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The Spectacle Blog
One of the few actual domestic policy differences between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama during their contentious primary involved whether to have a mandate forcing individuals to purchase health care. Obama was strongly opposed, his campaign hammered Clinton on this, and the issue was aired over and over again during their many debates. Yet today, Obama told Diane Sawyer that he’s reversed on the issue because, “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.” This is ridiculous. He knew all of those arguments during the campaign, Clinton insisted that he’d have to adopt a mandate, and he pushed back forcefully.
Here’s what he had to say during their Austin, Texas debate in February of last year:
SEN. OBAMA: Number one, understand that when Senator Clinton says a mandate, it’s not a mandate on government to provide health insurance; it’s a mandate on individuals to purchase it. And Senator Clinton is right; we have to find out what works.
Now, Massachusetts has a mandate right now. They have exempted 20 percent of the uninsured because they’ve concluded that that 20 percent can’t afford it. In some cases, there are people who are paying fines and still can’t afford it, so now they’re worse off than they were. They don’t have health insurance and they’re paying a fine. (Applause.) And in order for you to force people to get health insurance, you’ve got to have a very harsh, stiff penalty. And Senator Clinton has said that we will go after their wages.
Transcript here. Video below.
This is now part of a wider pattern for Obama of blatantly deceiving the American people. Just last week, he told the American Medical Association:
And that means that no matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise: If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor. Period. If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan. Period. No one will take it away. No matter what.
Of course, in his press conference yesterday he said he didn’t really mean it. There’s no reason to believe anything Obama says, especially when it comes to health care.
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More Blog Posts by Philip Klein
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c. j. acworth| 6.24.09 @ 5:31PM
All of Obama's promises come with an expiration date. All of them.
Brittanicus| 6.24.09 @ 5:41PM
My family has a small business in Indiana and cannot afford to give it's employees any kind of health care, that's why we agree with a large portion of Americans on the government single payer system. Born in Europe I paid for our health care with insurance stamps in a little book, so did the employer everybody worked for? Until the mass legal and illegal immigration into my country of birth all citizens had exceptional medical services. It insured us of surgery, eyes and teeth care for all the people. Today Europe is under considerable pressure from the millions of foreign laborers, who poured into my nation and other industrialized countries around us. Why American newspaper always seem to quote that European health care is free--is beyond me? Nothing is free! We paid for it through our employers, but we were--NOT--subsidizing for profit insurance companies?
Every health insurance company removes their pound of flesh, their co-pays, deductible, premiums and of course pre-existing conditions. THESE NEFARIOUS BUSINESSES ARE CURRENTLY SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, SPREADING RHETORIC AND PROPAGANDA ON TV, RADIO AND IN MAGAZINES. They are truly worried that there mammoth profits are in jeopardy, because for once the majority of the American people are not listening to their lies. Yes! In Europe you do wait for surgical procedures, but no more than three months. Years ago, I had been out of the country visiting relatives in Australia. When I returned their was a letter waiting for me, for an appointment with a nose surgeon. THE RATIONING OF HEALTH CARE HAS ONLY COMMENCED, SINCE THE INFLUX OF FOREIGN NATIONALS NOT PAYING THEIR SHARE IN EUROPE.
We must take into consideration that a American government pool of health care money, far exceeds European standards and would cover every citizen and legal resident--NOT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. Only the well heeled population don't care for it and the for profit trillion dollar business base have issues, because they have so much to lose? If nothing else we should have the ability to choose for ourselves. Those who think that for-profit insurance companies, should know that this avenue is available to them. Then the larger portion of the population should not have to beg, to be covered, as they should have access to government Universal health care. We should all know our enemies in this health care issue, who are right now undermining President Obama's plan. Those politicians who are adverse to any new health care agenda, are without doubt stockholders in hospitals, billing services, insurers or other profit entities. They sold you out to the wealthy special interest lobbyists on E-Verify and a near future AMNESTY. Be ready to throw those political puppets out of office, when their time comes around for re-election. Bombard your Senators and Congressman for a single payer Health care for all AMERICANS.
Pingback| 6.24.09 @ 5:51PM
rightwing czar» Blog Archive » Awesome: Obama wants to fine you for not purchasing he links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
donimo| 8.2.09 @ 12:36AM
Yeah its evolved alright Obama why doesn't he just say I lied to get elected. He and his pelosi reed and the rest knew the only way they could give thier illegal immigrants free medical was to have a individual mandate which would effect the working poor and so called middle class which I'm not sure exist anymore and they wouldn't be able to afford it and therefore they could penalize them (tax) underhanded tax. This is just the tip of the iceburg make the rats read the over 1000 page health reform that they tried to sneak past the American people. Spend August calling you Senators and let them no how you feel.