I was really delighted to hear his answer to a question at the National Association of Latino Elected Officials the other day on health care.
He clearly reaffirmed his commitment to pushing comprehensive health care reform, saying that his goal by the end of the first term was that “not a single American cannot get health care” coverage. Even more importantly, he announced that universal health care would be one of his very top priorities, and that people should hold both members of Congress and himself accountable for that promise. He also hit very directly at health insurance and drug company lobbies.
Words matter. In the past Obama has talked about expanding access to health insurance. The word insurance is conspicuous by its absence. This might, just might, be an indication that our cry that health insurance is not health care is finally getting through. Obama may have been impressed by the National Day of Action protests, or something else. But the wind is shifting and this may be an indication that Obama has picked up on that.
HR 676 is an eminently winnable battle. Over the fourth of July holiday is a great time to talk to your candidates about single payer.
Front page
but he's not talking of govt-guaranteed coverage--
he’s still being too vague.
there are many millions who theoretically “could get coverage” by paying 500+/month now but can’t afford it. there are many millions who can’t because of pre-existing conditions. there are many millions who make too much for medicaid and not enough for private insurance. there are many millions who are undercovered at work. …
he’s still being too vague
for sure, but this indicates that the wind is at our backs.
DC Blogger Is Right
By Obama’s own words, he can’t get away with saying his goal is met when health insurance is still not affordable.
I agree with DC Blogger that talking about health care and not health insurance is an important step in the right direction, even if it is only a baby step. I’d be willing to bet we’re seeing the influence of Elizabeth Edwards here.
Let's not personalize too much
We might be seeing the influence of Elizabeth Edwards, although that’s impossible to know (and it’s still incomprehensible, or not, to me why Obama wouldn’t involve Hillary in any health care effort).
But I’m betting the kind of grass roots pressure DCBlogger has been tirelessly posting on also has an effect.
The moral: Now is the time to intensify our efforts, not relax them. After all, a candidate as rhetorically deft as Obama could slap the “universal” label on damn near anything — and has, in fact, back in Ohio.
[x] Very tepidly voting for Obama [ ] ?????. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.
Why?
And we’re now supposed to believe anything Obama says in pandering for votes why? After all his reversals and flip-flops and demagoguery about the health care issue, why are we going to believe his words now? I don’t. And I won’t base my vote on anything that comes out of his mouth. He has long since crossed the line of believability.
not a quesiton of "believing"
it is a question of noticing a shift in rhetoric. As Lambert points out, now is the time to intensify our efforts.
Obama’s shift in rhetoric is merely an indication that he has detected a shift in the wind, it means that our efforts are having an effect and we should keep up what we are doing.
it is a question of noticing a shift in rhetoric.
We “notice”.
Notice Obama’s bullshit.
’Tis the problem. Not fixable.
yup--you can't trust that it means anything more than
a bone thrown out to keep people happy…all his words are meaningless—except for the ones that are GOP, it seems.
don't forget this little tease, quickly retracted--
here you go— Dr. Patel teases, then the campaign knocks it down after it makes headlines— http://www.correntewire.com/todays_singl…