White House signals openness to health compromise

[villager]

Source: AP


White House signals openness to health compromise

By CHARLES BABINGTON and JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writers

WASHINGTON – Even as liberals urge President Barack Obama to demand bold, far-reaching changes to the nation's health care system, the White House signaled openness Thursday to compromises that might attract moderate congressional Democrats as well as some Republicans.

Obama believes in "fundamental principles" about overhauling health care, top presidential adviser David Axelrod told The Associated Press, but "he's not dogmatic about how we get there."

Axelrod's comments did not definitively answer how hard Obama will push for the most ambitious parts of his proposal, including health insurance for virtually all Americans and a government-run plan to compete with private insurers. But his diplomatic tone was in keeping with the administration's approach of refusing to flatly demand several parts that are dear to Democratic activists who helped elect him.

Those are the type of conciliatory hints that frustrate many liberals. They fear Obama will dilute the bold health care proposals he campaigned for, even though Democrats control the House, Senate and White House. One group, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, sent a mass-distributed e-mail quoting a Texas man saying he is "dropping out of political activism" because of his disillusionment with Obama over health care.

Also, former President Bill Clinton told Esquire Magazine that Obama should forge ahead with his health care proposals. "I wouldn't even worry about the Republicans," Clinton said. Obama is doing the right thing, he said, "even though he's jamming a lot of change down the system."

But many Democrats wonder if Obama really will jam a robust plan past overwhelming GOP opposition and the reservations of many centrist congressional Democrats eyeing their next election. Those Democrats will listen carefully for clues when Obama addresses a joint session of Congress next Wednesday night.

<snip>


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090904/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_health_care_overhaul

[DebbieCDC]

1. Compromise with the Repukes and screw over those who voted for you

[byebyegop]

6. How? Explain your logic. Note, the US is not a dictatorship last time I checked. n/t

[rpannier]

12. That's a silly statement

Nowhere did the previous poster remotely suggest what you said.

Former President Clinton is correct, he should forge ahead without the Republicans on this issue.
FDR did -- or maybe you consider him a dictator?

[ProudDad]

19. My grandmother did... :)

She couldn't say "Franklin Roosevelt" -- it was "that damn man in the White House."

[No Elephants]

30. Not. going. to. say. anything. about. Proud. Dad's. Granny. Just. can't.

;-)

[rollingrock]

23. In a democracy, the MAJORITY RULES

the Democratic party has the MAJORITY in Congress, the last time I checked.

the GOP can go take a hike.

[xchrom]

2. i think the most we will get from wednesdays speech are signals.

if he then takes to the road after that -- we will get more specifics.

[yourout]

3. It's not compromise.....its capitulation.

Grasping defeat from the jaws of vistory.

The French would be proud.

[dflprincess]

8. But at least the French have a good health care system

and the people don't take any crap from their government.

[ProudDad]

20. The French have the BEST health care system on Earth

We're number 37...

In our dreams we could be as good as the French...

[No Elephants]

25. I believe you are working off the 2000 ranking by the WHO

http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html

AFAIK, that was the first and last time that the WHO produced such a ranking. There is no guaranty that what may have been true in 2000 holds true today.

The NYT had a good article in 2007. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/12/opinion/12sun1.html Its source was the Commonweath Fund. http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Topics.aspx

I've heard we are 50th now, but I don't know the source and date of that info.

Thing is, wherever our system ranks in terms of deaths and the like, it costs about twice as much as any other system.

As an aside, while googling for a reliable, current ranking (which I could not find quickly), I came across The Nation's 2007 review of Sicko, which said the topic of Sicko is not as inherently polarizing as that of Farenheit 911. LOl, how quickly things change, eh? http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070716/hayes

[byebyegop]

4. First of all before the whiners start commenting.

Remember that several presidents have attempted universal healthcare over decades. All the whiners saying all or nothing seem to be forgetting just how heavy a lift this is and has historically been. Even if the public option thing doesn't not make it I am sure he will get something substantial and considering the history, substantial is pretty damn good!

That's just a fact! All ideologies and stubborness aside.

[villager]

5. What's "just a fact!?" You being "sure" about "something substantial" being "pretty damn good?"

without actually defining what "substantial" means?

[byebyegop]

7. How can you, a whiner, be sure it is not? Spare me the 'public option or nothing' spew. n/t

[villager]

9. No -- I posted an article, you came in slinging mud about "whiners." And "facts." So: you first

n/t

[villager]

10. deleted

[No Elephants]

31. Where's your analysis, links, etc. for the proposition that health care reform without any public

option at all, let alone single payer, is going to be anything but a pay day for insurance companies and medical providers at taxpayer expense?

[aquart]

11. So liberals are "whiners"?

Now who could YOU be?

[byebyegop]

17. Someone who supports and trust Obama 110%. GET IT!

Not just until Jan 21, 2009 when there was no magic wand of change. Not just during the honeymoon period. Not just before he has to make hard decisions that a prez who represents ALL Americans (not just special interest groups) has to make. Not just until he needs to make pragmatic decisions that are not necessarily the best political decisions. Not just until MY special interests are not to my liking! Not just until I actually start to believe the media echo chamber which has decided ratings are better when they criticise the prez. Not just until I think my side is losing some battle.

[No Elephants]

32. See Reply 34.

[rpannier]

13. A fact is something you can prove

Yours is not a fact.

"...I am sure he will get something substantial and considering the history, substantial is pretty damn good!"
The above quote is a guess

[t0dd]

15. The public option "thing".. that sounds ominous. But we'll get something substanial. Yup! That's a..

fact folks! :rofl: ..A substantial bailout for private insurance, perhaps?

[scentopine]

18. Exactly what they said about bank reform and energy reforn

How'd that work out? See you at the next cluster fuck insurance company bailout that we will blame on republicans. Its an easy game - good cop, bad cop

Democrats make a few facile noises about the public interest, republicans call democrats communist, they pass the "reform" and spread the wealth amongst themselves.

Universal health care has failed because corporations own American politicians. We have what is known as a ratchet effect because Obama is so weak. He has refused to acknowledge his core supporters with so much as a nod (inviting the republican pundits to a meeting just after he was elected was a nice touch). Because he is weak and a has dwindling base to leverage against, he needs to pass anything to stay relevant, he'll sell every last one of us to the republicans if that is what it takes. So, every move he makes tightens the noose around true reform because he has everything to lose.

Rahm Emanuel, the extreme center-winger, a kinder gentler Karl Rove running the show. Centrists are indeed worse than republicans. There is nothing that can't be bought and sold by these DLC fuckers.

Republicans have leadership. We have endless lectures and speeches about our behavior.

This is a best case scenario for republicans and democrats and the manufactured distraction over health care differences allows Wall Street to continue to rape us daily.

[pundaint]

21. There's hard and there's no effort

It's even harder when you take the best option off the table before considerations even begin. The only option which hasn't received fair consideration is single payer, and Rahm has the nerve to tell us not to push for what we want. Sit down and shut up aren't what we voted for. Look at the record so far. Any reformers at the table for the Bank Bailout? Any single payer at the table for health insurance reform. Any changes to the war policies either revising contracts with thieving firms or movement to bring our people home? Have they even bothered to replace partisan Bushies in the Justice Dept. Don't give me it's hard. We've got 90% of W's third term going on, and my lack of confidence in these guys is now based on experience.

[No Elephants]

33. Shhhh. Don't worry. Be happy.

[No Elephants]

26. We have the WH now, an overwhelming majority in the House and, soon, I hope, 60

Senators (which we did have until Kennedy died). If Democrats cannot succeed with those numbers, they never will and should retire. Plus, this has been mishandled so badly.

If the public option does not make it, this will be simply a giveaway to medical insurers that don't need bailing out. You know, like when the drug companies got several hundred billion to come up with Medicare's "donut hole."

Also, you don't seem to be able to tell the difference between a fact and your own opinion, which seems supported by nothing.

BTW, who are you to get here on August 30, 2009 (or create a sock on that date) and start calling your fellow DU posters names and trying to stop them from commenting? Make your own case as best you can. So far, your only support for your assertions seems to be that you intend to cheerlead for Obama no matter what. Not very persuasive.

[MarjorieG]

14. I blame the media and lobbyists most of all, for so poisoning the arguments.

People are fearful of the economy, don't understand how vulnerable we are to insurance cos. How can he really convinve them, when media has been beating him up over economic stewardship.

[No Elephants]

28. Because media never beat up a President before? During his second term,

Bush got a pretty good drubbing, even from the corporatist media. And, after 2006, he was working with a Democratic Congress. He still managed to get a lot of what he wanted and to block issues, like stem cell research, that had bi-partisan support in Congress.

Portraying Obama as a brilliant guy who is a hapless, helpless victim and Dummya as a fool who got most of what he wanted, no matter what, simply doesn't work.

[MarjorieG]

36. But what Bush wanted was what the lobbyists wanted also, in a bi-partisan way.

[jeffbr]

16. Everything was decided when Emmanuel was appointed president by

the insurance & pharmaceutical & Wall Street cartel.

[parasearchers]

22. Swear to god if he drops healthcare puplic option, I

will vote repuke, simply if we are going to wreck the country lets do it openly.

[No Elephants]

29. If you are truly considering voting repuke, please consider instead voting third party or

even writing in someone who comes closest to your ideals. That sends a much clearer message than voting repuke, which indicates only that you prefer their policies to anyone else's. That would give Democrats more incentive to go further to the right and neither the nation nor the Party needs that.

thank you.

[undeterred]

24. Compromise with whom and for what?

Does the White House even care that there are people dying while they keep shape-shifting?

[and-justice-for-all]

27. FAIL.

[No Elephants]

34. As always, yahoonews and AP sling the bull. People who want single payer or at least a public

option are not all "liberals" or even all Democrats. And the Purple Vultures are not "centrist Democrats," but RW. Only 20% of Americans now self identify as Republican, let alone right wing.

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/political-media/the-incredible-shrinking-gop-only-one-in-five-self-identify-as-republican/

In mid June of this year, over 75% Americans wanted a public option.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/17/obama-boost-new-poll-show_n_217175.html

After that, Obama and the rest of the Democrats allowed the RW to control the message. Still, a majority of Americans want a public option. One recent poll shows 55% of Americans want a public option. http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/9/2/775949/-CNN-poll:-Wide-margin-of-support-for-public-option while another poll is sticking with 75%. http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/278585

Obama and the Purple Vultures are making a mammoth mistake. Not only are they not giving the people what they want, but they are also looking weak and ineffectual. Without a massive shift, we will lose seats in 2010 and the Presidency in 2012. And we'll lose health care, too, for a long, long time. Meanwhile, we will have emboldened the insurers beyond belief. They'll see themselves as invincible.

[saigon68]

35. Well put

And there are a number of right wing disrupters present here to stir the pot