Obama: 'Don't bet against' health reform

Posted: Monday, July 13, 2009 12:08 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: White House, Economy, Barack Obama

From NBC's Mark Murray
In the conveniently timed intermission during the Sotomayor hearings, President Obama announced Regina Benjamin to be his pick for surgeon general.

But the president also used the announcement as a kind pep talk on health-care reform, as congressional watchers and the press have begun to doubt whether Congress can meet his goal to pass reform bills before it goes on its August recess.

"We are going to get this done," Obama said. "Inaction is not a option."

He added, "Don't bet against us. We are going to make this happen."

And mentioning a sports/exercise metaphor he's used before, Obama said that Washington's muscles for enacting change have atrophied. So: "We are whipping folks back into shape."

Earlier today, we noted that the day's two main storylines -- Sotomayor and CIA/Cheney -- would make it difficult for Obama to get his message out on the economy and health care. Well, he used a surgeon general announcement to try to break through.

*** UPDATE *** According to NBC's Athena Jones, Obama also said his campaign pledge that Americans making $250,000 a year or less WOULD NOT pay more in taxes was a promise that would be kept as reform moved forward. "During the campaign, I promised health-care reform that would control costs, expand coverage, and ensure choice. And I promised that Americans making $250,000 a year or less would not pay more in taxes. These are promises that we're keeping as reform moves forward."

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Comments

I see the righties are on their coffee break!

How much are you being paid for posting these comments?

Andrea, New York City (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 2:25 PM)

no joe,no bo,nj,

Well in all honesty I think if we were to reverse course and have a finite amount of currency in the system (like the founders intended) we would have to force a balanced budget.

My support for the amendment runs in concert with my opinion that the Fed should be abolished, and sound money should be reinstated. The Market and the Government are two seperate bodies. The more we try to marry them the more complex our problems become.

So I understand that simplistic solutions can make things worse, but I also think a great many of our problems as a nation could be simplified without the Market, and in turn the Banking industries, being subject to Fed regulations.

We live in a nation where the GOP enacts corporatism with their public office through corp. welfare (in the name of the free market), and the Dems want to regulate the begesus out of the banking industry because they can't imagine trusting "Adam Smith's Invivisble Hand" actually working.

Hamilton said it best. "...I never expect to see a perfect work from a perfect man..."

This rings true with every government program. At least when the people (as opposed to government) are in charge they have options.

Jonathan Flint, MI (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 2:30 PM)

REPUBLICAN PARTY, a place for cowards, stupid people and religious freaks. Patriots need not apply, fear and smear are preferred over courage. Hate, vile hate, and hate mongers are welcome. Republicans need people to do their bidding: no thinking, no idea's or logic allowed. Ignorance, Stupidity and easily manipulated are the 3 quality standards republicans use to judge their following.
SO IF YOU ARE A REPUBLICAN WHAT ARE YOU:
1)coward
2)Stupid
3)religious freak
4)Rich Corporation Lackey
Please allow 2 days for the republicans to think, wait change that, allow longer until Rush Limpbag makes a decision then can tell all the little republican slappies what to think, say, or do.

bobf (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 2:43 PM)

Hey, "Dick" Morris. Keep your party of No crap over on FoxNews' website and with Sean Hannity and his gang of idiots. When are you going to get that crooked mouth of yours fixed? I know a good orthodontist I can hook you up with!

Lisa in FL (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 2:52 PM)

That would be the AG’s office conducting them, after all it is the Department Of Justice’s duty to do so and not the White House, is it not? Or are you still living in the Bush era of cowboy law and justice…which is none when it hurts your party?

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 12:42 PM

You talk a good game but you know damn well the Democrats have just as many skeletons in their closets. POLITICIANS are POLITICIANS no matter what party. They are only going to do what is best for THEM as an individual. You can stop painting the Republicans with a broad brush because your beloved Democrats are just as ruthless.

IntheMiddle, TX (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 2:58 PM)

If the above post is by the real Dick Morris, then I have a reply: senior citizens let Bush and the Republican Congress force Medicare Plan D down their throats--and they did not like it one bit. Boomers, just ask your senior citizen parents.

So I believe senior citizens realize that financial health for all of us hinges on controlling health care costs. Dick Morris is simply trying to make HRC a wedge issue dividing senior citizens from the other generations. Nice try, though.

Reborn to Post, Boston, MA (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 3:13 PM)

If you would like to help pressure Congress to pass single payer health care please join our voting bloc at:

http://www.votingbloc.org/Health_Bloc.php

Fred, Boston, MA (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 3:13 PM)

Health care is dead in the water. Obama could have done better on this one. Rushing a bad bill is not the answer.

cindy, las vegas, nv (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 3:15 PM)

Do you Republicants ever get tired of doom & gloom and scare tactics? Look where we are now because of 8 years of them. We are tired of you same old rants. STFU

Democrat, tired of scare tatics, we are NOT buying it (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 3:16 PM)

A filibuster-proof Democrat congress, the most liberla president in history, etc...and you dems can't pass any of your massive America-altering legislation? What's the problem? Could it be that Obama senses it was HE and his personality that got elected and NOT all these socialist policies. What's the matter dems...scared?

Always Proud, Wash, DC (Sent Monday, July 13, 2009 3:20 PM)

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