5 Questions for President's Health Care Press Conference

[surferskin 31]

Tonight, President Barack Obama will address the nation in a press conference about his proposal for the federal government to takeover America’s health care system. Below are five questions Sen. DeMint has put forward that he hopes President Obama will finally answer tonight.

 

“We would all like to believe the president’s grand promises about health care. Unfortunately, we keep finding that his policies don’t match his promises," said Sen. DeMint. "Tonight, I hope we hear more than just rhetoric and straw man arguments, because Americans deserve real answers to the troubling facts we are learning about his plan to take over health care. Independent studies of his actual plan conclude that it would raise costs, increase the deficit, ration care, force more than 80 million Americans out of their current plans and force pro-life Americans to fund abortions with their tax dollars.”

 

Below are the top five questions Sen. DeMint would like the president to address:

 

 

1. If the major provisions of the health care bills will not kick in until 2013, four years from now, why the rush to pass a thousand-page bill before the August recess, a bill you admit that you haven’t fully read yourself?

 

2. You have said your health care bill will cut costs and not increase the deficit. But, independent analysis by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office contradicts both claims, saying it will raise costs and increase the deficit by $240 billion in the first ten years. What independent analysis will you provide that supports your claims and refutes CBO’s?

 

3. You have repeatedly said that your health care bill allows any American who likes their current employer-based plan to keep it. But the most comprehensive independent analysis available, by the Lewin Group, contradicts your claim and found your bill will force over 80 million Americans to lose their current coverage. Will you provide independent analysis to refute this study?

 

4. Your own record in the Senate reveals you spent years voting against nearly every reform to make health care more affordable and accessible, but this week you said that opponents of your plan are “content to perpetuate the status quo, [and] are, in fact, fighting reform on behalf of powerful special interests.” Which specific elected officials will you cite that have proposed to keep the status quo, and is that how you characterize the opposition of the 52 Blue Dog Democrats in the House and the moderate Democrats in the Senate?

 

5. Yes or no question: Will you guarantee pro-life Americans that, under your plan, they will not be forced to subsidize elective abortions?

http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?...fb-001e005cb3d5

 

 

You think Obama will be axed any of these questions and if he is, will he give a coherent answer? Any geeks that support Obama have any answers to the above questions?

[Strike 6,019]

6) If this plan is so good why are congress and yourself specifically exempt? Shouldn't you all be willing to accept the same plan as everybody else?

[NewbieJr 541]

6) If this plan is so good why are congress and yourself specifically exempt? Shouldn't you all be willing to accept the same plan as everybody else?

I love this question. I'd love to hear an answer to this.

[NewbieJr 541]

Tonight, President Barack Obama will address the nation in a press conference about his proposal for the federal government to takeover America’s health care system. Below are five questions Sen. DeMint has put forward that he hopes President Obama will finally answer tonight.

 

“We would all like to believe the president’s grand promises about health care. Unfortunately, we keep finding that his policies don’t match his promises," said Sen. DeMint. "Tonight, I hope we hear more than just rhetoric and straw man arguments, because Americans deserve real answers to the troubling facts we are learning about his plan to take over health care. Independent studies of his actual plan conclude that it would raise costs, increase the deficit, ration care, force more than 80 million Americans out of their current plans and force pro-life Americans to fund abortions with their tax dollars.”

 

Below are the top five questions Sen. DeMint would like the president to address:

1. If the major provisions of the health care bills will not kick in until 2013, four years from now, why the rush to pass a thousand-page bill before the August recess, a bill you admit that you haven’t fully read yourself?

 

2. You have said your health care bill will cut costs and not increase the deficit. But, independent analysis by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office contradicts both claims, saying it will raise costs and increase the deficit by $240 billion in the first ten years. What independent analysis will you provide that supports your claims and refutes CBO’s?

 

3. You have repeatedly said that your health care bill allows any American who likes their current employer-based plan to keep it. But the most comprehensive independent analysis available, by the Lewin Group, contradicts your claim and found your bill will force over 80 million Americans to lose their current coverage. Will you provide independent analysis to refute this study?

 

4. Your own record in the Senate reveals you spent years voting against nearly every reform to make health care more affordable and accessible, but this week you said that opponents of your plan are “content to perpetuate the status quo, [and] are, in fact, fighting reform on behalf of powerful special interests.” Which specific elected officials will you cite that have proposed to keep the status quo, and is that how you characterize the opposition of the 52 Blue Dog Democrats in the House and the moderate Democrats in the Senate?

 

5. Yes or no question: Will you guarantee pro-life Americans that, under your plan, they will not be forced to subsidize elective abortions?

http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?...fb-001e005cb3d5

You think Obama will be axed any of these questions and if he is, will he give a coherent answer? Any geeks that support Obama have any answers to the above questions?

 

I like 1-4.

 

#5 is stupid. It's the law. Abortions are legal. You don't get to choose which laws you follow and which ones you don't.

[surferskin 31]

 

I like 1-4.

 

#5 is stupid. It's the law. Abortions are legal. You don't get to choose which laws you follow and which ones you don't.

True but the key word is "elective" abortions. I don't know about you but I don't want my tax dollars to go to abortions out of convenience.

[NewbieJr 541]

True but the key word is "elective" abortions. I don't know about you but I don't want my tax dollars to go to abortions out of convenience.

Congrats on 14,000!

[parrot 789]

True but the key word is "elective" abortions. I don't know about you but I don't want my tax dollars to go to abortions out of convenience.

 

Aren't pretty much all abortions elective?

[NewbieJr 541]

Aren't pretty much all abortions elective?

Exactly. If a couple is informed that their child will be severely retarded, they still have a choice to keep it. Same with a raped 13 year-old girl.

[Strike 6,019]

Aren't pretty much all abortions elective?

 

Would you consider an abortion elective if the mother was going to die if the abortion was not performed?

[parrot 789]

Would you consider an abortion elective if the mother was going to die if the abortion was not performed?

 

Yeah, I would. It's a choice she makes.

[KSB2424 3,173]

This is a good topic, can we not roon it by having another :sigh: abortion debate.

[Strike 6,019]

Yeah, I would. It's a choice she makes.

 

I guess

[NewbieJr 541]

Yeah, I would. It's a choice she makes.

Ok. Whatever. I'm very uninterested in your opinion on it. Bottom line is, it's legal. Lets move on. This is actually a good topic. I have tons of questions about his health care plan.

[Strike 6,019]

Ok. Whatever. I'm very uninterested in your opinion on it. Bottom line is, it's legal. Lets move on. This is actually a good topic. I have tons of questions about his health care plan.

 

If it's his why hasn't he read it?

[surferskin 31]

This is a good topic, can we not roon it by having another :sigh: abortion debate.

 

Acreed. Abortion is a polarizing issue. I think DeMint's question is valid and understand why some don't agree. We can just leave it at that.

[parrot 789]

Ok. Whatever. I'm very uninterested in your opinion on it. Bottom line is, it's legal. Lets move on. This is actually a good topic. I have tons of questions about his health care plan.

 

I don't really give a fock if you're interested in my opinion as that was a reply to a question from Strike. HTH.

[BunnysBastatrds 2,598]

7) This is your fourth prime time press conference in six months Mr. President. Why do you feel the need to use this forum every time the poll numbers go down on the policies you and the Congress promote? And secondly, why are you here tonight speaking to the nation about a bill, that you admittedly haven't read completely? Shouldn't you wait to speak to the nation about this bill when you have all the facts straight?

[FranksTanks 0]

If it's his why hasn't he read it?

Saying you are not familiar with a section of the bill does not mean you haven't read it.

 

And Jim DeMint is an idiot who offers nothing to the table, like most republicans.

Here is Jacob Hacker's reaction the the Lewin Group's report: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPR788rgalI

"What should be kept in mind is employers are cutting back coverage now. More and more americans are going without coverage because their employers are cutting it. some people will be moved from private employement based insurance into public sponsored insurance but that will be better for them if that were to occur."

 

and question 5 just reinforces Demint's ignorance and the only reason I can think that he brings this up is to fire up his base. "I'm payin to kill babies, hell no I won't support this! That's what my mother would say.

Can I please not pay for people that elect to smoke? or a war that I don't think we should be in? we don't get to earmark where are tax dollars go do we?

[FlaHawker 24]

8) Why do you hate America?

[surferskin 31]

and question 5 just reinforces Demint's ignorance and the only reason I can think that he brings this up is to fire up his base.

Then feel free to answer some of the other questions.

[surferskin 31]

8) Why do you hate America?

Ok, FlaHawker made me laugh.

 

[FlaHawker 24]

Ok, FlaHawker made me laugh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jocstrap 8]

My family blue cross blue shield just went to $902 a month. How can families afford this if their job does not provide full family health care for them?

[FranksTanks 0]

Then feel free to answer some of these questions.

I just talked about three of them, but apparently you won't debate what I brought up already.

I was pointing out that DeMint is throwing out exaggerated facts, like what he takes from the Lewin Group report and the president's understanding of the bill. Of course without ever offering up anything himself. But I'm supposed to debate his questions word for word? no thanks.

[BunnysBastatrds 2,598]

Saying you are not familiar with a section of the bill does not mean you haven't read it.

 

So he's not as smart as we've been told? If he read it, shouldn't he be familiar with it? And if he's going on prime time TV to lobby us for it, shouldn't he know and be familiar with all of it?

[FlaHawker 24]

I just talked about three of them, but apparently you won't debate what I brought up already.

I was pointing out that DeMint is throwing out exaggerated facts, like what he takes from the Lewin Group report and the president's understanding of the bill. Of course without ever offering up anything himself. But I'm supposed to debate his questions word for word? no thanks.

Then why don't you tell us how the government will do better with our health care than they have with the post office and the DMV? Or tell us why Obamacare will be better than what the Canadiens and the Brits have?

[FlaHawker 24]

My family blue cross blue shield just went to $902 a month. How can families afford this if their job does not provide full family health care for them?

What type of job are you talking about?

[surferskin 31]

I just talked about three of them, but apparently you won't debate what I brought up already.

I was pointing out that DeMint is throwing out exaggerated facts, like what he takes from the Lewin Group report and the president's understanding of the bill. Of course without ever offering up anything himself. But I'm supposed to debate his questions word for word? no thanks.

Just answer these questions: Why the rush? Do you have anything to contradict the CBO report that this plan will actually increase costs and increase the deficit?

[FranksTanks 0]

So he's not as smart as we've been told? If he read it, shouldn't he be familiar with it? And if he's going on prime time TV to lobby us for it, shouldn't he know and be familiar with all of it?

He's smart enough to know that if he isn't 100% sure about the wording, especially if its a contradiction to what he's been saying, he'll tell you. He's saying, "I'm not familiar with the wording you are giving me from an opinion piece saying private insurance would be made illegal, but here's what I have been saying.... I won't sign a bill that would make it tougher for people to keep their existing insurance."

[Strike 6,019]

My family blue cross blue shield just went to $902 a month. How can families afford this if their job does not provide full family health care for them?

 

No one is saying we shouldn't do anything. But doing something that's wrong is worse than doing nothing, especially if it sends us down an irreversible path.

[FranksTanks 0]

Then why don't you tell us how the government will do better with our health care than they have with the post office and the DMV? Or tell us why Obamacare will be better than what the Canadiens and the Brits have?

Would we be better off if everything was private?? Do private companies always have your best interests in mind? No. How much higher would it be to ship a package if it was completely left up to the private sector?

Sure government isn't the greatest at everything but its not always the worst either.

 

As far as being better, this is from an article I read this morning:

The United States now devotes one-sixth of its economy to medicine. Divvy that up, and health care will cost the typical household roughly $15,000 this year, including the often-invisible contributions by employers. That is almost twice as much as two decades ago (adjusting for inflation). It’s about $6,500 more than in other rich countries, on average.

 

We may not be aware of this stealth $6,500 health care tax, but if you take a moment to think, it makes sense. Over the last 20 years, health costs have soared, and incomes have grown painfully slowly. The two trends are directly connected: employers had to spend more money on benefits, leaving less for raises.

 

In exchange for the $6,500 tax, we receive many things. We get cutting-edge research and heroic surgeries. But we also get fabulous amounts of waste — bureaucratic and medical.

 

One thing we don’t get is better health than other rich countries, whether it’s Canada, France, Japan or many others. In some categories, like emergency room care, this country seems to do better. In others, like chronic-disease care, it seems to do worse. “The fact that we spend all this money and don’t have better outcomes than other countries is a sign of how poorly we’re doing,” says Dr. Alan Garber of Stanford University. “We should be doing way better.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/business...&ref=health

 

I don't know if Obama's plan will make everything better than every other country, but why do we already spend so much more than everyone else and we're not already way better than we should be?

[Voice_Of_Reason 0]

9) What guarantees are offered that when the government run health system is intact, it won't balloon into peoples privacy or become about government enforced regulation of health? Such as reducing coverage to those who smoke, are overweight, or have a history of cancer?

 

10) What guarantees do you have that I won't go from a next day appointment under my current plan to a 3 month or longer wait for an appointment?

[gocolts 300]

Just answer these questions: Why the rush? Do you have anything to contradict the CBO report that this plan will actually increase costs and increase the deficit?

I thought I heard a talking head today say that this health care plan will not even take effect for a few years after it passes, yet we must get it through right NOW, before August.

[surferskin 31]

I thought I heard a talking head today say that this health care plan will not even take effect for a few years after it passes, yet we must get it through right NOW, before August.

See: DeMint's first question.

[Vikings4ever 568]

I don't know if Obama's plan will make everything better than every other country, but why do we already spend so much more than everyone else and we're not already way better than we should be?

You could say the same thing about education.

 

And being a country of smoking, drinking, drug using, lazy fatties tends to drive up costs.

[surferskin 31]

I don't know if Obama's plan will make everything better than every other country, but why do we already spend so much more than everyone else and we're not already way better than we should be?

Our healthcare is definitely expensive but we do get very good care in this country. If you got sick would you seek treatment outside the US? Which country would you prefer?

[Mungwater 601]

:tinfoilhat: where is the longform birfcertificate?

 

Sir, this is about healthcare..

 

how are you feelin'? where is the longform birthcertificate? I'll hang up and listen :removes tinfoilhat:

[NewbieJr 541]

No one is saying we shouldn't do anything. But doing something that's wrong is worse than doing nothing, especially if it sends us down an irreversible path.

But did the previous administration do anything? And do the current naysayers have a better idea or a different suggestion? Of course not. They would have no problem simple allowing the status quo and watch it get worse and worse, all teh while saying they realize it's a problem and something has to be done about it.

 

While it's obvious I voted for Obama and like the majority of things he's done, I'm still undecided on his health care ideas. I still don't have an understanding of what it would mean for my family from a monetary standpoint, nor do I fully understand what it would mean as far as waiting for tests/treatment. Color me unsold at this point. But I do like teh idea that teh administation is attempting something.

[gocolts 300]

See: DeMint's first question.

Ah fock.

[surferskin 31]

But did the previous administration do anything? And do the current naysayers have a better idea or a different suggestion? Of course not. They would have no problem simple allowing the status quo and watch it get worse and worse, all teh while saying they realize it's a problem and something has to be done about it.

 

While it's obvious I voted for Obama and like the majority of things he's done, I'm still undecided on his health care ideas. I still don't have an understanding of what it would mean for my family from a monetary standpoint, nor do I fully understand what it would mean as far as waiting for tests/treatment. Color me unsold at this point. But I do like teh idea that teh administation is attempting something.

Newbie, when you get all your news from FFtoday, you might miss something. To say the republicans have had no alternatives and have never tried correct healthcare is just flat out wrong. Also, the main point about "alternatives" is having a debate about the legislation in congress...not just ramming through any piece of shiat they come up with as fast as possible.