Thursday, September 10, 2009

Notes From Obama’s Speech to Congress

Tonight I actually watched Obama’s speech to Congress as opposed to reading it as I usually do. I highly recommend reading his speeches; they are far more revealing than his spoken word. Full text of Obama’s speech can be found here.

First, some quick notes about Congress and the Republican response.

Congress and standing ovations. I am unsure when this practice of standing ovations (or sitting them out) started, but it just seems so childish and time consuming. Congress looks like trained seals when they pop up on cue. I would much rather hear them cheer or boo their approval, than see these phony spectacles.

Heckling the President. Speaking of booing, Rep Joe Wilson (R-SC) screamed out “ You lie” when Obama said that his “plan” would not include illegal aliens. Bravo! If you completely disagree or think that the president is stretching the truth, why not show your disapproval? If Democrats can boo Bush at a SOTUS address, then calling Obama a liar is just fine by me. Pity, Wilson chickened out and apologized already.

The Republican response. Rep. Charles Boutany’s (R-LA) response was pathetic. Did they tape Boutany in some hallway and just stick a flag behind him? Surely they could have borrowed someone’s office. Boutany, like Jindal, also uses that insipid singsong voice, like they are addressing children. Boutany made the classic mistake and started out by agreeing with Democrats, that the nation is desperate for health care reform. This was a mistake. The weakest part of Obama’s speech was his explanation for paying for health care reform (it sounds like a fairy tale wrapped in BS). So why not, let the Republican position be: “Mr. President, right now the American people are more concerned with the deficit and economy than they are with health care reform, and since you say you will pay for health care reform with savings found in the system from waste and fraud. Why not first prove to the American people that you are capable of doing just that, by significantly lowering our debt by finding waste and fraud in the federal budget like you promised during the campaign. If you are successful, we will be happy to consider your proposals”.

Overall opinion on the speech. I cannot imagine anyone who already has a position on health care reform being moved by this speech. If you are one of the undecided, this speech might work for you, but I still cannot see anyone falling for how this is going to be paid for.

Re: the Public Option. This could have gone either way. It sounded like he said he was for it, but it isn’t necessary. If we were to play the Democrat speech code game with Obama’s statement:

To my progressive friends, I would remind you that for decades, the driving idea behind reform has been to end insurance company abuses and make coverage affordable for those without it. The public option is only a means to that end – and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal.

We all know that the progressive’s ultimate goal is a single payer health care system. So when Obama says that progressives should "remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal", is he telling progressives that these co-ops will yield the same fruit?

Re: Mandates: Hillary Clinton must be saying a silent “I told you so”. Back during the campaign, mandates were the difference between their health care reform plans. This I think will be the second issue behind paying for reform that gets people to oppose Obama’s plan.

Re: Sarah Palin. What did I tell you in my last post? Did I not say that Obama would call out Palin’s death panels? She is in his head big time!

Re: Pimpin’ Teddy. I must admit, I was a little surprised that Obama used the Teddy factor in his speech. This is purely emotional and will only resonate with Democrats. Why would anyone else say, “OK, I am for government take over of health care, because I want to honor Ted Kennedy’s memory”?

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Associated Press

Via: The New York Times

9 comments:

Rachel Ann said...

He seems to speak well (well most people feel he speaks well) but as you do, so do I, reading, rather than listening, to his speech.

I am often left cold by what he says, or bored; content over style. Pays to have a slight hearing problem and so favor the written over the spoken.

I do think he has changed the minds of some, unfortunately. People are moved by his speeches.

Re: Wilson's yelling liar, even though the Democrats have done it in the past, was not nice, and I think he should have apologized. Liked how he did it as well, owning up to the fact that it was wrong without excusing his behavior.

But it also wasn't the big deal everyone's trying to make it out to be. Obama's feelings got hurt...well he looked to me as if he wanted to cry, but honestly, calling someone a liar isn't a vile crime worthy of pages of condemnation. Get over it people.

The issue to me is whether THIS health care reform bill is good for the states or not, in all ways. Health, wealth etc. etc. Critique it; what's good, bad, needs improvement or should the whole thing be tossed for another. (I think it needs heavy editing. Ok, so does this response!)

Bet that doesn't really get discussed much.

Won't effect me, I live in Israel. But I have friends and family in the states, which is why I care.

Clifton B said...

Salijx:

Welcome to ABC blog. Yes, reading Obama is far more insightful than listening to Obama. Obama is great on the prompter. He knows about pace, timing and cadence. It is too easy to find yourself swept up in his speaking style and miss the key words {off teleprompter, the brother is just painful).

We disagree on Wilson. I still find it refreshing to hear the true feelings come out. When Cheney told that guy to go blank himself and refuse to apologize, I thought bravo! We both agree that it wasn't that big a deal either way.

The current bill was designed to bring about government control of the health care sector. Nothing more and nothing less. All the stated goals are a cover story and thus this bill will not be seriously debated.

Shalom and keep safe.

Rachel Ann said...

Thanks for the welcome, and yes, we'll just have to disagree. But I hope you'll allow me to add one more thing.

A real man owns up to his mistakes, or what he feels are his mistakes, and he doesn't blame others, and this is what Wilson did. And that is in stark contrast to how Obama behaves.

With Obama it is always someone else's fault. He never did anything wrong, it was the aide, the interviewer etc. etc.

And I agree with you re. the current bill.

Thanks again for the welcome.

Jess said...

I watched the speech while working out on my elliptical, LOL for forty minutes I found myself shaking my head yelling at the television!! It was a great workout. I should watch his speeches while exercising more often LOL.

I too was annoyed that in a 47 minute speech there were 46 ovations, enough already. Let the man speak. I thought the "liar" comment was funny as hell though I didn't know exactly what was said at the time nor who said it. Reminded me of how business was conducted in the chamber 200 years ago!

I do not for a moment believe this plan does NOT cover illegals. Why? Because illegal aliens are a main reason so many hospitals are facing financial ruin in the southwestern United States. They are bankrupting hospitals through their emergency room visits! So, if this plan doesnt' cover them, what's to stop them from continuing their financial devastation of our health care system? See, that makes NO sense. No sense at all.

I nearly fell asleep during Boutany's response. My first response to seeing him was "Who the heck is this guy?" I mean come on, there couldn't be someone more animated? More alive? They only used him because he's a physician.

I am not convinced this program won't cost us dearly in the long run. I didn't hear any tort reform (what's with this experimental program crap? Just REFORM it damnit!)and I didn't hear blip about insurance companies being allowed to cross state lines to be more competitive.

Obama makes it appear that all insurance companies, all executives, are bad guys. I for one and tired of it. There's a lot of good hardworking people in this country who work for insurance companies (I don't work for one nor do I know anyone who does so I'm not biased here) and I'm so sick of him portraying them as evil.

I don't like requiring employers to offer health care, I don't like taxing them for it. I don't like requiring people to carry coverage, I don't like penalizing them for not carrying it. I do not like the lack of competition in the marketplace and I do not like Obama's idea that premiums should be kept low. The problem is that at some point, in order to just pay for all the coverage a company is going to be requierd to pay out to EVERYONE since they can't turn anyone away for medical conditions, the only way to keep up with the demand will be raising premiums.

Obama is not a businessman, never has been one, never has run a business, managed anything or had to do actual work so he has no clue what goes into running a business and how costly it really is.

One more thing if I may rant a little more is that this anti-profit sentiment worries me. Profit is a GREAT motivation. We see how government works, slow as snails, there's no motivation to do more, to do better. When there's profit motive, people move and they move quick and they aim to get it right (at least most do). Without profit there is ZERO motivation in the marketplace. Dangerous, very dangerous and bad for America.

Thanks for letting me have my say, I found you through Maria's blog and I really like your stuff!

Jess

Clifton B said...

Salixj:

With Obama it is always someone else's fault. He never did anything wrong, it was the aide, the interviewer etc. etc.

This has been true since the campaign. Nothing has "changed" in this regard.

Clifton B said...

Jess:

Welcome to ABC blog!

1. Re: Illegals. I agree that was a big fat lie and I am glad he got called out.

2. Picking Boutany because he was a doctor rather than him being a strong conservative with speaking skills is exactly what is wrong with the GOP.

3. Crapping on big business and capitalism in general is a big theme with this administration. You are so right that Obama is completely clueless about business. The irony here is despite his ignorance on the matter he wants to control all business. Sickening.

4. I believe that all these extra demands are being loaded on to private insurance companies and businesses in order for them to fail at providing health care, thus making single payer the only option. A single payer system has been the Democrat's wet dream for evah and they are going to do everything they can to shove it down our throats.

Come back often Jess, I like your rants!

Bob Belvedere said...

Spot-on CB.

Many are touting Wilson as a hero for what he did. I would too if he had not apologized. A typical Republican, he withered as he contemplated the calumnies that would descend upon his head from the Leftists in the Congress and the MSM. One has to wonder if are there any Republicans who have a pair? It seems the only one who does is a woman: Sarah Palin.

Quoted from and linked to at:
http://www.thecampofthesaints.com/2009.09.06_arch.html#1252616502114

Clifton B said...

Bob Belvedere:

"..A typical Republican, he withered as he contemplated the calumnies that would descend upon his head from the Leftists in the Congress and the MSM. One has to wonder if are there any Republicans who have a pair? It seems the only one who does is a woman: Sarah Palin."

This is the truly foolish thing that Republicans do. They will be pilloried by the left whether they are nice or nasty, so why not just reap all the benefits of being nasty? Sarah Palin seems to get it. She could not give one flying fig what the left says of her and therefore speaks without apologies.

Reaganite Republican said...

Linked this, great post Clifton-

Have a great weekend!

James
The Reaganite Republican

http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com/2009/09/please-allow-us-to-retort.html

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