Reviewing the Excerpts of Obama’s Press Conference Remarks

by Stephan Tawney on July 22, 2009

Jake Tapper has them. Some comments of note:

That is why I’ve said that even as we rescue this economy from a full-blown crisis, we must rebuild it stronger than before. And health insurance reform is central to that effort.

He’s back to rescuing the economy which is, er, still deep in the crapper. Apparently the loss of 2.3 million jobs and counting is Obama’s idea of “rescu(ing) this economy”.

“This is not just about the 47 million Americans who have no health insurance. Reform is about every American who has ever feared that they may lose their coverage if they become too sick, or lose their job, or change their job. It’s about every small business that has been forced to lay off employees or cut back on their coverage because it became too expensive. And it’s about the fact that the biggest driving force behind our federal deficit is the skyrocketing cost of Medicare and Medicaid.

Suddenly The One cares about small businesses and struggling Americans? He’s simulatenously pushing cap-and-trade legislation that will kill jobs, place higher costs on businesses, and send electric bills skyrocketing for the average American. But suddenly it’s an absolute must that we care about costs on businesses and struggling Americans.

So let me be clear: if we do not control these costs, we will not be able to control our deficit.

Apparently he intends to say that with a straight face, though it’s not clear exactly how he’ll accomplish that. The Congressional Budget Office says that ObamaCare will add $239 billion to the current deficit. We’re talking about legislation with a price tag now over $1.4 trillion.

If we do not act, 14,000 Americans will continue to lose their health insurance every single day.

Of course, a study released just the other day shows that 83 million Americans will likely lose their insurance if ObamaCare passes. But we can’t let that little fact get in the way of HopenChange.

If you already have health insurance, the reform we’re proposing will provide you with more security and more stability.  It will keep government out of health care decisions, giving you the option to keep your insurance if you’re happy with it.

Both statements are, of course, blatant lies. Even less pessimistic estimates show millions of Americans being shoved off their current insurance plans, no matter how happy they may be. You simply can’t keep your healthcare plan under the regime of ObamaCare.

It will prevent insurance companies from dropping your coverage if you get too sick.

Of course, we’ll also see the government having to approval medical procedures and rationing basic healthcare, but…

If you don’t have health insurance, or are a small business looking to cover your employees, you’ll be able to choose a quality, affordable health plan through a health insurance exchange – a marketplace that promotes choice and competition.

Yes, a marketplace where private insurers will be overrun by a government option funded with taxpayer money simply screams “choice and competition”.

I have also pledged that health insurance reform will not add to our deficit over the next decade – and I mean it.

Again, that’s supposedly to be said with a straight face.

I understand how easy it is for this town to become consumed in the game of politics – to turn every issue into running tally of who’s up and who’s down.  I’ve heard that one Republican strategist told his party that even though they may want to compromise, it’s better politics to ‘go for the kill.’  Another Republican Senator said that defeating health reform is about ‘breaking’ me.

So let me be clear:  This isn’t about me.  I have great health insurance, and so does every Member of Congress.  This debate is about the letters I read when I sit in the Oval Office every day, and the stories I hear at town hall meetings…This debate is not a game for these Americans, and they cannot afford to wait for reform any longer.  They are counting on us to get this done.  They are looking to us for leadership.  And we must not let them down.  We will pass reform that lowers cost, promotes choice, and provides coverage that every American can count on.  And we will do it this year.

The “Republican strategist” he speaks of is William Kristol of The Weekly Standard — not a Republican strategist, but a conservative commentator. Hopenchange yields to no facts.

As for the “break” remark, Obama himself concedes that failing to pass ObamaCare will “destroy” his presidency. His fake outrage has become transparently pathetic.

Oh, and all of those Americans counting on you to pass ObamaCare? I don’t know what polls Obama are looking at. Perhaps ACORN is running a letter-writing campaign to the White House. There have been five polls in the past month showing Obama with less than a 50% approval on healthcare. A majority of the country now opposes the legislation in front of Congress. Americans don’t want ObamaCare, though they just might get it anyway.

Basically we can’t expect Obama to go before the press corps and lie his ass off. He’ll blame the powerless Republicans for being obstructionist, ignore his alliance falling apart, insist Americans support him despite all indicators showing that they don’t, and insist that we simply must pass this horrible and costly legislation immediately or face disaster. He’s the Chicken Little of American politics. What else is new?



2 Responses to “Reviewing the Excerpts of Obama’s Press Conference Remarks”

  1. stan Says:

    Obama was the original “Pied Piper” He led the American people to the precipice of the cliff and now, fortunately, we are emerging from the trance we were in and seeing the reality of his actions. His “change” was simply to change to Socialism / Marxism and while we hoped he was here to help the Country, we have realized that he wasn’t. It was all about “Him”. I fervently hope that this nightmare health fiasco doesn’t materialize and that he can be correct in his statement that it would “ruin my presidency”

  2. cookiemama Says:

    Every time I hear “America wants thus and thus..” coming out of a President’s mouth, I want to scream, “STOP PUTTING WORDS IN MY MOUTH! I DO NOT WANT THIS!! AND I AM AN AMERICAN!!
    Big government? Ain’t seen nothin yet! IT owns our banks, the car companies, etc. Now IT wants to own me and be my Medical Overseer! NO WAY! GET OUT OF MY ILLNESS AND HEALTH, MR. PRESIDENT!

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