Obama’s health care address moving, Republicans response embarrassing
Written by Spectrum Editorial Board Tuesday, 15 September 2009 08:00
President Obama’s speech to a joint congress this past Wednesday proved that Obama is still one of the most eloquent and moving speakers in America. He spoke with passion, and laid out a clear, persuasive argument for his vision of health care reform to Congress.
The President spoke with conviction as he delivered his outline, which he hopes to implement in an attempt to reform our nations current health care system.
The outline included his expectations for the reform and addressed certain myths and rumors about the irrational claims of ‘death panals,” the eldery losing their health care benefits, and health care for illegal immigrants.
The President was persistant in addressing false claims about total governmental control and wanted to make everyone aware that his bill would not force citizens to give up their private health care.
Another issue was that of abortion. President Obama stressed the fact that this bill would not pay for abortions on the standard government plan.
Something that President Obama said which seemed contrary to the bill was in his statement claiming the administration’s attempt to avoid big government. Whatever is in the new healthcare bill, it can be certain that universal health care is big government.
Most republicans or conservative thinkers in Congress feel that Obama is trying to build monuments to himself, while liberals and democrats feel he’s looking out for the middle class. No matter what, universal health care is indeed big government.
President Obama seemed to be somewhat offended by the reaction to the bill as he stated they would “call out” the people who lie about what it all entails. He was also met with much hostility from the Republicans in the room.
One Republican, Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina’s Second Congressional District, even declared Obama a liar when the President said that his new plan wouldn’t force the public to give up their private health care.
Emotions are clearly high in American right now as the nation tries to battle one of both the biggest economic depressions in history and reform healthcare, a intiative Democrats have been trying to pass for years.
The President made it perfectly clear that he is willing to compromise in order to create a better health care system, and that his reforms would increase options instead of limit them. He did a succeful job of reassuring everyone that his healthcare reform proposals would be in the best interests of everyone, from those that want to keep their private insurance, to those that want a strong public option.
The Republican opposition, in their responses to Obama, only embarrassed themselves. Republican congressmen showed their true colors by texting and twittering constantly through the speech right in front of the television cameras.
These congressmen showed their true colors when it comes to serving their constituents by showing a total lack of decorum. They proved that they were not in politics to serve the people, but rather to serve their own interests and power.
The worst of the offenders is the now infamous Joe Wilson, who shouted out, “You Lie!” to the president when he mentioned how his plan would not provide public health care funds to illegal immigrants.
Keith Olbermann said it right in his countdown segment when he compared how congress reacted when Bush lied to them by being respectfully silent, compared to the inane and angry outburst when Obama was telling the truth.
Even if you’re not fond of the man, or share his beliefs, he is still the President of the United States, and showing a little respect and the proper decorum for both your and his offices was the right thing to do that evening instead of embarrassing yourself and your party.
