Tag Archives: health care

Time for a White Knight on Health Care?

Health care reform has turned into a fratricidal war among Democrats. Liberals vs. moderates; Reid vs. Lieberman; Ben Nelson vs. the world. Meantime, poll numbers for the president, Congressional Democrats, and the reform effort are falling through the floor. The latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows more Americans would rather do nothing than pass the Reid […]

First Amendment Smackdown

Congress’s most notable First Amendment warrior, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, is a little steamed about Democrats’ latest efforts to squelch opposition to government health care. You may have seen that Humana, a health insurance company and provider of Medicare services under the Medicare Advantage plan, sent a letter to its customers letting them know […]

Voices of Moderation

Last night, President Obama appeared on Late Show with David Letterman to reaffirm his position that people who oppose government health care are nuts, while he is just another in a string of great leaders who’ve tried to “bring about significant changes” in American life. You know, FDR, Reagan, Obama. (I think I found a kindred […]

Where Have I Heard That Before?

Associated Press, September 17th, 2009: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that the anti-government rhetoric over President Barack Obama’s health care reform effort is concerning because it reminds her of the violent debate over gay rights that roiled San Francisco in the 1970s. Anyone voicing hateful or violent rhetoric, she told reporters, must take responsibility […]

The Essence of Truth

The Wall Street Journal news pages are following up on a contention made in an op-ed the newspaper ran, namely that President Obama was a little loose with the facts in his big health care speech. In an article headlined “Obama Used Faulty Anecdote in Speech to Congress,” reporter Jonathan Weisman writes: President Barack Obama, […]

Correcting Obama’s Facts

Concern was registered the other day about Republicans in 1937 “stirring up ignorance and prejudice and blind fears.” No doubt a dark chapter in American public life. I remember my great-grandparents telling me they were livid about it. But it seems like some people never learn. Turns out President Obama may not have told the whole […]

It Could Happen to You

This morning, former Clinton Administration Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger Altman discussed an array of issues on CNBC. Asked by Erin Burnett whether taxes on health care companies to pay for reform will be passed on to consumers through higher prices for health insurance, Altman candidly replied (at about the 5:30 mark): Well I think everyone […]

Obama Settles for Insurance Reform

Regardless of whether anyone was watching, or anyone watching was persuadable on the issue of health care, President Obama’s health care address last night will be chalked up as a victory for one reason: He lowered his expectations. The president confirmed last night that he doesn’t want health care reform anymore; he wants health insurance […]

Palin and Cheney Emerge as GOP MVPs

In an op-ed in today’s Wall Street Journal, Sarah Palin goes head-to-head with President Obama on health care. While giving a wink (and a wave) to her “death panels” coinage that came to dominate public conversation, Governor Palin steers clear of any incendiary rhetoric, instead offering a solid point-by-point rebuttal of some of the president’s […]

Hark! A Plan?

Finally heeding my advice*, President Obama is planning to get more explicit about what he wants out of health care reform during an address to Congress and the nation Wednesday night. While much of the country may think, “Seriously? Again with the primetime?” the president could do himself some real good if he uses the forum […]

Storm Clouds Ahead for Environmental Agenda?

New Washington Post-ABC News poll today that is supposed to be good news for President Obama and congressional Democrats, but probably isn’t. The details: Most Americans approve of the way President Obama is handling energy issues and support efforts by him and Democrats in Congress to overhaul energy policy — including the controversial cap-and-trade approach […]

Contract with America: LARGE PRINT EDITION

The Republican Party is out today with a new Seniors’ Health Care Bill of Rights. As described by party chairman Michael Steele in the Washington Post, the guarantees include: Protecting, not cutting, Medicare; Prohibiting government from getting between seniors and their doctors; Outlawing any effort to ration health care based on age; Preventing government from […]

WSJ on Obama’s Contradictions

The editorialists at the Wall Street Journal have been listening closely to President Obama’s town halls on health care and what they’ve heard implicates the president as his own fiercest opponent. A sample: Maybe you’re starting to fret about all those bureaucrats and bean-counters again. You shouldn’t, according to Mr. Obama. “The only thing I […]

Unintended Consequences of Health Reform

More from someecards.com on health reform:

If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Subpoena ‘Em

In a display of Congressional power that would have pleased Joe McCarthy, Democrats Henry Waxman and Bart Stupak – representing the House Energy and Commerce Committee and its Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight – have demanded internal documents about salaries and expenses from insurance companies. As Politico reports: By Sept. 4, the firms are supposed […]