I Wanna Vote for This Guy
by matt at 6:00 am on March 26th, 2007 in 2008 Presidential, Health Care, Obama Uber AllesSeriously, where do I sign up?
Obama joined in pledging support for universal care but said he had not concluded how much additional revenue it might take. “I will do whatever it takes,” he said.
A member of the audience challenged him by saying she had gone to his campaign Web site and could not find any serious discussion about how he would expand coverage. Obama said his campaign is just eight weeks old and that he is still in the process of developing a plan of his own. But he suggested that plans are less important than the political skills required to force a national consensus. “Everybody’s going to have some good ideas,” he said. “The question is, are we able to bring a majority of people together around the need to solve the problem now?”
Like the current President, Obama must not read the papers:
Americans think the U.S. health care system is in need of major repairs, according to a CBS News/New York Times poll.
Nine out of 10 say the system needs at least fundamental changes, including 36 percent who favor a complete overhaul.
Obama showed up at the first major forum on policy — on an issue that affects every American — totally unprepared. His marginalization of the very issue he was there to discuss is troubling enough without his assertion that political skill trumps the need for sound policy. Combined, it’s proof positive that Obama is in the business of Obama, not the business of fixing the problems caused and neglected by the current administration.
The American people are overwhelmingly aware that the problems need to be solved now. And they’ll still be there when Obama comes up with a plan to build consensus where one already exists.
sarabeth wrote:
I hate to say this of any serious Democratic presidential contender, but we’ve heard this before. Last time around it was called: “I’m a uniter, not a divider!â€
That’s literally what Obama seems to be running on:
I don’t need any ideas, I don’t need any policy positions. Because I’ll take every problem and forge a consensus. I’m a uniter, baby, and that’s all it takes. Consensus solves every problem.
Posted 26 Mar 2007 at 6:14 am ¶
Crazy Politico wrote:
It’s scary to think Kucinich is the only guy in the Democratic field that gets the fact that a complete overhaul is the only way to make universal health care workable.
Running the numbers on Edwards and Richardson’s claims that universal care is possible for $120 billion a year is laughable. Even if they just cover the 45 million not covered, that means they’d be doing it (somehow) at 1/4 the cost of Medicare. If that’s possible, why does Medicare cost so much?
Posted 26 Mar 2007 at 6:30 am ¶
matt wrote:
he’s not the only one to “get” that. you think that after what hillary went through she doesn’t understand that? kucinich has the freedom to propose whatever he wants, and bless him for doing it. no one else is in quite that position.
if edwards and richardson’s numbers are a first step, then i’m fine with that. if they eventually cut out the waste, they might be onto something.
and by the way, you might want to take another look at the numbers on your site. an overwhelming majority knows that there needs to be change, and right away.
Posted 26 Mar 2007 at 8:43 am ¶
Anderson Cooper wrote:
So Edwards’ numbers are a good “first step,” despite that they’re grossly inaccurate. Unwillingness to propose something prematurely that’s inaccurate is tantamount to Bush.
Posted 26 Mar 2007 at 10:58 am ¶
matt wrote:
proof please?
obama’s performance on Saturday speaks for itself. it doesn’t have to be tantamount to bush for it to be proof positive of my main beef with him: he’s not about anything but himself - his self-perceived power to average all ideas and come up with THE WAY.
Posted 26 Mar 2007 at 11:03 am ¶