Obama's speech today

I missed the speech because I'm at the shop and didn't have the television on so I don't know what Obama said or how he said it. Now all I can find are analysts.

He believes it. He believes in his agenda. I don't know if he believes it is "right" or good, he just believes that he has this office, for whatever period of time and he has specific things that must be done as part of the larger agenda. This health care reform is one of those things. Who defines "right"? I believe, as you do, that the right thing for an elected official to do is to execute the will of the people that he represents. By admitting that this vote could cost them their jobs, he is admitting that he knows it isn't the "right" thing as per the Constitution. Therefore, this is not the right thing to do at all. As he stated, everything's been said about health care, there's no more to say. He is aware that the American people don't support this move. He doesn't care.

It IS odd for any politician to say to "ignore politics", I agree with you on that much! He also asked for those of us who are in favor of the bill passing to make our voices be heard. I wish he'd have said that long ago because I think, at least from what I've seen personally among people I know, we're the "silent majority". I know most of you here will disagree with me but I'm only honestly saying what I've seen and what I believe to be true. I've always said I don't agree with everything in the bills that have been passed so far but I can tell you what I DO agree with - 31 million Americans who aren't covered now WILL be covered and the insurance companies will no longer be able to deny or drop people due to preexisting conditions. I also like that there will be subsidies for those who can't afford to pay the premiums themselves. I don't have all the details but I understand President Obama has now added at least four provisions that had been proposed by the Republicans but that hasn't changed their minds. I guess when they said they wanted to "break him" they weren't kidding! Now, ABOUT the "politics" involved...I think basically most of the Democrats who were recently elected ran on health care reform, among other things of course. The Republicans, on the other hand, probably ran on making sure there would be no "government run health care", again among other things. Therefore, voting for or against something they promised to vote for or against is doing exactly what they were elected to do, isn't it? I can tell you our Senator who is up for reelection has gone up in the polls since he's spoken out in favor of the health care bill in recent days. Both of my Senators have signed on to the letter started by Senator Bennett of Colorado regarding bringing back the public option, something that is very popular here. Annie

Maybe Obama means that he won't be intimidated by the bad response from political oponents and other negative effect on his political future. He has made the determination to force this bill to reality. I think he is just a man who want to make true one of his dreams in his childhood. But this didn't mean that he will not mind the opinion of American people. He just will not mind how this will affect his own political future.

I have given up listing to Obama speak about health care, it is always the same speech with the words rearanged. Is a great bill, it will solve all of our problems, the poor need this bill to survive, and insurance companies are evil. How many times can this be said and in how many ways. If it is the answer to all of our health proplems why did Pelosi tell members of congress they should risk their jobs to vote for it. How many times have we heard that we have to pass something, even if it is not good? He has said that he would gladly be a great one term President, instead of a average two term President, and yes I believe that he thinks this is the bill to make him a great President. I think it will make him a one term President.

I didn't watch the speech today, because I "knew" what he was going to say. Call me psychic. Obama's trying to build his legacy -- so-called health-care reform and other big government programs -- at the expense of the American taxpayer. Let's get on with the reconciliation process, which is what they had intended to do from the start, and let's start the battle...

Sorry to say but I did not watch the speech, I did not even know there was going to be a speech. He does not care about the politics of the bill, but is not the very incense of the bill political? Is not the very reason they are creating this bill is because of a political belief that government must take care of the people? He say it is the right thing to do but how does he know that, how does Barack Obama know what is right for me, how does he know what is right for you, or anyone? Obama does not know me, heck my own Congressmen does not really know me, except for those messages I left him. I probably know more about your Lilwonders than Obama does yet he knows what is right for you. I do not even know what is right for you. As to these public servants the problem is some are doing what they were sent to do. That is the problem when you have someone from San Francisco having the ability to effect the lives of everyone in the country. I am sure Nancy is doing what she was elected to do, I am sure she is representing the view of her district. Yet those views are telling me who lives in a whole nother state how to live.

I watched this speech, and the full seven hours of the health care summit, in which the republicans showed their true colours and show how cleverly they lie, and expect Americans not to tune in to politics, and rather, saturate in media-spread hysteria. Just one point that I can make offhand: One of the republicans' key arguments is that Medicaire is going bankrupt, and riddled with fraud, and prodigal. They said that 1 in every 3 medicaire dollars is not spent on actual medical care, and Obama agreed, which is why they are proposing the cut to Medicaire, only of the money that is not being used properly. He even called out the republicans, and said, "I am cutting the waste that is spent on Medicaire, and you agree with me, but you say that this is a government takeover, when we agree on this point." And yet again, today, McConnell, knowing all too well that no one bothers to take notes or do research, stated again that Medicaire will be cut by trillions with this proposal. They are such liars. They feed of fear, since they can't use solid fact. They make up their own.