Last night I undertook the grueling task of watching Barack Obama's press conference on Healthcare Reform. Even though it was hard to keep myself from throwing the controller through the television, I watched it in its entirety and even took notes. Don't act like you're not impressed. So here is the play by play with some color commentary. I'm basically a one man broadcast team. -
8:00 - Barack Obama walks to the podium for his opening remarks. My first reaction, aside from accepting that I was now committed to an hour of propaganda, was a bit of surprise at how gray Obama has gone in only six months. He must be stressed.
"Six months ago, I took office amid the worst recession in half a century. We were losing an average of 700,000 jobs per month, and our financial system was on the verge of collapse. As a result of the actions we took in those first weeks, we've been able to pull our economy back from the brink." - BHO
I'm not sure what brink the economy has been "pulled back from", but I'm pretty sure continually rising national unemployment is not a good indication of economic salvation.
8:03 - "Of course, we still have a long way to go. And the recovery act will continue to save and create more jobs over the next two years, just like it was designed to do. I realize this is little comfort to those Americans who are currently out of work. And I'll be honest with you: New hiring is always one of the last things to bounce back after a recession." - BHO
"I'll be honest with you"? Does he have to clarify when he's being honest now? Whoever wrote this speech is probably standing in the unemployment line this morning. Also, Obama promised the stimulus would “save or create” 3.5 to 4 million jobs. He also promised that it would start doing so IMMEDIATELY. The pledge remains on the White House Website to this day.
8:03 - "And the fact is, even before this crisis hit, we had an economy that was creating a good deal of wealth for those folks at the very top, but not a lot of good-paying jobs for the rest of America. " - BHO
This is just one of the many examples of class warfare that the POTUS exhibits throughout his speech. Is there factual evidence to back up this loose claim? If so, where can I find it.
8:05 - "This is not just about the 47 million Americans who don't have any health insurance at all." - BHO
In the last month, the talking points number for uninsured Americans has gone from 40 million to 45 million and now 47 million. Maybe it's because people continue to lose their jobs and, subsequently, their health care. Again, higher unemployment helps to create desperation and more support for government intervention.
8:06 - "I've also pledged that health-insurance reform will not add to our deficit over the next decade, and I mean it." - BHO
On Friday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its cost estimate on the House Democrats’ legislation and found that it will increase the federal budget deficit by $239 billion over the next 10 years and cost nearly $1.7 trillion total. So does he not know this or is he lying? I'm also curious as to how a community organizer has the audacity to believe that he can fundamentally change an entire industry he knows nothing about. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure he's never worked in the private sector period, let alone a specialized field like the medical industry.
8:11 - "We also know that with health-care inflation on the curve that it's on, we are guaranteed to see Medicare and Medicaid basically break the federal budget. And we know that we're spending, on average -- we here in the United States -- are spending about $6,000 more than other advanced countries where they're just as healthy." - BHO
This is a completely open-ended statement. What is the criteria for being an "advanced country"? What does that even mean? This is such a stupid thing to say. Where are the numbers and facts?
8:11 - "If you found out that your neighbor had gotten the same car for $6,000 less, you'd want to figure out how to get that deal. And that's what reform's all about, how can we make sure that we are getting the best bang for our health-care dollar." - BHO
If I were the POTUS, I would shy away from car references. The report that came out yesterday said that GM, now GOVERNMENT MOTORS, is down 22%. That doesn't really help to promote your takeover of another major industry.
8:11 - "And we identified two-thirds of those costs to be paid for by tax dollars that are already being spent right now. So taxpayers are already putting this money into the kitty; the problem is, they're not getting a good deal for the money they're spending." - BHO
Here's a grand idea...give us our money back. You just more or less admitted that waste is rampant and then followed by saying that we should give more of our money so you can "fix" the problem. What? You are the problem.
8:12 - "What I've said is that there may be a number of different ways to raise money. I put forward what I thought was the best proposal, which was to limit the deductions, the itemized deductions, for the wealthiest Americans." - BHO
This is another classic example of propaganda. "Limiting the itemized deductions for the wealthiest Americans" means raising taxes. Why doesn't he just say he's going to raise taxes on the rich? He uses "limiting the itemized deductions" because half of the people watching don't know what that means. Don't be fooled by pre-constructed speech.
8:13 - "And so if I see a proposal that is primarily funded through taxing middle-class families, I'm going to be opposed to that, because I think there are better ideas to do it." - BHO
Well, well, well...Obama uses the word taxes less than a minute later, only this time he is talking about being opposed to TAXING the middle class. Why didn't he say that he's not in favor of "limiting their itemized deductions"?
8:16 - "We've got to change how health care is delivered to -- the health-care delivery system works, so that doctors are being paid for the quality of care and not the quantity of care." - BHO
Wait, wait, wait...don't we already have that exact system in place? Isn't the health care system set up to ensure quality care instead of the quantity of care? Again, whoever wrote the speech definitely got canned.
8:17 - "Now, I understand that people are feeling uncertain about this. They feel anxious, partly because we've just become so cynical about what government can accomplish; that people's attitudes are, you know, even though I don't like this devil, at least I know it. And I like that more than the devil I don't know." - BHO
Was this a Freudian Slip? Who is "the devil that we don't know"?
8:19 - "I'm rushed because I get letters every day from families that are being clobbered by health-care costs." - BHO
I would love to see those letters, all of them, not just the letters that promote his implementation of Universal Healthcare. His speech, at least up to this point, has contained little to no substance and he refuses to answer any of the questions directly. How do we know these aren't just imaginary people? I don't care about individual cases and neither does the POTUS. He just uses specific examples to play on people's feelings.
8:19 - " The default position is inertia, because doing something always creates some people who are unhappy. There's always going to be some interest out there that decides: You know what? The status quo is working for me a little bit better." - BHO
Guess what? Sometimes the status quo is the status quo for a reason. The status quo is defined as "the existing state or condition of affairs". This doesn't mean that the status quo is always bad. Often, something is the status quo because it works...so don't change it.
8:20 - "And every expert out there says this can be a valuable tool to start reducing inflation over the long term." - BHO
"Every expert" is pretty encompassing. I'm pretty sure that every expert is not on board with this plan. In fact, I would argue that the majority of people, including the bi-partisan Congressional Budget Office, thinks it's a bad idea. But what do I know?
8:23 - "So the plan that has been -- that I've put forward and that -- what we're seeing in Congress would cover, the estimates are, at least 97 to 98 percent of Americans." - BHO
There's no way this can be accomplished without making it mandatory for people to get on the government's healthcare plan, which he claimed would not be mandatory. Also, he's saying that 291 - 294 million people will be covered under his plan. That would still leave 6 - 9 million uninsured. How can you call that Universal coverage?
8:23 - "There might still be people left out there who, even though there's an individual mandate, even though they are required to purchase health insurance, might still not get it, or despite a lot of subsidies, are still in such dire straits that it's still hard for them to afford it." - BHO
So there is or isn't going to be a mandate? You can't say that people who have health insurance will be able to keep that insurance and then follow by saying that there will be "an individual mandate" or "people will be required to have health insurance". Isn't that completely contradictory?
8:25 - "You know, if you've got somebody out there saying not that, you know, let's get the best bill possible but instead says, you know, let's try to beat this, so we can gain political advantage, well, you know, that's not, I think, what the American people expect." - BHO
Which Republicans said these things? Please, provide some facts to back up your statements. It's amazing that the POTUS can just make statements like this and not be challenged on it.
8:26 - "I am very appreciative that people like Chuck Grassley on the Finance Committee, in the Senate, people like Mike Enzi, people like Olympia Snowe have been serious in engaging Democrats in trying to figure out, how do we actually get a system that works?" - BHO
Mike Enzi and Olympia Snowe are RINOS. They always vote with the Democrats anyway. I wouldn't necessarily use this as my proof of bi-partisanship.
8:28 - "Look, if right now hospitals and -- and doctors aren't coordinating enough to have you just take one test when you come in because of an illness but instead have you take one test; then you go to another specialist, you take a second test, then you go to another specialist, you take a third test; and nobody's bothering to send the first test that you took -- same test -- to the next doctors, you're wasting money. You may not see it, because if you have health insurance right now, it's just being sent to the insurance company, but that's raising your premiums, it's raising everybody's premiums. And that money, one way or another, is coming out of your pocket, although we are also subsidizing some of that, because there are tax breaks for health care. So not only is it costing you money in terms of higher premiums, it's also costing you as a taxpayer." - BHO
This was the worst answer to one of only two legitimate questions of the night. I almost turned off the television at this point, but I endured, because I'm a bad ass.
8:29 - "Now, I want to change that. Every American should want to change that. Why would we want to pay for things that don't work, that aren't making us healthier?" - BHO
What kind of statement is that? What does that even mean? Who the hell would pay for things that don't work? Well, except for our federal government.
8:30 - "If there's a blue pill and a red pill, and the blue pill is half the price of the red pill and works just as well, why not pay half price for the thing that's going to make you well? But the system right now doesn't incentivize that. Those are the changes that are going to be needed, that we're going to need to make inside the system." - BHO
To me, this was the most intriguing thing he said all night. The next post, following this super lengthy one, will be dedicated entirely to this particular remark.
8:31 - "First of all, let's understand that when I came in, we had a $1.3 trillion deficit, annual deficit, that we had already inherited. We had to immediately more forward with a stimulus package because the American economy had lost trillions of dollars of wealth." - BHO
How long will Obama be able to blame Bush before he has to start owning up to his own policies and be held accountable for his decisions?
8:32 - "So the -- the reason I point this out is to say that the debt and the deficit are deep concerns of mine. I am very worried about federal spending." - BHO
Did he really just say that? You've got to be kidding me.
8:33 - "So to all -- everybody who's out there who has been ginned-up about this idea that the Obama administration wants to spend and spend and spend, the fact of the matter is, is that we inherited a(n) enormous deficit, enormous long-term debt projections." - BHO
Again, he just passes the buck and blames Bush. I hope that, eventually, enough people will know better than to feed into these lies. It's your economy now buddy...and you're driving it further and further down the tubes.
8:39 - "But here's the thing I want to emphasize, Chip. It's not going to reduce Medicare benefits. What it's going to do is to change how those benefits are delivered so that they're more efficient." - BHO
First of all, Obama was noticeably pissed at Chip Reid for asking his question. He just kind of glared at him and smirked. Second, there is absolutely no way of ensuring that Medicare benefits, in terms of the quality of care, won't be reduced. In fact, most medical professionals argue that it will have a detrimental impact on the already inadequate care provided under Medicare. Also, this was the second of only two legitimate questions asked all night and he side-stepped this one as well.
8:40 - "And the last question was with respect to TARP. I -- let me take a look at what exactly they say we have not provided. I think that we've provided much greater transparency than existed prior to our administration coming in. It is a big program. I don't know exactly what's been requested. I'll find out, and I will have an answer for you." - BHO
So you mean to tell me that the President of the United States has no idea what information they have and have not provided regarding the TARP funds? I find that very hard to believe. Actually, I don't believe it at all because it's a blatant lie. How are your boys over at Goldman-Sachs doing? I bet Tim Geithner knows where the money is, considering he helped orchestrate TARP in the first place. Transparency and accountability are non-existent.
8:41 - "We were on the verge of a complete financial meltdown, and the reason was because Wall Street took extraordinary risks with other people's money." - BHO
It's amazing that he will continue to blame Wall Street, yet make no mention of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle...but then again, that wouldn't promote his agenda so why bring it up. And correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the stock market based on "taking risks with money"? Does he even know how the stock market works?
8:42 - "The problem is, now that the financial system has bounced back, what you're seeing is that banks are starting to make profits again." - BHO
We all know that profits are bad. Shame on those greedy corporate fat-cats. If the banks aren't making a profit, how are they going to lend money genius?
8:43 - "We also think it's a good thing that they're profitable again, because if they're profitable that means that they have reserves in place and they can lend. And this is America, so if you're profitable in the free-market system, then you benefit." - BHO
So, within a minute, he completely contradicts himself and then spouts a very general line about profits as if he's in favor of free market capitalism. I wish one of the reporters would just stand up and call him out. I can't believe he gets a pass on things like this. It's maddening.
8:44 - "With respect to compensation, I'd like to think that people would feel a little remorse and feel embarrassed and would not get million-dollar or multi-million-dollar bonuses. But if shame does not work, then I think one proposal that I've put forward is to make sure that at least shareholders of these companies know what their executives are being compensated. And that may force some reductions." - BHO
So people should feel remorse for getting paid now? Isn't that the point of working in the first place? This is America, people come here from other countries to make money, that's the whole point. He truly just does not understand the free-market. He can claim that "trickle down economics" doesn't work and go on and on about regulating the market but we do know, for a fact, how "trickle up poverty" works and we are seeing the effects of that right now.
8:47 - "The insurance regulation that we want to put in place will largely match up with what members of Congress are getting through the federal employee plan. That's a good example of what we're trying to build for the American people, the same thing that Congress enjoys, which is they go, there's a marketplace of different plans that they can access depending on what's best for their families." - BHO
Liar, plain and simple. Just last week, Democrats on the House Ways & Means Committee voted to defeat an amendment offered by Representative Dean Heller (R-NV), by a vote of 21-18, to require all members of Congress to get insurance through the government run plan, proving Democrats don't think Obama's plan will provide quality health care. Republicans voted in favor of the amendment, believing if it is good enough for the American people, it should be good enough for members of Congress. Facts are facts.
8:48 - "But having a public plan out there that also shows that maybe if you take some of the profit motive out, maybe if you are reducing some of the administrative costs, that you can get an even better deal, that's going to incentivize the private sector to do even better." - BHO
If someone can explain to me how taking the "profit motive" out of healthcare will incentivize the private sector to "do even better", I would love to hear it. If you destroy the competition by lowering the cost to a point where private companies can't compete, you destroy the efficiency and effectiveness of the medical industry. It's common sense.
8:49 - "Right now, doctors, a lot of times, are forced to make decisions based on the fee payment schedule that's out there. So if they're looking and -- and you come in and you've got a bad sore throat, or your child has a bad sore throat, or has repeated sore throats, the doctor may look at the reimbursement system and say to himself, "You know what? I make a lot more money if I take this kid's tonsils out." Now, that may be the right thing to do. But I'd rather have that doctor making those decisions just based on whether you really need your kid's tonsils out or whether it might make more sense just to change -- maybe they have allergies. Maybe they have something else that would make a difference." - BHO
What? This makes no sense at all. Is he qualified to make medical statements like this? It sounds like incoherent rambling from a guy who doesn't even understand the very thing he's trying to convince us to accept. Unbelievable!
8:50 - "You know, I would be happy to abide by the same benefit package. I will just be honest with you. I'm the president of the United States, so I've got a doctor following me every minute -- (laughter) -- which is why I say, this is not about me." - BHO
"I will just be honest with you." Well I believe you since you are always completely honest about everything. And this is most certainly about you and your agenda to push America towards socialism...just own up to it and let's move on.
8:53 - "All right. I tried to make that short so that Lynn Sweet would get her -- the last question in." - BHO
Well the question that he wanted to make sure that he made time for was from Lynn Sweet of the Chicago-Sun Times. It was a set-up question. -
"Recently, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was arrested at his home in Cambridge. What does that incident say to you? And what does it say about race relations in America?" - Lynn Sweet
You've got to be shitting me. This was the last question? Are you serious? I want to punch holes through the wall. I sat here for an hour and watched this run-around and this is what we're going to end with? Thanks for nothing you bunch of lemmings. Journalism is dead as far as I'm concerned...these people are a joke.
8:55 - "Now, I've -- I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that. But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home. And number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcing disproportionately. That's just a fact." - BHO
First of all, it's probably not a good idea for the POTUS to call police officers stupid, particularly when he admitted to not knowing the details. Secondly, he claims that it is "a fact" that Blacks and Latinos are being stopped by the police disproportionately. Really, a fact? So you have evidence to back this claim up? And when you say disproportionately, could it be that it's a result of them committing crimes rather than being racially profiled? Furthermore, you wouldn't have any documented proof of people being wrongly arrested, because if they aren't charged there is no record of arrest. Please explain this to me? Why do we continually need to play politics with racial issues? Race-baiting is a disgusting ploy and I hope someday we can get past this type of non-sense.
That conludes the propaganda...err...press conference on Universal Healthcare. I've learned so much in these last 60 minutes, I don't know how I'll be able to retain all of the valuable information. What a waste of time! All of the statements posted here are verbatim from Barack Obama's speech and nothing was added or subtracted. The full transcript of the speech can be read here. -
Or you can watch the speech online here. -
