The RNC Live Response to Obama's Speech to Congress (Update)

Link

8:00 RNC Matt: Good evening, everyone. I'm Matt Moon, Deputy Research Director here at the RNC. Welcome to our live blog of President Obama's address to Congress on his government-run health care experiment.
8:01 RNC Jeff: Not sure we'll hear much new tonight. The Hill is already reporting, "Excerpts offer few specifics from Obama"
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/57977-few-specifics-in-excerpts-of-obama-address


8:03 [Comment From Jake Zaharias]
Good questions from Keith Hennessey: http://keithhennessey.com/2009/09/09/checklist/


8:04 [Comment From Rep. John Loughlin]
Does he introduce tort reform?


8:04 RNC Matt: Good question Congressman ... here's something you might find interesting ...

8:05 RNC Matt:
White House Pledging Obama Will Include Medical Liability Reform In Speech Tonight. “White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told CNN’s ‘American Morning’ that President Barack Obama would tackle the subject of medical liability reform in his speech to Congress Wednesday night. ‘That costs our system billions and billions of dollars every year,’ Gibbs said. While he wouldn’t tease any further details of the president’s thoughts on malpractice reform, Gibbs assured host John Roberts: ‘I will tell you and your viewers: He will discuss this subject tonight as part of health care reform.’” (Alexander Burns, “Obama To Talk Tort Reform,” Politico, 9/9/09)


8:05 RNC Matt:
But We’ve Heard This Pledge Before:



· Before AMA Speech In June, Democrats Said Obama Would Address Medical Liability As “Credibility Builder.” “In closed-door talks, Obama has been making the case that curbing malpractice lawsuits -- a goal of many doctors and Republicans -- can help drive down health care costs, and should be considered as part of any health care overhaul, according to lawmakers of both parties, as well as AMA officials. It is a position that could hurt Obama with the left wing of his party and with trial lawyers who are major donors to Democratic campaigns. But one Democrat close to the president said Obama, who wants health legislation to have broad support, views addressing medical liability issues as a ‘credibility builder’ -- in effect, a bargaining chip that might keep doctors and, more important, Republicans at the negotiating table.” (Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Robert Pear, “Obama Considers Curbing Malpractice Lawsuits,” The New York Times, 6/14/09)



· Yet, In Speech, Obama Refused To Take Action On Issue, Leading To Boos From Doctors In Audience. “Now, I recognize that it will be hard to make some of these changes if doctors feel like they’re constantly looking over their shoulders for fear of lawsuits. I recognize that. (Applause.) Don’t get too excited yet. Now, I understand some doctors may feel the need to order more tests and treatments to avoid being legally vulnerable. That’s a real issue. (Applause.) Now, just hold on to your horses here, guys. (Laughter.) I want to be honest with you. I’m not advocating caps on malpractice awards -- (boos from some in audience) -- (laughter) -- which I personally believe can be unfair to people who’ve been wrongfully harmed. But I do think we need to explore a range of ideas about how to put patient safety first; how to let doctors focus on practicing medicine; how to encourage broader use of evidence-based guidelines. I want to work with the AMA so we can scale back the excessive defensive medicine that reinforces our current system, and shift to a system where we are providing better care, simply -- rather than simply more treatment. So this is going to be a priority for me. And I know, based on your responses, it’s a priority for you. (Laughter.) And I look forward to working with you. And it’s going to be difficult. But all this stuff is going to be difficult. All of it’s going to be important.” (President Barack Obama, “Remarks By The President At The Annual Conference Of The American Medical Association,” Chicago, IL, 6/15/09)


8:10 [Comment From Guest]
My entire class is watching this Web site tonight :)


8:10 RNC Jeff:
Welcome, students!


8:12 RNC Jeff: 11 minutes late, but the President is entering the chamber.

8:17 [Comment From Guest]
He rushes for everything except speeches.


8:17 [Comment From GOP Hawaii]
We're tuned in @ Republican Party HQ in Hawaii


8:17 RNC Jeff: Aloha!

8:18 RNC Matt: Obama says his stimulus has "brought the economy back from the brink." Interesting ... because Congressional Democratic leaders that attacked job GROWTH under President Bush are now declaring economic victory despite job LOSSES under President Obama. Click here for more information.

8:25 RNC Matt:
Obama says the "health care problem is the deficit problem." Too bad his government-run health care experiment will just make it worse.


8:25 RNC Matt:
CBO Director Says Plans For Government-Run Health Care Would Worsen Budget Outlook. “President Obama’s plan to expand health coverage to the uninsured is likely to dig the nation deeper into debt ... ‘Without meaningful reforms, the substantial costs of many current proposals . . . would be much more likely to worsen the long-run budget outlook than to improve it,’ he said. ...” (Lori Montgomery, Shailagh Murray & Ceci Connolly, “Obama’s Health Plan Needs Spending Controls, CBO Says,” The Washington Post, 6/17/09)


8:26 RNC Jeff:
Obama mentions single payer...

Speaker Pelosi Has Pledged A Floor Vote On Single-Payer. “Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), Chairman of the Energy & Commerce Committee announced today that Speaker Nancy Pelosi has pledged to give Single-Payer an up or down vote when healthcare reform is considered before year’s end. … “Single-payer is a better plan and now it is on center stage. Americans have a clear choice. Their Member of Congress will have a simpler, less expensive and smarter bill to choose. I am thrilled that the Speaker is giving us that choice.’” (Rep. Anthony Weiner, “Speaker Pledges to Consider Single-Payer Plan as Alternative,” Press Release, 7/31/09)


8:27 RNC Jeff:
And Democratic Congresswoman Told Supporters Public Option Will Lead To Single-Payer System. Rep. Schakowsky, (D-IL): “‘I had the pleasure of being invited to the Health Care Summit that the president had at the White House and had the opportunity to argue--as forcefully as I could--the public health care insurance option - making the point that it’s less expensive, more accountable, more affordable, more secure, and more responsive to consumer’s needs ... ‘And next to me was a guy from the insurance company who then argued against the public health insurance option, saying it wouldn’t let private insurance compete - that a public option will put the private insurance industry out of business and leave the single payer. My single payer friends, he was right; the man was right ... I am so confident in the superiority of a public healthcare option that I think he has every reason to be frightened.’” (Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Remarks at the Health Care for America Rally, Chicago, IL, 4/18/09)


8:27 RNC Matt:
Obama says his proposal has the support of "doctors and nurses; hospitals, seniors’ groups and even drug companies – many of whom opposed reform in the past.” Yet, several prominent groups and doctors are saying “no” to Obama’s government-run health care experiment.


8:27 RNC Jeff:
Surgeon Groups Opposing Government-Run Health Care. “The American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons issued a statement opposing the legislation, citing their stances against the creation of a government-run health insurance plan and in favor of medical malpractice reform measures rejected by Democrats. Likewise, a letter opposing the House Democratic bill is circulating among state-based medical societies. The missive could land in Capitol Hill inboxes on Monday.” (Jeffrey Young, “Surgeons Endorse House Healthcare Bill,” The Hill, 7/17/09)


8:27 RNC Matt:
State And Local Medical Societies, Former AMA Presidents Say Health Care System Will Not Improve Under Increased Government Intervention. (Medical Association of the State of Alabama, Medical Society of Delaware, Medical Society of the District of Columbia, Medical Association of Georgia, Kansas Medical Society, Medical Society of New Jersey, South Carolina Medical Association, American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Triological Society, Sarasota County Medical Society, Donald J. Palmisano, William G. Plested, Letter To Rep. Henry Waxman, 7/21/09)




8:27 RNC Jeff:
Health Industry Leaders Believe Obama “Overstated” Their Commitment. “Already, some leaders of the health care industry who appeared at the White House on May 11 say the president may have overstated their cost-control commitment. Three days after the gathering, hospital executives said that they had agreed to help save $2 trillion by gradually slowing the growth of health spending, but that they did not commit to cutting the growth rate by 1.5 percentage points each year for 10 years.” (Robert Pear, “Antitrust Laws Loom as Hurdle in Obama Effort to Overhaul Health Care,” The New York Times, 5/27/09)


8:27 RNC Matt:
Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove On Democrats’ Medicare Cuts Reducing Quality Of Care: “My fear is that we are going to reduce the quality of the care by reducing the reimbursement for what is done. Right now, 50 percent of the hospitals in the United States are running in the red. That`s a concern.” (Toby Cosgrove, PBS’s “The Charlie Rose Show,” 6/16/09)


8:28 RNC Jeff: And PhRMA Says House Dems’ Legislation “Undercuts The Main Goal Of Health Care Reform.” “PhRMA opposes the House Tri-Committee bill because it undercuts the main goal of health care reform which is to help all Americans access needed healthcare coverage and services. The bill would effectively act as a tax increase by raising premiums for seniors in the popular Medicare prescription drug program, severely restrict patient access and choice and hurt an innovative sector that currently employs hundreds of thousands of workers. The result could mean significant job losses in the middle of a recession. In addition, the legislation allows broad override of protections for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries by unelected officials, with no chance for review. Under the House bill, we’re concerned that the federal government will wind up rationing health care and dictating what medicines doctors can prescribe to their patients.” (PhRMA, “House Tri-Committee Bill Would Hurt Patients and Kill Jobs,” Press Release, 7/31/09)

8:29 RNC Matt: Obama says that his plan will provide "security and stability." Jeff?

8:29 RNC Jeff:
A Public Option Will Likely Result In 88 Million Americans Losing Their Current, Employer-Based Coverage. “Under current law, there will be about 158.1 million people who are covered under an employer plan as workers, dependents or early retirees in 2011. If the act were fully implemented in that year, about 88.1 million workers would shift from private employer insurance to the public plan.” (John Shelis, Vice President, Lewin Group, “Analysis Of The July 15 draft Of The American Affordable Health Choices Act Of 2009,” 7/17/09)



Hospitals Say Government-Run Health Care Will Force Doctors To Drop Patients. ‘[L]awmakers are on track to approve across-the-board federal payment reductions of $155 billion over 10 years for hospitals ... Mayo and similar health systems object to the sweeping cuts. ‘Across-the-board cuts will be harmful to everyone and we think it is particularly bad to penalize the high-value organizations,’ said Jeff Korsmo, executive director of the Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center. ‘We will have to violate our values in order to stay in business and reduce our access to government patients.’” (Phil Galewitz, “‘Model’ Health Systems Press Case For Medicare Fix In Reform,” Kaiser Health News, 7/20/09)


8:30 RNC Matt:
Obama says “nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have.” Oh really?



Public Option Will Likely Result In 88 Million Americans Losing Their Current, Employer-Based Coverage. “Under current law, there will be about 158.1 million people who are covered under an employer plan as workers, dependents or early retirees in 2011. If the act were fully implemented in that year, about 88.1 million workers would shift from private employer insurance to the public plan.” (John Shelis, Vice President, Lewin Group, “Analysis Of The July 15 draft Of The American Affordable Health Choices Act Of 2009,” 7/17/09)


8:31 RNC Matt:
Obama says that spending money on prevention “makes sense” and “saves money.” What does the Congressional Budget Office say about that?



CBO Finds No Evidence Preventative Medicare Will Save Money, And Evidence It Might Raise Costs. “Although different types of preventive care have different effects on spending, the evidence suggests that for most preventive services, expanded utilization leads to higher, not lower, medical spending overall.” (Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Rep. Nathan Deal, 8/7/09)


8:32 RNC Jeff:
This new plan he's introducing tonight sounds so familiar... I wonder why. Maybe because he's been introducing it for months:

August 11, 2009: "Under the reform we're proposing, insurance companies will be prohibited from denying coverage because of a person's medical history." (President Barack Obama, Remarks In Health Insurance Reform Town Hall, Portsmouth, NH, 8/11/09)






8:33 RNC Matt: Obama says we need to create more competition .... Republicans have plans to do exactly that ...

8:33 RNC Matt:
Republican Plans Will Allow Americans To Shop For Insurance Across State Lines, Creating More Competitive Insurance Market And Reducing Premiums. “Expands the individual market – Creates pooling mechanisms such as association health plans and individual membership accounts. Individuals are also allowed to shop for health insurance across state lines.” (Republican Study Committee, “RSC Unveils A Solution For Affordable, Quality Health Care,” Press Release, 7/30/09)


8:36 RNC Matt:
Obama wants to force individuals to have government-approved health insurance ...


8:37 RNC Jeff: According to NFIB, that could kill 1.6 million jobs.


Tax On Businesses Who Can’t Afford Government-Approved Health Insurance Will Kill Jobs, Reduce Wages. “An employer mandate with a punitive payroll tax: Research shows an employer mandate could cost 1.6 million jobs with more than 1 million of those jobs lost in the small business sector. The approach fails to increase affordability and, instead, devastates the economy - with the greatest impact being levied on the low-income community who will pay through depressed wages and lost jobs ...” (Susan Eckerly, Letter To Representative, National Federation Of Independent Businesses, 7/15/09)


8:38 RNC Jeff:
"Kill off" is too strong, but they will have panels that ration care threatening to prevent seniors from getting life-saving care.




8:38 RNC Matt:

Obama Health Care Advisor Says “Comparative Effectiveness Research” Could Lead To Rationing Treatments Based On Age. “The complete lives system discriminates against older people ... Unlike allocation by sex or race, allocation by age is not invidious discrimination; every person lives through different life stages rather than being a single age. Even if 25-year-olds receive priority over 65-year-olds, everyone who is 65 years now was previously 25 years.” (Govind Persad, Alan Wertheimer, Ezekiel J Emanuel, “Principles For Allocation Of Scarce Medical Interventions,” Lancet 2009; 373: 423–31, 1/31/09)



8:38 RNC Jeff:
Obama’s Government-Run Health Experiment Will Ration Care. “Although administration officials are eager to deny it, rationing health care is central to President Barack Obama’s health plan. The Obama strategy is to reduce health costs by rationing the services that we and future generations of patients will receive.” (Martin Feldstein, Op-Ed, “Obamacare Is All About Rationing,” The Wall Street Journal, 8/19/09)



Democrats Rejected On A 23-35 Party Line Vote An Amendment To Prevent Certain Government Rationing Based On Comparative Effectiveness Research. “In no case may any comparative effectiveness research conducted, supported, or developed by the Task Force on Clinical Preventive Services or the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality be taken into account in any coverage determination, used to evaluate any coverage requirements, or used to determine or evaluate reimbursement levels for any public or private insurer or provider.” (Rogers Amendment #1, HR 3200, House Committee On Energy And Commerce Mark-Up)


8:39 RNC Jeff: Mr, President, please stop misleadfing Americans on what's in this bill.

8:39 RNC Matt:
House Democrats Defeated An Amendment To Prevent Illegal Immigrants From Getting New Government-Funded Health Insurance. “An amendment offered by Rep. Nathan Deal, R-GA., would require that the millions of new people who will be ‘automatically enrolled’ in Medicaid under this legislation demonstrate that they are American citizens. Currently, there are 11.1 million illegal aliens residing in the United States. This amendment would prevent the crippling burden of providing free healthcare to these non-citizens from falling on the shoulders of the U.S. taxpayer… This amendment was voted down 29 to 28.” (House Energy And Commerce Committee Republicans, “House Energy And Commerce Committee Republicans Committee Votes,” Press Release, 7/31/09)


8:40 RNC Jeff:
Public option does not increase competition, it kills it:

Chicago Tribune Editorial: Government-Run Health Care Will Crowd Out Private Competitors. “But the federal government isn’t competition. It is the health care equivalent of Bigfoot, with so many Americans on its rolls that it dictates prices for doctors, drugs, and other benefits. It sets low prices, to be sure, lower than many insurers are able to match. But that just means those doctors and hospitals recoup the losses by shifting costs onto those with private insurance -- amounting to an estimated $89 billion a year, one insurance exec told a Senate committee a few months ago. A new public option may start small. But it could easily crowd out private plans depending on how premiums, benefits and subsidies are structured.” (Editorial, “Hope and Experience,” The Chicago Tribune, 6/16/09)



Public Plan “Cannot Operate On A Level Playing Field” Because It Has Unfair Advantage. “A public plan, particularly combined with the impact of Medicare, Medicaid, and other public plans, cannot operate on a level playing field and compete fairly if it acts as both a payer and a regulator. The public plan’s unfair competitive position, both by its size and regulatory authority, will merely shift additional costs to the private sector and employees covered by private plans.” (National Coalition on Benefits, Letter To Senators Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell and Representatives Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner, 6/9/09)


8:40 RNC Matt: Mr. President, with or without a 'public option,' here's why your health care experiment is still a government takeover: http://bit.ly/LtYqn

8:42 RNC Matt: Obama says the best way to go is a public option. What would the public do to private insurance competitors?

8:42 RNC Matt:
Chicago Tribune Editorial: Government-Run Health Care Will Crowd Out Private Competitors. “But the federal government isn’t competition. It is the health care equivalent of Bigfoot, with so many Americans on its rolls that it dictates prices for doctors, drugs, and other benefits. It sets low prices, to be sure, lower than many insurers are able to match. But that just means those doctors and hospitals recoup the losses by shifting costs onto those with private insurance -- amounting to an estimated $89 billion a year, one insurance exec told a Senate committee a few months ago. A new public option may start small. But it could easily crowd out private plans depending on how premiums, benefits and subsidies are structured.” (Editorial, “Hope and Experience,” The Chicago Tribune, 6/16/09)


8:43 RNC Jeff: More misrepresentation from the President, Public option will impact lots of already-insured Americans.

8:43 RNC Matt: Public Option Will Likely Result In 88 Million Americans Losing Their Current, Employer-Based Coverage. “Under current law, there will be about 158.1 million people who are covered under an employer plan as workers, dependents or early retirees in 2011. If the act were fully implemented in that year, about 88.1 million workers would shift from private employer insurance to the public plan.” (John Shelis, Vice President, Lewin Group, “Analysis Of The July 15 draft Of The American Affordable Health Choices Act Of 2009,” 7/23/09)

8:44 RNC Matt: President Obama claims that a majority of Americans support a public option. Here's the truth:

8:44 RNC Matt:
AP-GfK Poll: 52% Disapprove Of Obama’s Handling Of Health Care, Up 9 Points Since July. “An Associated Press-GfK poll says that public disapproval of President Barack Obama’s handling of health care has jumped to 52 percent. … The grade people give Obama on health care has also worsened since July, when just 43 percent disapproved of his work on the issue.” (“Obama Disapproval On Health Care Up To 52 Percent,” The Associated Press, 9/9/09)


8:45 RNC Jeff: He already called our "legitimate concerns" lies, but he's open to them? The speech is a mess.

8:45 [Comment From Helen Adamietz]
It will fund a HUGE GOVERNMENT bureacracy-and will fail miserably like Great Britain and Canada


8:45 RNC Jeff: No government bureaucrat?!?! What about his proposed health care czar?

8:46 RNC Matt:
Congressional Democrats Want New Health Insurance Czar That Would Dictate What Treatments Would Be Funded. “A qualified health benefits plan shall meet a medical loss ratio as defined by the Commissioner. For any plan year in which the qualified health benefits plan does not meet such medical loss ratio, QHBP offering entity shall provide in a manner specified by the Commissioner for rebates to enrollees of payment sufficient to meet such loss ratio ... The Commissioner shall build on the definition and methodology developed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under the amendments made by section 161 for determining how to calculate the medical loss ratio. Such methodology shall be set at the highest level medical loss ratio possible that is designed to ensure adequate participation by QHBP offering entities, competition in the health insurance market in and out of the Health Insurance Exchange, and value for consumers so that their premiums are used for services” (H.R. 3200, “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009,” Introduced 7/14/09)


8:46 RNC Matt: President Obama once again promises a deficit-neutral health care bill. The current House bill has creates billions in deficits ...

8:46 RNC Matt:
Current Version Of Obama’s Government-Run Health Care Experiment Would Add $239 Billion Deficit In Ten Years. “According to CBO’s and JCT’s assessment, enacting H.R. 3200 would result in a net increase in the federal budget deficit of $239 billion over the 2010-2019 period.” (Douglas Elmendorf, “Preliminary Analysis Of The House Democrats’ Health Reform Proposal,” CBO Director’s Blog, 7/18/09)


8:48 RNC Matt: President Obama wants to get rid of waste and fraud to pay for part of his government-run health care experiment. How much would it save?

8:48 RNC Matt:
CBO Concluded House Dems’ Bill Contains No Savings From Elimination Or Reduction Of Waste, Fraud, And Abuse. (Page 15, 17, Douglas Elmendorf, CBO Director, Letter to Rep. Charles Rangel, 7/17/09)


8:48 RNC Jeff:
@DonSeymour notes on Twitter: Pres compared gov-run plan to "public colleges & universities," which his Ed Sec. just knocked for "skyrocketing" costs: http://is.gd/35Jku


8:49 RNC Jeff: Hey wait, he just mentioned a "panel" that would ration care? I thought that was a lie!

8:49 RNC Matt:
IMAC Would Give Medicare Increased Ability To Deny Treatments. “President Obama has proposed a new body that would enhance Medicare’s ability to deny care to the elderly and disabled based on government bureaucrats’ arbitrary valuations of those patients’ lives. It is right there in the legislation now before Congress, and it is called the Independent Medicare Advisory Council.” (Michael F. Cannon, Op-Ed, “Sorry Folks, Sarah Palin Is (Partly) Right,” The Detroit Free-Press, 8/19/09)


8:49 [Comment From diana doran]
Who's holding the government accountable


8:49 [Comment From Marty]
"Administered just like Medicaid or Medicare". Getting bankrupted by Congressional actions to raid the coffers to pay for their pet projects?


8:50 [Comment From Alvin]
Would most companies still stay viable if they were non-profit?


8:50 RNC Matt: Actually, his $500 billion+ cuts to Medicare to pay for his government-run health care experiment will make seniors "the net losers" according to the Washington Post ....

8:51 RNC Matt:
House Will Trim $563 Billion From Medicare. “From the raw numbers, it appears seniors are the net losers under bills approved by three House committees ... The legislation trims $563 billion out of Medicare’s growth rate over the next 10 years ...” (Ceci Connolly, “Seniors Remain Wary Of Health-Care Reform,” The Washington Post, 8/9/09)


8:51 [Comment From Matt Beeman (Raleigh, NC)]
Alvin, the problem isn't for-profit or non-profit, it's playing by the same rules. The public option will not play by the same rules.


8:51 [Comment From Jeff]
So, did I hear that right? The government is going to FORCE people to buy insurance? Really?


8:51 [Comment From Patti]
Not going to add a dime to the deficit... so how much in taxes are we going to be paying to fund this thing?


8:52 [Comment From Eric Heckman]
His policy will create waste and fraud not get rid of it.


8:52 [Comment From Mike Brown]
Why cant we just fix Social Security and Medicare before we embark on a new trillion dollar entitlement?


8:52 [Comment From Rhonda Bird (Greer, SC)]
I don't like the idea of the government requiring individuals to obtain health care. This is a free country and this doesn't set well with me.


8:52 RNC Matt: Patti, the House Dems' bill (which Obama previously endorsed) will be paid for by a so-called 'surtax' ... here's what it really is ...

8:52 RNC Matt:
House Dems’ Plan Job-Killing Tax Increases On Small Businesses To Pay For Reform. “This [surtax] would hit job creators especially hard because more than six of every 10 who earn that much are small business owners, operators or investors, according to a 2007 Treasury study... America’s successful small businesses would pay higher tax rates than the Fortune 500, and for that matter than most companies around the world ... “ (Editorial, “The Small Business Surtax,” The Wall Street Journal, 7/14/09)


8:53 RNC Matt: President Obama wants 'pilot programs' for tort reform? Doesn't match his voting record while he was in the Senate ...

8:53 RNC Matt:
Sen. Obama Voted To Filibuster A Bill That Would Cap Damages In Medical Liability Lawsuits Brought Against OBGYNs. (S. 23, CQ Vote #116, Motion Rejected 49-44: R 49-3; D 0-41; I 0-0, 5/8/06, Obama Voted Nay)



Sen. Obama Did Not Vote (Marked Announced Against) On A Filibuster To A Bill That Would Cap Damages In Medical Liability Lawsuits. (S. 22, CQ Vote #115, Motion Rejected 48-42: R 48-3; D 0-39; I 0-0, 5/8/06, Obama Not Voting (Announced Against))


8:55 RNC Matt: Obama wants to "seek common ground" now? Why didn't he start from the beginning?

8:55 RNC Matt:
GOP Hasn’t Been Invited To The White House To Discuss Health Care Since The End Of April. “Boehner told reporters that the president has not invited House GOP leaders to the White House for meetings on healthcare reform since the end of April. Earlier this year, GOP leaders sent a letter to the president in May stating that they would like to work with the administration to find “common ground” on healthcare reform. But the administration responded with a tersely worded letter indicating that they had healthcare reform under control.” (Molly Hooper, “Boehner: GOP Leaders Haven’t Met Obama For Health Talks Since April,” The Hill’s “Briefing Room” Blog, 9/9/09)


8:55 RNC Jeff: Interesting catch from our good friends in Senate GOP Leader McConnell's office:


17 million fewer uninsured -- in a month?

Politico

Glenn Thrush

September 9, 2009 @ 8:27 PM

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0909/17_million_fewer_uninsured__in_a_month.html?showall



Great catch by Don Stewart/Josh Holmes in Mitch McConnell's office:



Obama's speech tonight: "There are now more than thirty million American citizens who cannot get coverage.”



Obama presser, Guadalajara, Mexico, 8/10/09: “We've got 46-47 million people without health insurance in our country.”


8:56 RNC Matt: Time after time, President Obama attacks the status quo while also promoting the status quo ...

8:56 RNC Matt:
Obama Attacking Status Quo While Embracing It. “One of the bewildering ironies of the health-care debate is that President Obama claims to be attacking the status quo when he’s actually embracing it. Ever since Congress created Medicare and Medicaid in 1965, health politics has followed a simple logic: Expand benefits and talk about controlling costs. That’s the status quo, and Obama faithfully adheres to it. While denouncing skyrocketing health spending, he would increase it by extending government health insurance to millions more Americans.” (Robert Samuelson, Op-Ed, “Championing The Status Quo,” The Washington Post, 8/10/09)


9:01 RNC Matt: President Obama is now talking about when Medicare first got passed in 1965 ... so why is the DNC spreading misrepresentations through TV ads about where Republicans stand on Medicare? Check out this FactCheck.org article calling the DNC out: http://www.factcheck.org/2009/09/senior-scare-yet-again/

9:02 RNC Matt: President Obama doesn't like folks who call each other un-American ... hmm ... didn't the person right behind him say something similar? http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/08/unamerican-attacks-cant-derail-health-care-debate-.html

9:03 RNC Jeff:
He has called Republicans "liars" twice this week. Is that the acrimony he's referring to?


9:05 [Comment From Brian Dao]
I hope they don't use Kennedy's memory as a reason to pass these bills without debate