you were being facetious, but that's precisely what we've gotten from this guy.

The concept bandied about that "they're all like that" only holds up somewhat if the schmuck we get stuck with is somehow demonstrably better in some way. Sure, he's better than McCain, but the real battle was lost during the primaries, and the willingness so many have to not influence the president after election will bring us to ruin.

Icarus will suffer for this, and it will be most unpleasant. Sadly, the people will suffer FOR REAL; for the rest of us it won't simply be a tarnished legacy with guaranteed extreme riches and privilege, it will be serious economic, social and physical trouble.

Barack Obama appealed as someone above the usual gainsaying, power-sucking politics; when he's shown to be not only truly cut from that cloth but worse than many, the disillusionment may well cause an abandonment of trust for the system, and that does not bode well. Much as the Little-Orphan-Annie-Eyed disciples irritated and still irritate the snot out of me, I feel sympathy for the betrayal they'll feel, and I dread its consequences.

[snagglepuss]

113. Well said nt

[amborin]

207. you're right

our already threatened democracy will be further weakened; people will become so bitterly disallusioned that more and more might withdraw from the process;

i feel so sorry for all those millions and millions who trusted Obama

[Andronex]

67. Government policy is determined by the Corporatocracy...

...democrats or republicans do not matter any more. Anything that would restrict an ever increasing profit margin for the ruling class is not acceptable, so the agenda does not change whichever party is in power, all that is left are wedge issues to divide people and keep the two party farce going.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

160. It's almost like he's NOT EVEN a member of the Senate.

:eyes:

[jgraz]

184. That's almost like a barely-credible excuse.

Wait... no it's not.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

187. Not an excuse...Obama doesn't need an excuse for Senatorial incompetence

Any more than you or I need one. The Senate is resonsible for that happens in the Senate.

I love Russ Feingold (he's my Senator), but seriously. You blame Obama and then in the next breath you say you're going to vote for the bill.

Which is it, dude?

[blue_onyx]

190. Obama is not leading on the issue

He hasn't been pushing for strong reform. He's more interested in passing something...anything will do. Obama made a massive mistake taking single-payer off the table from the beginning. He may not be in Senate to vote for this bill but if he ends up signing this bill (or a similar bill), he is just as responsible for it as the Congress.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

192. Read the constitution...

He has no authority. Given that 40 Senators would prefer that the President would eat shit and die, Obama has very options for persuasion available to him -- the bully pulpit doesn't work when there's nobody in the pew.

How is taking single-payer off the table as "massive mistake" considering that we don't even have the votes right now for a Medicare Buy-In? The simple truth is that we have fewer than fifty votes on single payer. Bernie Sander's single payer amendment had, I believe, two co-sponsors.

[blue_onyx]

193. The extent that people will go to defend Obama is shocking

He has performed very poorly during the health care debate.

Single-payer was a bargaining chip, that's all. Obama conceded on single-payer before the debate even started. Very, very bad decision.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

195. Single Payer wasn't a bargaining chip

It's only a bargaining chip if people think you have the votes to make it happen. Obama (and Reid) never had the votes and the other guys knew it. They had nothing to bargain with, other than assigning Joe Lieberman a parking space in BFE.

And I'm shocked that YOU'RE SHOCKED that people who post on a Democatic website would defend a Democratic President.

[blue_onyx]

196. I'm shocked by people on a Democratic website

defending a Democratic president who is NOT standing up for Democratic principles.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

198. Hyperventilate Much?

There are 58 Democrats in the Senate voting for this bill, in addition to a few hundred in the House who will eventually support the conference version.

If you don't have the votes, you don't get the legislation. You can Stand Up or you can Sit Down, but that's the cold, hard legislative calculus. It's about what you can do with the votes that you have.

[Betty Karlson]

166. This guy is Roland Burris in a White House.

Same mediocrity, same inclination to serve himself first. (The only difference: Obama did not "buy" his position from Mr Blagojevitch. Americans bought it for him.)

[laughingliberal]

3. # 5 was what the public option was all about

A strong public option open to those who wanted to choose it would have accomplished that goal. Sadly, nothing in the current bill will even slow the increases in premiums.

[NYC_SKP]

4. I hate, especially, the way he violated the Constitution by Forcing Congress to Write these Bills.

The Bastard, how Dare he???

:sarcasm:

[SIMPLYB1980]

6. LOL!

:thumbsup:

[shadowknows69]

10. Still has that veto pen. Could have made some demands of the Bill.

Instead of demanding that the party in power compromises it to death.

[dana_b]

12. oh no, he couldn't do that!!

that would make him a tyrant like Bush!! Better to placate everyone in the name of "bipartisanship". :sarcasm:

[SIMPLYB1980]

15. It's going to pass.

How long can you keep up your outrage? :popcorn:

[shadowknows69]

17. Until I die, which more than likely won't be long.

[SIMPLYB1980]

19. So this bill will kill you?

[Name removed]

21. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rhett o rick]

94. You aint seen nothin yet. Better chose a side. nt

[treestar]

76. Clinton did that

Obama is trying to avoid Clinton's mistakes, he said. That is why he let Congress write the bills. Then he did admit he might have gone too far in the other direction.

[xchrom]

11. Poor poor Obama -- he had no influence.

He was a 'victim'.

[Toasterlad]

18. So Obama Can Promise Whatever He Wants, And Congress Has to Keep That Promise?

Did you just move to this country? Do you have any concept of the influence the president has over the legislative process?

[pundaint]

59. Was it Obama or Congress who met with PhRMA at the start of the process?

I sat in front of C-span for hours loving the transparency, what was transparent was Obama's real intention.

[snagglepuss]

115. self delete.

[freddie mertz]

71. He changed most of those before congress got involved.

Fail. Next.

[tomp]

173. it's you who are naive about the process. nt

[rollingrock]

20. He promised a strong PO and NO mandate

but in all his post-election healthcare speeches, Obama does an about face and now says the MANDATE is central to healthcare reform, while the PO isn't needed at all...in other words, Obama gave Congress not only his blessing but also his enthusiastic encouragement to do what they did to completely gut the bill...you better believe president Obama is as responsible for it as anyone in congress.

[snagglepuss]

116. +1

[coti]

26. I know, he's so powerless- I wonder how he could have made any promises at all. nt

[defendandprotect]

146. It's a shame our president is so less powerful than Lieberman . . . !!!

Really astonishing how that works out --

One Senator who meets with and votes with the GOP is running our party!!!

:evilgrin:

[Smashcut]

33. But he'll take credit for the "accomplishment" won't he?

In his reelection campaign? Do you really think he's not going to check this off his list as a promise kept in 2012?

So you're saying he bears no responsibility, but deserves to take credit?

[freddie mertz]

72. It will be (rightly) seen as Obama's bill.

Cause it IS his bill.

[snagglepuss]

117. Bingo.

Welcome to DU.:hi:

[Smashcut]

133. Thank you!

:hi:

[LostInAnomie]

39. LOL... indeed.

+1

[Deja Q]

41. Looking forward to the day President Obama signs or vetoes things...

[girl gone mad]

66. Is he a weak, passive, scrawny...

thin-headed wimp, or is he a macho, get 'er done, in control wheeler-dealer.

Seems like you guys like to pick and choose minute to minute.

Never seen a politician flame out quite like this. Maybe the lack of discipline on message control is part of the problem.

[snagglepuss]

118. Excellent post. nt

[f the letter]

183. As one who is disgusted by this bill, i don't think he's either

It seems like the opposition to the bill is getting framed as taking a stand on Obama's personal qualities. His leadership style is not the issue here, his _leadership_ is. i don't hate Obama, i hate this bill.

He started off by arresting single-payer advocates, then put forward a watered down 'public' option which was to be privately run by the same insurance companies, then let it get compromised to shit until it could scarcely be called reform. Had he held firm on supporting the public option in hopes of expanding it in the future, that would have been one thing.

[rhett o rick]

91. So you think you are clever? Of course Congress wrote the bills and are responsible for their

contents. But if I understand that you are very cynically trying to say the he has no responsibility in what is in the bills, you are delusional. Has he chastised Congress for building a bill that violates what he promised in his campaign. So he makes campaign promises and then when he cant fulfill, blames Congress. Bullshit. During his campaign he pretended to favor the American people over the big corporations. Now nothing, not one word about how he favors a strong PO. Not one word to show he is dissatisfied with the bills. He appears satisfied with the garbage coming out of Congress. He could have put a lot of pressure on Congress but he hasnt.

[rhett o rick]

93. I noticed that you didnt stick around and follow up your post. Kinda a drive by fruiting. Thanks. nt

[defendandprotect]

144. Or did the "for profit" health care industry write it? Meanwhile, ALL Democrats are responsible ..

And all of Congress has pockets filled with corporate money . . .

:eyes:

Your Congress and your Democatic Party are pre-bribed and pre-owned . . .

they are not working in the people's interest -- they are working in corporate interests!

Welfare for the rich --

free enterprise for the poor --

Perpetual wars --

And, bankrupting the Teasury . . .

which is one of the surest and fastest ways to destroy democracy.

[GOTV]

158. I guess Obama didn't know how the government works when he told us what he would do ...

... that's what you're saying?

[Brickbat]

5. Guy showed more leadership during the campaign than as president. I know he's got shit going on,

but man, I would have liked to have seen a little more face time and leadership about this bill while it was being hashed out. I saw none of that. What a complete disappointment.

[pundaint]

61. even worse, the leadership he did show was to the detriment of the People's interests

[defendandprotect]

147. the first cards Obama played were organizing a corporate team . . .

From the poisonous DLC/Rahm Emmanuel to Wall Street/Goldman Sachs and

his pockets were loaded with money from corporations -- including "for profit"

health care industry!!!

Are they dumb -- or are we dumb?

[snagglepuss]

119. +1000

[Mira]

8. I expected Obama to be at the helm. I expected his vision and his personal

stamp of approval of the individual components that he explicitly campaigned on to be always known and always clear.

Instead as the issue has unfolded his presence and participation resembles chopped liver pushed to the side of the dinner plate.
Or I see him as a tall thin potted plant in the room.

Oh, how I yearn for the Obama of the campaign, stepping up and speaking out.

Excellent assemblage, Dixiegrrrrl, thank you.
K&R

edited because I was typing

[snagglepuss]

121. "his participation resembles chopped liver pushed to the side of the dinner plate."

:rofl:


I completely agree. I thought he would be at the helm, not a stowaway.

[shawcomm]

137. thank you

That's who I want to see in charge of health care. My Obama from the campaign. Geez, it's like he couldn't really be bothered now. Give us something, anything.

Of course he doesn't write bills. Of course he's not a king. But he is one of the, if not the, most popular president ever. He has the bully pulpit. He has the vast majority of Americans behind him in support of health care. Why doesn't he use that to push Congress where it needs to go? That's what presidents do, use their political power and their voice to get the people to push their congressmen where they need to go.

[Lorien]

145. He's standing aside, phoning it in, and enjoying all the photo ops

to appear "above the fray"...or something.

I had high hopes for him right after the election. I can't believe how completely Obama's lack of positive leadership has changed hope to despair.

[libertypirate]

9. That is what happens when you go all beltway insider once you get elected,

you fuck over the very people who got you their.

I think they have some nerve expecting me to fold with them.

[Karmadillo]

13. But I bet he'd be a good guy to have a beer with.

nt

[rug]

14. You'd have to arrest someone in their home first.

[KansDem]

191. Does he give out nicknames too? (nt)

[LastNaturalist]

16. Well you see we have this OTHER branch of government.

They legislate and are co-equal to the President. Read up about them.

[katandmoon]

22. And yet, if all of Obama's promises were kept in the bill...OBAMA would get the credit, NOT Congress

[shadowknows69]

24. Yeah, ok. We're not capable of looking up who voted for what. Really?

[katandmoon]

31. Oh please. Like you wouldn't give Obama the credit?

[shadowknows69]

34. Not all of it. If he had stood on the principles he campaigned on he would deserve a great deal.

Some of us are capable of observing and rewarding, or not, what the other branches are doing.

[dixiegrrrrl]

32. Way too many people are not willing to look votes,sadly.

The fact that Fox news has an enormous viewing audience attests to that.
I know several people who have computers and never use them for news, political information,
etc. They use them for Facebook and games. Period.

[shadowknows69]

36. I can do both! I love posting "The Young Turks" clips on my FB page.

I've wittled my friends list down to the people that can still tolerate my political views.

[shadowknows69]

23. The Corporate Branch? They should be officially recognized as a branch of our government.

[rollingrock]

27. And Obama gave them his blessing

...to kill the public option and replace it with insurance mandates...the exact opposite of what he campaigned on. in addition, he makes closed door, backroom deals with PhrMA. which can't be blamed on congress because they were made in the WH. contrary to his promises of openness and transparency.

[shadesofgray]

29. LOL..Lieberman might as well be head of the executive branch.

[pundaint]

62. Congres is responsible for their actions, the president is responsible for his

Obama failed do act on his promises, and, if fact, acted contrary to his promises. Congress has failed to use the power we lent them in our interest.

They've stopped working for us, it's time to hire somebody new for their positions.

[tekisui]

65. Excuse #1: Obama is powerless to influence Congress.

[FormerDittoHead]

77. Here's a pretty good article - he can influence Congress WHEN HE WANTS TO.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/12/16-2

In an ideal world, Congress would be -- and should be -- an autonomous branch of government, exercising judgment independent of the White House's influence, but that's not the world we live in. Does anyone actually believe that Rahm Emanuel (who built his career on industry support for the Party and jamming "centrist" bills through Congress with the support of Blue Dogs) and Barack Obama (who attached himself to Joe Lieberman when arriving in the Senate, repeatedly proved himself receptive to "centrist" compromises, had a campaign funded by corporate interests, and is now the leader of a vast funding and political infrastructure) were the helpless victims of those same forces? Engineering these sorts of "centrist," industry-serving compromises has been the modus operandi of both Obama and, especially, Emanuel.

Indeed, we've seen before what the White House can do -- and does do -- when they actually care about pressuring members of Congress to support something they genuinely want passed. When FDL and other liberal blogs led an effort to defeat Obama's war funding bill back in June, the White House became desperate for votes, and here is what they apparently did (though they deny it):

The White House is playing hardball with Democrats who intend to vote against the supplemental war spending bill, threatening freshmen who oppose it that they won't get help with reelection and will be cut off from the White House, Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) said Friday. "We're not going to help you. You'll never hear from us again," Woolsey said the White House is telling freshmen....

...so FUCK THIS BULLSHIT ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE NOT BEING A PART OF IT.

BULLSHIT.

[snagglepuss]

122. You nailed it. nt

[gorfle]

178. Exactly. Influence for WAR, none for HEALTH CARE.

The White House has plenty of muscle to intimidate Congress members into voting for war funds, but they have no ability to influence them over health care. Right.

[treestar]

78. Not powerless but not totally powerful either

Lieberman is what he is.

[freddie mertz]

73. He gave this stuff up before there was any vote.

Read the news much?

[Vidar]

25. K&R.

[shadesofgray]

28. He didn't even try, and he's been deliberately lying all along. He is a pre-existing liar.

[SammyWinstonJack]

35. That's good. pre-existing liar. Love it!

:thumbsup:

[shadowknows69]

37. Second that thumbs up. I laugh to ease the pain of it all.

[snagglepuss]

110. LOL. Pre - existing is hysterical.. Thanks for the laugh. nt

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

30. Tell the masses what they want to hear so you can get elected.

He is just another lying politician.

[IndianaGreen]

40. He has zero credibility

Nothing he says will be ever be believed, until he does what he says he is going to do.

[Joe Chi Minh]

42. Didn't he also say, some weeks ago, 'There WILL be a public option.' He might even

have said by the end of the week - I'm not sure?

[dixiegrrrrl]

43. Obama said this, about a public option:

"Any plan I sign must include an insurance exchange: a one-stop shopping marketplace where you can compare the benefits, cost and track records of a variety of plans - including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest - and choose what's best for your family."

July 2009.
Here is even VIDEO of it:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/obama-demands-the-bill-i-sign-must-include-public-option.php

edit: spelling

[Joe Chi Minh]

46. Everyone ought to think up variants of : "No, Obama! We don't want a 'one-stop shopping

marketplace... including a public option to keep insurance companies honest - and choose what's best for our family', like you said you wanted for us."

Don't force those options on us, especially, including that public one! Don't mandate it! We want a health-care reform devised by the Republicans, the insurance industry and their lobbyists...

Please mandate that we buy policies from them - so we won't have to 'compare the benefits, cost and track records of a variety of plans and choose what's best for our family', and all that unnecessary fiddle-faddling.'

[Joe Chi Minh]

51. Thanks for that, dixiegirrrrl. Interesting isn't it?

[dixiegrrrrl]

63. Did he not think we would remember those promises?

Or maybe he cares not.

[snagglepuss]

123. I think they figure that its to their advantage to have progressives livid

with Obama. That its good for optics.

[n2doc]

172. Yeah, and THAT plan is really going ducky, isn't it?

Given his polling numbers with independents are tanking.

[Tx4obama]

107. That is NOT a promise broken, there is no final bill yet, & Obama hasn't signed anything. n/t

[SergeStorms]

157. How about a plan........

that keeps our President honest? :shrug: I guess that was SOOOOO July, 2009! :sarcasm: I think he's so intent on passing a health care reform bill that it doesn't even have to have any real REFORM in it anymore. He just wants a talking point for his re-election campaign. Trouble is, if this is something he wants to use as an example of why he should be re-elected, he's already lost that re-election bid. At least to my way of thinking. Your mileage may vary.

[JetCityLiberal]

204. thanks for this, needs it's own thread

Great find on this too dixiegrrrl

This should be it's own thread as well, but the continuing exploding heads will be messy.

Did he think we were not paying attention here?


Paul

[defendandprotect]

148. Pelosi also said that a few weeks ago . . .meanwhile, obviously whenever

Pelosi and Obama want to acknowledge what the voters want it seems that the

corporate whip is cracked and the rug pulled out from under them.

It's like Mafia/fascism . . . you can't take money from them and then

decide not to do their bidding!!!


And look at how the Catholic Bishops could lie to the public with no one challenging or

correcting their disinformation --

Papal Bulls pushed to Pelosi who enabled Stupak -- and added pressure with calls from "Rome."

Vatican is simply another corporation now and it's also bought a lot of power over our government.

We're now subsidizing the Vatican ...

Meanwhile, Catholics by a huge majority 70% and more -- want govenrment run health care or

publci option --

Also Catholics want coverage for CONTRACEPTION and ABORTION!!!

The Catholic Bishops are simply working in their own supremacist interests in trying to regain

control over their members by barring them thru government influence from using birth control

and chosing abortion.

Catholic women have just as many abortions as any other women ---

But how many Americans know all of this?

Did you hear it from the idiot box?

[texanwitch]

44. When I was growing up I was told I had to earn trust and respect.

It was not given to you.

President Obama and the other Democrats will have to earn it by standing by the people.

Looks like they rather take the money and power.

Trust and respect is hard to get back once lost.

[spanone]

45. yes, he had no opposition whatsoever

:sarcasm:

[bvar22]

47. Well done...Bookmarking for future reference.

Do you find it funny that during the Escalation of the WARS, the "Centrist" talking point was "He's doing exactly what he said he would do"?

And now?..."Obama is a victim of Congress."


Man. That gives me whiplash.

[snagglepuss]

124. Spot on.. nt

[WillyT]

48. Shh... Your Not Supposed To Bring That Up...

It's considered impolite.

:puke:

K & R !!!

:kick:

[Downwinder]

49. AS the Hon. Orrin Hatch said in the Thomas- Hill hearings, "You expect someone

to remember what they say in a speech?"

[bvar22]

58. Except NOW we have Youtube and instant Video.

Like THIS one.
See how many LIES, distortions, and broken promises are in this 7 minute video of an Obama campaign speech.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZG8Zq8V54k

Its impossible to revise history when we have the Video.

[valerief]

50. We need Robin Hood. nt

[Bushknew]

52. It's the dawn of a brand new day I'll tell you.

[LibDemAlways]

53. This will bite the Dems in the ass next fall and Obama in 2012.

The repukes are already putting together their ads. "Candidate Obama said ........ President Obama did the opposite and signed into law a POS bill that has made insurance more expensive and criminalized people who can't afford it." Obama has written their ad copy for them.

Once the shit hits the fan and the American public realizes they've been had by Obama and the Dems in Congress, there will be major blowback and we'll be screwed for another 8 years of repuke rule. I can't see any way out for this Admin. They've totally fucked this up.

[quark219]

55. +1 N/T

[GreenPartyVoter]

57. Ayuh

[JoeyT]

70. And when that happens

The right wing of the Democratic party will scream and cry about how the liberals are to blame.
You know, just like happened after Clinton.

[Jamastiene]

79. Obama did in 11 months what the Republicans couldn't do

in 40 years. He turned the entire country emphatically, undeniably, vehemently against the Democratic Party.

[defendandprotect]

149. And . . . you can be sure that following this corporate win, Social Security and Medicare are next!!

And abortion --

Look at all Clinton did for the GOP/corporate-fascists!!!

[glinda]

54. He needs to be impeached for lying to the American People. Being elected under false pretenses.

Take Bush and Cheney with him too.

[Honeycombe8]

68. I'm pissed, too. But your vitriol is baffling. ALL politicians lie and exaggerate during campaigns

If we impeached them all, we wouldn't have any political leaders.

Did you REALLY believe every word that he, Clinton, Kucinich, Biden, McCain, and Edwards said? Really? I didn't. I took it as a general direction each person wanted to go, but knowing that NOTHING is the President's decision alone, and some things are said to get the nomination and then the election.

That is the way politics works.

I'm disappointed that he seems to have taken a combination of the Clinton and McCain plans, rather than the plan he campaigned on (even a revised version). In fact, this isn't his plan at all. He let Congress write it. He didn't really take a firm stand on any of its provisions, that I recall.

But wanting to impeach him for false or exaggerated campaign promises, that's ludicrous. (Besides...who can read his m ind and know he was lying? He may have really meant what he said at the time. But the economy crashed since then. Maybe you noticed?)

[ProSense]

74. Yeah, right

Impeach him because people are trying to act surprised by Obama's stance on mandates?

Impeach him for being the most transparent administration in history?

And since his administration in only in its first year, good luck trying to impeach him on drug re-importation.

Impeach him because the OP spins the impact of the health care bill:




Other than the absurdity of declaring that Obama should be impeached, none of the above are high crimes and misdemeanors.

[glinda]

75. Yea, I guess you are right. We should just let them lie to us and take it.

[ProSense]

80. There were no lies.

Poeple campaign, and changing one's position isn't immoral. He explained why he did. The surprising thing is that some of the same people making a big deal out of this, supported candidates whose mandates were worse, including garnishing wages.

Still, none of the so-called broken promises in the OP constitutes an impeachable offense.

[glinda]

89. I know that. I just said it because all the "little people" shell out the majority of money

and look what they get. Crap.

[mistertrickster]

181. Interesting post on Obama agreeing to follow the rule of law on the visitor records. Unfortunately,

he's not keeping his word.

Surprised?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34347510/

December 9, 2009

Under the Obama policy, most of the names of visitors from Inauguration Day in January through the end of September will never be released. After the Secret Service and the White House denied a request for those records, Judicial Watch filed suit on Monday in federal court in Washington.

To settle lawsuits against the Bush and Obama administrations, filed by the liberal group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, the Obama administration has released the names of hundreds of visitors, out of the hundreds of thousands who have been to the White House for meetings, events or tours. The administration has promised to release more of the names of visitors for the period from October onward. The first wave of records is due near the end of this year.

Even for the names it has released, the White House has not provided a city or affiliation, such as a company name or organization represented, making it difficult or impossible to tell whether a person named on the list is a well-known person with that name. And some names are not being released at all, including potential Supreme Court nominees, personal guests of the first family and certain security officials.

*****

So "we'll release the names . . . except we won't release all of them."

ON EDIT--

But wait, there's more:

The White House has set up a Web page where members of the public can request the release of names of visitors, but that system gives results only for the names of visitors that the public can guess. If the public can't guess who may have visited the White House between January and September, it can't find out the names.

[Xicano]

56. Hey Obama! You're a Fucking Liar!

That's going to be your legacy - a fucking liar!

n/t

[debbierlus]

60. Kick

[dixiegrrrrl]

64. I posted in wrong place...sorry.

[freddie mertz]

69. He also promised no tax on "cadillac" (union) Health Care benefits.

Broke that in the Senate bill as well, with WH endorsement.

[treestar]

81. So he has to veto it, right?

I agree, if he does not veto it for not having a public option, he breaks a promise.

Still, if it is good reform, it would be better that he sign it.

We still knew Congress had to pass it, even during the campaign.

[BP2]

85. What a BOLD statement an Obama veto would be. It would

be a courageous answer to this crap bill that Congress has slapped together in haste with chicken wire and duct tape.

Obama's popularity rating would jump 30 points at least, giving him the political capital to start over and do this thing correctly in January and February. The people would rue Congress and Obama would thump them on the head to get the bill he promised.

However, we know that won't happen. The first consequence will be REAL Progressives winning Primaries next year leading into November 2010, which is really a good thing, of course.

But when he signs, this will forever become the Obama Raw Deal, and history will be far less kind to him than to Roosevelt's New Deal that helps so many.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

82. Broken promises are irrelevant to the party sycophants and hero worshippers. K&R

"History has tried to teach us that we can't have good government under politicians.  Now, to go and stick one at the very head of government couldn’t be wise." Mark Twain

[inna]

83. What's the 6th one??

[dixiegrrrrl]

90. See my comment # 48...

[Jakes Progress]

84. Obama ain't Bush, but

he has followers that display the same tendencies. They just love his face and will listen to him lie and then say it wasn't a lie. When it is proved that it was, they will say it doesn't matter. When it is proved that it does matter, they will call you names.

It doesn't matter what he does that is good or bad to them. You cannot listen to their praise because is it unbalanced.

These people are now championing the very things that they derided during the primaries when someone else suggested them.

Their last ditch defense of his lack of leadership is that we cannot blame him because he is too weak to have done anything anyway.

[ProSense]

86. "defense of his lack of leadership is that we cannot blame him " There is a better defense

it's called debunking spin.

[Jakes Progress]

103. Spinning is your job.

[treestar]

87. I don't think so

It's not like being a Bushbot.

I just think he thought he could do more than he could and didn't account for Blue Dogs or Lieberman.

"Lying" is taking it too far.

He may have been overconfident but he will learn from this first year. He's smart. There is also a lot on his plate. It is easy for DU to second guess how he should handle health care but DU doesn't have to handle all the issues at once.

It's like when you're a professional and you have 10 clients and they all expect you to work on their cases 24/7. You can only do 1/10 of what they expect.

[Kalun D]

97. Lying

""Lying" is taking it too far."

Lying is not far enough. It should be criminal. When you say no lobbyists or corporate insiders in my admin. Then you appoint nothing but crooked corporate lobbyists and insiders, that should be an impeachable offense.

When you say transparency, then you have closed door meetings with big Pharma, that's criminal.

Obama isn't playing chess. He's a grifter playing a shell game.

And the working dems are the dupes.

[snagglepuss]

126. Hear, hear. nt

[Jakes Progress]

108. Saying one thing and doing another

can be called many things. You don't want to call it lying. Okay. The OP gave quotes from the campaign. I'd give him credit if he said he was wrong. I'd give him credit if he shows signs of leaarning from his errors of hubris and overconfidence. That would let me know that he meant what he said when he said it. But for people to claim that the health care debacle is a victory is simply hollow and unfounded. Obama got his hat handed to him because he either lacked the skills necessary or he simply didn't mean what he said.

We'll see if he shows signs of learning. That would include bringing a better bill starting in the Spring. It would include reregulating the banks. It would include getting some new advisors. It would include starting to listen to the people who could help him be the image that the world has of him.

We'll see.

[griffi94]

179. all of those things you list

will take leadership, and sadly that's where i think obama lacks the most.
the biggest disappointment for me so far is his tepid leadership and that's across the board.

[snagglepuss]

125. Exactly. nt

[Tx4obama]

88. All the Obama HC campaign promises....

Five pages of them:

http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/subjects/health-care/

Many 'In the Works' and several 'Kept'

President Obama has been in office for LESS than ONE YEAR, he can't wave a magic wand!
Everyone needs to get out and vote more democratic senators into office so that Obama can get more done!

[Kalun D]

95. WEAK

5 pages of promises, about 75 of them

Exactly 6 have been kept after 1 year. All of them minor except for stem cell research.

If this bill passes, the 6 major promises that the OP lists are going into the FAIL category.

[Tx4obama]

98. Wrong

President Obama has been in office only 11 months.
And the OP listed only 5 promises, some of which still have a chance of being fulfilled in the future.
Obama never promised to do everything in the first 11 months.

[Name removed]

101. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tx4obama]

106. If you think that Obama is worse than Bush the war-mongerer - then I feel sorry for you. n/t

[Kalun D]

109. Still in Iraq

Still in Iraq, it was one of his promises to pull out. Didn't he say 6 months in one of his speeches?

What's the diff, killing is killing be it Iraq or Afghan

Rumbling about Iran now too.

[Tx4obama]

111. No, he never said 6 months....

He said COMBAT TROOPS would be out of Iraq in 18 months.

[Hannah Bell]

140. military policy = unchanged.

[snagglepuss]

128. +1

[dixiegrrrrl]

96. Your links shows 80 promises. Not all of them health care, which is the topic.

Of them, 5 are described as "kept"
2 are described as " broken" ( the transparency promise is one of them).
2 are described as "compromised", which is not the same as kept.
10 are described as "stalled"
17 are not even rated
and 44 are described as "in the works", but many of them are health care promises which already have been tossed out of both House and Senate bills.

My post stated the FACTS of 5 broken HEALTH CARE promises,
I added the 6th promise in my comment # 48.

[Tx4obama]

104. Everyone of those promises are in the Health Care section ....

of Politifact.com and ARE related to health. I know that the topic is Health Care and everyone of those promises does relate to a person's health care and/or health in one way or another.

The stalled and compromise ratings get changed when events change, and the NOT YET RATED YET ones do not mean that they will not be kept in the future. There are 515+ promises and Politifact.com is trying to get as many rated as possible by Jan 20,2010.

The FACT is Obama never promised to fulfill all of his 515+ promises in the first 11 months.

44 In the Works and 5 Kept -- is an important fact to mention if you're going to point out the ones that have not yet been kept - be fair :)

Happy Holidays :)

[scentopine]

92. I've been collecting/researching the same material, nicely done! -nt

[jillan]

99. You forgot something - he went after McCain for wanting to tax existing healthcare plans....

and it's in this bill.

[yodoobo]

129. McCain simply wanted to tax healthcare plans and give rebates to the rich

This plan does tax healthcare plans at Congress insistence, but actually does provide healthcare for millions.

Any other comparison is simply dishonest.

[SeattleGirl]

100. Um, the President doesn't write the bills, Congress does.

Why does that seem so difficult to understand around here? Congress is doing the big FUBAR, but so many people point their fingers at Obama.

I guess you thought you were voting for a dictator, not a President.

[Jakes Progress]

112. Um. So what does he do?

Why did we elect him if he is an impotent puppet?

Try to catch up. Congress is writing the bill because he wouldn't. He sat it out. He mismanaged from the sidelines and sent in the orders to capitulate. He castigated the people who were fighting for the masses and did the work of the corporatists by attacking their enemies.

[SeattleGirl]

114. Bzzzzz! I'm sorry, sir, but your answer is incorrect.

Congress is writing the bill because THAT IS THEIR JOB. It's not the President's job. HIS job is to veto or sign bills. Yes, he can talk to them, he can say, "This is what I want" but there is no guarantee that Congress will do his bidding.

You talk like Obama is the only President in the history of the US who ever had a Congress that didn't line up solidly behind him.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

170. What, precisely, is Obama supposed to do about Ben Nelson?

If Harry Reid can't keep the guy in line, and Reid determines everything from committee memberships to parking spaces, what in the hell is Obama supposed to do about it? He's the President of the United States, not the Majority Whip.

That being said, Public Option simply doesn't have the votes....yet. Flawed as this bill is (and it's flawed on several counts), it keeps the ball in play and allows us to amend and revise it in subsequent sessions of Congress.

Passing this bill is liking winning the first game of the World Series. There's still a lot of baseball to play.

[Jakes Progress]

205. Bzzzzz. I'm sorry ma'am but your knowledge of government is incomplete.

I know the narrow view espouse is the best shot you have at defending a weak administration, but the truth is that presidents write and direct bills all the time. Please consult some books on government, both practical and theoretical.

You talk like Obama is the only president in history that had a congress against him. It's just that many of those who did actually got things done with skill and experience. I like the man. I am glad he beat mccain. I just wish he were better at the job. Time will tell if he learns from the mistakes of his first year.

[defendandprotect]

150. Agree . . . not only failed to lead progressively, but was destructive overall . . .

[defendandprotect]

dupe

[defendandprotect]

151. dupe

[griffi94]

180. so did you

have this same opinion when bush was president.
it wasn't bush but rather congress doing the big fubar for 8 years.

[Dinger]

102. A Sick At Heart K & R (nt)

[bertman]

105. K & R

[democracy1st]

120. K & R

[yodoobo]

127. Obama broke none of those promises. Congress did

We should all be thankful for Obama's effort to get this healthcare plan through. It will improve the lives of virtually all of us.

The fact that Congress broke these promises is NOT the fault of Obama. If it weren't for Obama, we wouldn't have any healthcare progress at all.

[slipslidingaway]

132. Who made the deal with Billy Tauzin, how many times did he visit ...

the WH and who announced the deal for 80 billion?

What about the other 220 billion mentioned in the Obama HC plan? Instead of pushing for the 300 billion mentioned in the plan a deal was made for 80 billion.

:puke:

BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN’S PLAN TO LOWER HEALTH CARE COSTS
AND ENSURE AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HEALTH COVERAGE FOR ALL

http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/HealthCareFullPlan.pdf

"...Allow Medicare to negotiate for cheaper drug prices. The 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug
Improvement and Modernization Act bans the government from negotiating down the prices of
prescription drugs, even though the Department of Veterans Affairs’ negotiation of prescription drug
prices with drug companies has garnered significant savings for taxpayers.32 Barack Obama and Joe
Biden will repeal the ban on direct negotiation with drug companies and use the resulting savings, which
could be as high as $30 billion,33 to further invest in improving health care coverage and quality..."

[Echo In Light]

203. +1

[slipslidingaway]

209. Thanks :)) n/t

[defendandprotect]

152. Obama has been following an agenda very destructive to democracy .. from day one...

[snagglepuss]

130. Excellent work. Bookmarked. K & R. nt

[slipslidingaway]

131. K&R -How Barack Obama has changed! Healthcare FLASHBACKS (VIDEO)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/09/flashback-obama-promises_n_254833.html

We recently learned that President Obama has secretly made a sweetheart deal with Billy Tauzin, the former congressman turned chief lobbyist for the pharmaceutical industry. In return for $80 billion in projected cuts -- and $150 million in supportive television ads Obama has apparently sworn to protect the industry from congressional efforts to, among other things, let the government use its bargaining power to lower prescription drug costs.

Now flash back to April 2008, when the Obama campaign put out this ad, in which Obama held Tauzin up as an example of everything that was wrong with the game-playing in Washington..."

[Dragonfli]

135. That is undeniable, I can't wait to read the coming rationalizations.

That's a twofer (2 for 1) under promises broken.
Transparency and negotiating prescription drugs.

His word really is shit isn't it?

[slipslidingaway]

200. Should be entertaining to read, some promises are kept like Afghanistan ...

and others such as negotiating Medicare drug prices have been forgotten.

Happy Holidays and best wishes for the New Year to you.

:)

[defendandprotect]

153. This is astonishing ... and so sad -- and I didn't know the additional info...

thank you --

Everyone should see this video and read about this "sweetheart deal" . ..

and $150 million in supportive TV ads should get him relected -- !!!

So, I can see that many wonder why they're coming out to vote!!!

We had better get busy upsetting this very destructive apple cart of planning by

the right wing -- and I now include Obama in that --

Personally, I think Obama said the things he had to say to get elected --

however, the corporate money showed who he truly was -- and most Democrats wanted to ignroe that!!

Well they did --

This is corporate fascism --- and it won't end it -- it will move on to Social Security,

Medicare, abortion -- and reverse human rights progress.

Capitalism/corporatism is suicidal -- it is deadly to humanity and our planet.

Can anyone still have any questions about the destructive nature of the Obama adminsitration???

[slipslidingaway]

201. You're welcome, more here on the deal with Pharma ...

also remember the speech in mid January about needing to reduce the deficit and how entitlements would be a key area to look at.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/health/policy/09lobby.html

"The drug industry has authorized its lobbyists to spend as much as $150 million on television commercials supporting President Obama’s health care overhaul, beginning over the August Congressional recess, people briefed on the plans said Saturday.

...By comparison, President Obama’s presidential campaign spent about $236 million on television commercials while the campaign of the Republican candidate, Senator John McCain of Arizona, spent about $126 million..."


Another interesting view...

Was the Deal Capping Drug Cost Savings Inappropriate?

http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dorf/20090909.html

Michael C. Dorf, a FindLaw columnist is the Robert S. Stevens Professor of Law at Cornell University.

"...Rather, the PhRMA deal was a way to funnel $150 million of previously private, and now public, funds into urging the public to support the President's health care initiative. Rather than extract $80.15 billion in savings from the pharmaceutical industry, the President agreed to take only $80 billion, essentially receiving a kickback of $150 million in the form of PhRMA-paid advertising. That was not illegal because the money was to be used to advance the President's policy agenda, rather than to supplement the personal fortune or campaign treasury of any candidate. Still, it was highly problematic.

To see why, imagine that the President had instead simply gone to Congress and asked for $150 million to fund an advertising campaign aimed at persuading the public to urge Congress to enact the President's health care reform proposal. Surely, the very members of Congress who currently oppose the proposal would have opposed the funding, as well..."

[defendandprotect]

202. Thank you . . . I had lost track of this post and your reply brought me back . . .

want to save it all --

thanks again -

sad reality!!!

:)

[Goldstein1984]

134. He has three years left, so we'll see how things tally at the end

I'm not impressed so far:
Health Care Reform
Afghanistan War
USA Patriot Provisions
Bush/Cheney Crimes Against Humanity
Honduras
Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell

[yodoobo]

136. 7 years left

Republicans have zero chance in 2012.

[Hannah Bell]

141. not if things continue this way.

[Goldstein1984]

182. Obama can't win without Progressives

and he's losing them.

If he continues as he is, then I'll be looking for an alternative in the primaries.

If he continues as he is, and he makes it to the general election, I'll be using all of my resources to oppose him and get others to do the same.

Honduras, Afghanistan, follow-up on Bush/Cheney war crimes, increased killing of civilians with drones, don't-ask-don't-tell, continuing with USA Patriot Act, secrecy, HCR compromises, climate change...

[defendandprotect]

154. By then, Social Security, Mediare and Roe vs Wade will be gone . . .

and Catholics Bishops will have a seat in Congress!!

[Missy Vixen]

138. Let's put it this way

The only reason why he kept his promise to his daughters about the puppy is because he was asked about it wherever he went for several months after he won the election.

I realize this is cold, but I don't believe anything President Obama says he'll do anymore.

:mad:

[ve7pnl]

139. Why is this so complicated...?

It seems like President Obama did not ask for what he claimed that he wanted in Health Care.

So now it has passed - whatever it is!

I am writing from Canada - I moved here in 2000 from Washington state. I find it mind boggling how complicated the Health Care reform process has been in the US. As one of the primary goals of President Obama I am wondering why these various gangs of legislators have been left to cobble together such a huge and complicated scheme without at least a concise list of goals from the White House.

Here is what I would have expected:

The President invites in a lot of stakeholders.
They discuss the problems and work out solutions.
Obama puts some top people on the problem.
They have a few meetings. And then they put together the OBAMA Health Care proposal and send it to the House and Senate.

One bill. Clear language. With the President's seal of approval. And then they vote on it... Of course they
would have to mess around with some of it.

As it is, they appear to be going in many different directions getting an occasional nod or wink from the President.

I've read about 200 pages of the House bill, and 80 pages of the Senate bill.

For a good time, read the law that brought single payer health insurance to Canada.
It is 14 pages long. And that includes both the French and English language versions.

It is so very clear and simple compared with the convoluted legislation we have seen in the congress.

http://laws.justice.gc.ca/PDF/Statute/C/C-6.pdf

This is only my second posting here after visiting for a few months.

Am I being stupid about this? Or naive?

[omega minimo]

142. or spot on?

:hi:

[defendandprotect]

155. It's logical, if you were really trying to create a meaningful system of health care --

this is a corporate agenda -- clear from immediately after Obama's election --

he eloped into the White House with the poisonous DLC, Wall Street - Goldman Sachs --

with pockets full of corporate money and plans to get more!!!

How can anyone miss that this is simply more absolute betrayal --

and very destructive to democracy???

[dixiegrrrrl]

176. I appreciate your point of view.

It really does not have to be that complicated, does it?

Welcome to DU...nice to have your perspective.:hi:

[defendandprotect]

143. Wake up, folks . . .

You were lied to, used and abused --

Let's see -- for 40 years we've known that corporations were buying government and

our legislators --

Anyone here fail to have ever heard that or give it some thought?

The day after the '06 election, Pelosi declared that "Demcrats were elected to end the wars!"....

we're still waiting on that. And no one here took that as firm betrayal by the party and

its leadership?

Anyone here fail to understand that despite the public giving Obama almost $1 billion in

contributions, he proceeded to rake in every corporate dollar he could.

Obama is not beholden to the voters -- he is beholden to corporate interests. How could

anyone miss that??

Immediately after the election, Obama eloped into the White House with the poisonous DLC --

Wall Street and big business.

And, let's see . . . what was the response to that here at DU?

They were responses which were foolish and which sought to maintain delusions --

"he needs time, he's playing a chess game, you want a pony, Bush made a big mess" --

over and again this crap is repeated.

Has that advise benefited the nation in any way??

Or are these simply compromisers who will argue for and vote for the "lesser of evils" until

we are totally under the thumb of fascism????

Disgusting!!!

[creekboy]

156. Defeatism!

One day you'll be able to look back at this moment in history with pride. I'm proud of you, all of you that helped elect our president. I'm sorry you're not able to enjoy it in real time. It's great progress, your hand and my hand is in it. Even if you're not able to see it, your efforts are paying off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUA6pepN1DI

[snagglepuss]

185. Spare the condescension.

:puke:

[rasputin1952]

159. No one knows what will come out of the House/Senate conference...

All of this wailing and gnashing of teeth is incredible.

Has anyone here ever been in negotiations? You never get everything you wanted, but each time, you make progress and get a little more.

Let's look at the alternative...nothing.

Make your choice, but if you prefer nothing, over some progress...just get off the tracks, you're holding things up.

BTW...nothing also equates to no amendments in the future that will bring us even closer to better HCR...pretty difficult to amend something that does not exist.

[William769]

161. All the ass kissing and rose colored glasses is even more incredible.

:eyes:

ON EDIT: not rose colored glasses but blinders.

[Echo In Light]

162. Never underestimate the power of denial

[rasputin1952]

167. Well...you can scream and cry until you are worn out...

or you can act, and not be a defeatist. The choice is yours.

The conference is where we will see what actually comes out as a finished bill...if you don't know that, a Civics Course may be advisable.

[William769]

168. Enjoy your blinders.

Also enjoy your sarcasm, because at this point it's all you have going for you.

[AusDem]

163. so he broke promises

he's a politician, its what they do. so your disillusioned, never seen that before. He said what he HAD to say to get elected, that's what happens in democracies. He probably meant most of it too, but then stepped into office, and found out the hard way it wasn't so easy OR he changed his mind...........he's allowed to do that you know.

yes he didn't weigh in on the Senators, maybe his term as a Junior senator was a disadvantage? maybe he owed some of the senior senators something? maybe it was too intimidating to pressure them when they had been his seniors not long ago. maybe he just doesn't operate like that?

try and get what you can and keep on moving. this non-stop whining about how Obama is the betrayer, blah, blah, blah. he's just a fallible man, deal with it.

thanks for the catalogue of broken promises, so what are you gonna do about it?

your system is stacked against the common man (particularly the common man actually trying to change something), so you have to fight twice as hard to get something done. its the good and bad of the USA.

how about doing something to change the senate? change the rules? make it easier for government to ACTUALLY enact meaningful change?

simple idea would be to have a maximum population amount that a senator is allowed to represent. Ie, no senator should be allowed to represent more than......i dunno, 4 million people. That would provide the more populous states with a bit more representation. OR, reduce Senate terms.

[William769]

164. Heres a novel idea after reading what you wrote

All I can add is this. He just wasn't ready to be President.

[spooked911]

165. is the 6th, about universal health care?

The items should be renumbered. But otherwise, great job-- though depressing.

[dixiegrrrrl]

177. Yes..I added the 6th, pls. see my comment # 48.

It was too late to edit the post when I realized my error.

[Christa]

169. K and 200th rec. nt

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

171. What you're forgetting...

''We can have universal health care by the end of the next president's first term, by the end of my first term,'' Obama said, bringing 600 union workers to their feet during a question-and-answer session with members of AFL-CIO affiliated unions.

By my reckoning, Obama's first term doesn't end for another 37 months (give or take a few days). What we've passed here is a first step. Congress can always take up legislation to deal with Pharma (importation and price negotiation) at a later date (like next year).

And it's yet to be seen how much this plan is going to lower the cost of insurance. Based on the figures I've seen and the amount I'm paying, it would cut my rates by about $1,500. That's less than Obama promised, but if I get lower rates and 30 million people covered, I'm not going to complain.

But to your point, Obama can only sign (or not sign) the legislation that comes to him from Congress. Obama would have to be a drooling idiot to pass up a chance to sign this legislation now, and then clean things up later.

[tomp]

174. a drooling idiot could have done better than he has done. nt

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

175. I know several drooling idiots...

and I can guarantee you that they could have made it out of the primaries.

[kpominville]

186. We have to MAKE Him do it!

Despair is not an option!

[mdmc]

188. I should save $625 under Obama's promise. Now I pay more..

Lower Premiums by $2,500 for a Family of Four

"If you've got health insurance through your employer, you can keep your health insurance, keep your choice of doctor, keep your plan," Mr. Obama said in his Oct. 15, 2008 debate against McCain. "The only thing we're going to try to do is lower costs so that those cost savings are passed onto you. And we estimate we can cut the average family's premium by about $2,500 per year."
******* Both proposed bills will reduce employer coverage, and dramatically RAISE insurance bills, on top of the rapid premium increases we have seen already.

[mdmc]

189. your link didn't work for me..

[dixiegrrrrl]

197. It works fo rme. Dunno what to say.

Here is a clip:

May 14, 2007

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, seeking support from labor union members in New Jersey, vowed Monday to make health insurance available to all Americans by the end of his first term in the White House.

''We can have universal health care by the end of the next president's first term, by the end of my first term,'' Obama said, bringing 600 union workers to their feet during a question-and-answer session with members of AFL-CIO affiliated unions.

The discussion was part of the labor organizations' presidential endorsement process, and Obama used much of it to pitch his plan to bring health insurance to the 45 million Americans who lack it.

''This is an issue whose time has come,'' the Illinois senator said.

Sharon Masino, a card dealer since 1984 at Caesars casino in Atlantic City, told Obama dealers there decided to unionize recently in part to oppose a new health care plan she said would have cost her $20,000 per year to help treat her ill husband.

''I would not be able to provide for my family,'' the mother of four said.

Obama said affordable health insurance can be funded by saving $75 billion per year through having more people use regular doctor checkups instead of more expensive emergency room visits, improving treatment of chronic illnesses and relying more on technology to reduce paperwork.

He said medical records can be put onto a digital chip that can be carried around on a key chain, for instance.

''If the credit card company can do it, I don't know why the medical system can't do it,'' Obama said.

If those moves aren't enough, he said he would support rolling back tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

[mdmc]

199. i will try again my friend

thanks for the info...

[quiet.american]

194. Continues to be a shame so many here are so eager to accept OPs like this at face value.

And no, I'm not providing the actual quotes/CBO reports/bill language in rebuttal; I'm done with that. Because if one were really interested, one could spend the energy looking it up just like I do instead of spending the energy looking for any/every justification to support an "Obama didn't-lead-and-betrayed-us" meme.

Bottom line, CBO has said that the current version of the Senate bill will provide coverage to 30 million Americans, lower premiums, and reduce the deficit over the next twenty years by up to 1.3 trillion dollars. And this has been accomplished within less than a year of Barack Obama taking office.

Yet, DU has become so weird, this is considered an ultimate betrayal.

People who are hurting now are within a hair's reach of having the help they need. (And yes, the high risk pool that will go into effect after the bill is passed is still there; those who need it most will not have to wait until 2014 for help.) Senator after senator over the weekend pointed to language in the bill that will cover/lower prescription drug costs; provide tens of thousands of more community health centers across the nation, offer an Exchange where consumers will have access to the same coverage Congress receives (administered by the government's Office of Personnel Management) and so many more initiatives that are in line with the spirit of Obama's campaign promises to reform healthcare.

How could anyone listen to the heartwrenching stories of constituents who wrote into Harry Reid and other senators, pleading for this bill to be passed so that they wouldn't have to pray to die (or as Rep. Alan Grayson, put it, "die quickly") really believe that Pres. Obama and the Democratic Congress, who are now just a week or two away from passing/signing the bill that will give these people back their lives, have betrayed the Party, as these types of OPs imply? For that matter, how could anyone actually look through even a summary of the bill and not find something they can like? Paul Krugman says today, "Count me among those who consider this an awesome achievement." Even though he also says, "It’s a seriously flawed bill, we’ll spend years if not decades fixing it, but it’s nonetheless a huge step forward." He is still willing to acknowledge it is a worthy achievement on the part of Democrats.

Republicans vowed at the beginning of the process that this would be Obama's waterloo. Now, they're reduced to hoping, literally, that at least one Democrat in the Senate will not be able to make any of the votes, so that the bill will fail.

The fact that the dominating view on DU is that a bill that will bring healthcare relief to millions of people, lower premiums and reduce the deficit is some kind of betrayal or failure, and that Obama has lost the country, is what is truly sick, in my view.

I'm sure the usual suspects will now come out to call me names and all the rest. Fine. But I refuse to go along to get along on DU, following the current bizarre meme that the bill is a betrayal, that people will actually be better off if they don't have access to healthcare, or that the only approach capable of bringing relief is single-payer. No, I cannot fall in line on that.

[David Zephyr]

208. Honored to kick this truth telling up to the top.

Thanks.