Obama to Defend Health Law as Economic Benefit

New York Times ^ | 12/4/13 | Jackie Calmes

[SoFloFreeper]

.... Obama leaves the White House on Wednesday for one of the capital’s most struggling neighborhoods to talk about the economy, not simply to divert attention from his troubled Affordable Care Act but to explain how that law, for all of its flaws, fits into his vision for Americans’ economic security and upward mobility.

It is a vision of partnership between government and citizens that Mr. Obama has described since he was a state senator in Illinois, and it draws on the legacies of three Republican presidents —Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

[nathanbedford]

Don't look over there, look over here.

Obama won reelection because he changed the debate.

He is attempting to change the debate now.

What should the debate truly be about? I am not asking as a partisan Republican or even as the angry conservative that I am, I am asking as patriot. It seems to me that the critical thing for America is not income equality, or increasing inequality in wealth-if that in fact is occurring, or ability to get healthcare insurance, or even our appalling job statistics. It seems to me that the most critical thing for America is that we avoid disintegration, fiscal and then political disintegration.

The debate should be based on the fundamental proposition that if we continue on our current course of piling up debt, debasing the system with quantitative easing, and eviscerating our manufacturing infrastructure, the entire American edifice must simply crash. That crash will not simply be financial it will be social and political and might well see the destruction of our constitutional system and our way of life.

So Obama begins a campaign of political prestidigitation in which he says don't look over there at the underlying causes of our impending crash, look over here at the symptoms, which I will fix for you. Obama wants us to look not at a world of soaring medical costs largely the product of government interference in the marketplace and misguided subsidies, he wants us to look at his fix which is, of course, Obamacare.

Obama does not want us to look at stagnating wages and shrinking jobs which are the result of government overregulation, over taxation, and misguided trade policies, he wants us to look at himself putting a Band-Aid called the minimum wage on our chronic jobs depression.

Obama does not want us to look at increasing disparity of wealth (if in fact that is actually the case) caused by the government foreclosing opportunities, he wants to demagogue the rich, play the class envy card, and intrude further on the free marketplace by distributing wealth rather than opening opportunity. He does not want, like John F. Kennedy wanted, to let a rising tide lifts all boats.

Obama is a very good campaigner and a very good prestidigitator. As many have pointed out on this thread, our leaders in Congress are incapable of competing with Obama. Ted Cruz can do it, Rand Paul can do it, Mike Lee can do it but these three have been hobbled and partially muzzled by the men who cannot do it. The men who cannot do it, however, seem very capable of doing it when the job is to denigrate Republicans. Perhaps they do not want to do it, that is they do not want the fundamental questions addressed?

Which brings us back to the critical question which should trouble every patriot, what do we do to save ourselves and the Republic?

Certainly we should start with the right questions, framing the right debate, then and only then can we hope the electorate will yield the right answers.

[Lazamataz]

You should write editorials for a living. You are spot-on.

[TornadoAlley3]

He will bash the wage earner, argue for more redistribution.

[refermech]

Unfortunately we are in the midst of a cultural collapse and that I fear cannot be addressed by governmental action. The Balkanization of American politics is proving toxic to our system of laws. Even a change of leaders at the top may prove to be too little, too late. I honestly don’t hold out much hope. We may have reached the top of the parabola and there is nowhere to go but down.

[americanbychoice3]

Obama wants young people to enroll, pay extremely high premiums and have co-pays that ensure they will not see a dime in reimbursements for (statistically speaking) for at least 10 years.
Then they also write into law that those same young people can stay on their parents policy until age 26, thus negating any incentives they may have had getting coverage on their own.

[Liz]

Obama surfaced at the pep rally for himself yesterday----treated to a standing ovation by his suckup staff when he said, "no repeal as long as I'm president."

Which is an awfully good case for his immediate removal.

But he better hideout in the Rose Garden for a bit---b/c a Gallup poll revealed that the more people know about ObamaCare, the less likely they are to support it---blissful ignorance is better for the president than people's horrified awareness.

[VideoDoctor]

I honestly don’t hold out much hope. We may have reached the top of the parabola and there is nowhere to go but down.

I fear you may be correct.

Usually the ONLY way those who pay little attention to a situation LEARN is when the roof falls in on them.

[MrB]

It’s not a “partnership” when one side holds all the power, especially the legal monopoly on the use of deadly force to impose its will on the other.

[PROCON]

[sickoflibs]

RE :”That was funny in itself-—but Boobamba’s funniest line was to urge Republicans to come up with “ideas” for him.
This comes after Boobamba tells America dose dam Republicans are evil-—even terroristic. And now he wants their h/care ideas?
Oh, please——what could Repubs possibly tell this WH genius and his crackerjack know-it-all team (the ones who devised this boondoggle)? ‘

LOL, true.

This is food for the weak minded, worked in the past:
‘I (Obama) am trying to fix things and make them work and all Republicans want to do is obstruct and break things, and root for failure.
Obviously I am the only adult in the room who can be trusted to govern, well me and my fellow Democrats who are working with me’

[sickoflibs]

And Obama Michelle and the Cosby daughters wont be going to an Obamacare exchange or medicaid to get their health care, the number 1 rule of imposed (coerced) socialism :

‘Don't get high on your own supply’

[USMA '71]

I'd say that just about sums it up!

[ogen hal]

Clown Prince nobama is a complete and utter liar. The bum just can’t help him self. He is a pathological liar.

[Diamond]

[central_va]

Flim Flam Man was a great movie.

[Diamond]

Yes, it was. George C. Scott was terrific in the role. I thought of the movie the first time I ever saw Obungo speaking - no joke.

Cordially

[jwalsh07]

Obama is insane.

[LibLieSlayer]

Thank you my friend!