Isn't it great how Obama has united republicans and democrats in opposition to his health care bill?

The time for talk is over.

So proclaimed the most talkative president in modern memory. I can't remember when Barack Obama said that. Maybe it was during the first "final showdown" on health care. Or maybe it was the third. The fifth? It's so hard to tell when pretty much every week since the dawn of the Mesozoic Era, Obama or Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid has proclaimed that it is now Go Time for health-care reform.

So you'll forgive me if I'm somewhat skeptical about the possibility that the health-care reform debate is about to come to an end.

The president recently said, "Everything there is to say about health care has been said, and just about everybody has said it."

But wait. If everything, pro and con, has been said about the subject, by everybody, that means someone isn't telling the truth, right? I mean, if you've said X and not-X, that means you've probably said something that isn't true.

That, at least, is the impression I got this week listening to Obama make his closing arguments for health care at rallies in Pennsylvania and Missouri. It's telling that the president -- long in favor of a single-payer system -- is selling his health-care plan on the grounds that it will increase "choice" and "competition," reduce "government control" and "give you, the American people, more control over your own health insurance."

You know your sales pitch for a government takeover of health care hasn't worked when you have to crib rhetoric from free-market Republicans. And that's after you've already tried to pin your plan's unpopularity on the ignorance of the American people. o_O

I think Republicans have a false sense of security about this. They are touting polls that seem to indicate that a majority oppose the current healthcare reform bill. Yet other polls consistently show that 60% of Americans favor some form of health care reform. What Republicans overlook is the fact that half of those opposed to the bill are opposed to it because it does not go far enough. Most of these feel the bill should contain a public option. These people are angrier than ever at the obstructionist Republicans because Democrats have tried so hard to compromise with the obstructionists that a good bill has been watered down, yet it is still opposed.

Republicans & Democrats use to work things out for the benefit of our people & country. Since the progressives entered on the scene they have been working at dividing us to take us over.

I see everyone running around thinking progressive means progress.

Why do so many people think progress is associated with Progressivism? Is it because the word progress is in progressive? If that is their basis. Is Marxism progress?

The progressives are their own party and hijacked the democratic party using the liberal label. The progressive party never could get anyone elected. That is why they hijacked and are running the democratic party.

Progressivism is not just an idea but the practice that the government knows best and has full control and ownership over everything including people. Progressivism does not believe in government as it is now. With that I mean progressivism does not believe that representation of the people is needed because the executive branch runs everything and knows what is best. People are the property of the government like animals are owned by people. There is no such thing as peoples rights such as freedom, privacy, individualism etc. If you have ever seen the Borg on Star Trek that would be similar.

Progressivism operates under the facade of appearing to be a government doing what is best for the people without their input and silencing all opposition.

Progressivism goal is Marxism.

He bring more people out to pay attention to what is going on in Washington.

He is more of uniter than Bush.

I've never seen such a Controversial Bill that most people don't want,

and the Democrats have to "make deals, twist arms, and cancel

presidential trips" to try and convince their own party to vote yes.

There will be six cuts in Medicare in order to implement this plan,

and STILL not everyone in America will be covered by this plan.

This is crazyness. I wish all our representatives would become

united on this bill and please the citizens by all voting NO.

he is doing wonders for the republicans and conservatives. the democrats don't know what to do. their plan is to let the dems go and get voted out as they feel it is worth the sacrifice to get the health bill passed (by using a special rule no less) and start paying for it and not be able to use it for 4 years. this man has never had a math class and has no idea of running a country. isn't it sad he and pelosi and reid can only focus on spending and ignore unemployment. obama has no idea how to create jobs and unemployment is going no where. i expect they will have to use the health money they collect to continue the unemployment benefits. Over 2 billion in stimulus money spent has gone to create jobs in China. This is IL politics on a national level. the bullying, the bribes. look at IL- bordering on bankruptcy and the dem governor's budget does not cut any useless committes that pay ridiculous fees, but cuts billions from education funding, programs for the needy etc., and then borrowing billions more and trying to riase your taxes to cover their mismanagement.

Just be glad there are some there fighting for our rights, and trying to hold off that wacko Pelosi and lap puppet Reid. Reckless policies is correct and more on the insane side.

Wrong. The Republican lie machine has run out of ammunition, the public is now in favor, and the bill will pass.

Sorry, can't win them all.

Sort of, but the Democrats ALL favor it. It's just that some of them fear losing their jobs because their districts are relatively American so they're backing-off.

No, the lies, half truths and smears of the right have done that.

I am always amazed how many Americans seem not to be aware about the real healthcare issues relying instead on FOX and other sources to spread lies about the healthcare system of the USA and those abroad. I mean, if healthcare in nations with universal coverage is so bad, why do they keep it?

Obama wants to make insurance more available to all and change the system so that it gives the American people value for money [1]. He also wants change so that the insurance companies find it harder to get out of paying for treatment. The system he is proposing looks similar to that which works in Taiwan where private companies are involved in providing healthcare [2].

Obama campaigned on reforming the healthcare system. He said he wanted to make insurance more available and he was elected to do this [3].

FACT - the US has higher death rates for kids both for kids aged under one and those under five than western European countries with universal health coverage [4].

FACT – American insurance companies push up prices and work to stop paying out claims on those they cover [5].

FACT - the USA spends more on healthcare PER PERSON than any other nation on the planet [6].

That means that a dead American four year old would have had a better chance of life if they were born in any western nation with universal health coverage.

If you do not like the policies that Obama was elected to bring in, he can always be voted out of office in 2012. But if you disagree with the facts, please let me know. I am always willing to learn, but please provide proof. None of those who disagree with me have been able to do that so far.