As Sen. Barack Obama bashed Hillary for being a proponent of mandated health care for all Americans.
"She'd have the government force you to buy health insurance," he said Feb. 23, 2008. "I disagree with that approach. I believe that the reason Americans don't have health care isn't because no one's forced them to buy it, it's because no one's made it affordable."
However, in Obama's words, his thinking has "evolved" on the issue. How conveinient, since he isn't trying to get elected anymore.
"People have made some pretty compelling arguments to me that if we want to have a system that drives down costs for everybody, then we've got to have healthier people not opt out of the system," the president told ABC News.
Stop going back on your word. The only "compelling" argument is the fact that there is no way to pay for this! And that the only reason your thinking "evolved" into taking away people's right to decide if they want coverage or not, is becaus if you don't fine people, you can't pay for the program!
Obama also stressed that there will be some sort of waiver for those who just can't afford it.
"Those who can't afford it" has been defined in the Kennedy bill as families up to 300-400% above the poverty line. That's families making up to $60,000-$75,000. Do you think those families "can't afford it?" Of course they can! It's just another way to get more people enrolled on the plan. Stop going back on your word when it is politically conveinient to do so, or better yet, say what you mean the first time so that people know where you stand.
Some more notable quotes from the ABC special
Sawyer asked Ron Williams, the CEO of Aetna Insurance, "Is the president right that you need to be kept honest?"
"It's difficult to compete against a player who's also the person refereeing the game," Williams said. He proposed working to "solve the problem as opposed to introduce a new competitor who has rule-making ability."
"We will have some up-front costs," the president acknowledged. "And the estimates ... have been anywhere from a trillion to $2 trillion. But what I have said is whatever it is we do, we pay for."
"About a third of the costs will come from new revenue," the president said, pushing his proposal to raise taxes on those making more than $200,000 a year through a change in the itemized deduction in the tax code.
The president cited the Mayo Clinic as an example of a medical center where experts had figured out the most effective treatments and eliminated waste and unnecessary procedures.
Sawyer said that e-mails ABC News had received argued that "the Mayo Clinic is exactly the point," indicating that private companies are solving this problem, and raising the question as to why the government needs to get involved
Sawyer said that e-mails ABC News had received argued that "the Mayo Clinic is exactly the point," indicating that private companies are solving this problem, and raising the question as to why the government needs to get involved
"And, unfortunately, government, whether you like it or not, is going to already be involved," Obama said, citing Medicare and Medicaid.
Devinsky asked the president pointedly if he would be willing to promise that he wouldn't seek such extraordinary help for his wife or daughters if they became sick and the public plan he's proposing limited the tests or treatment they can get.
The president refused to make such a pledge, though he allowed that if "it's my family member, if it's my wife, if it's my children, if it's my grandmother, I always want them to get the very best care
The president refused to make such a pledge, though he allowed that if "it's my family member, if it's my wife, if it's my children, if it's my grandmother, I always want them to get the very best care
Oh yea, incase you don't know this, the president and congress are specifically exempt from any public plan, according to the Kennedy bill.
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