“Why would it [a public option] drive private insurers out of business? If private insurers say that the marketplace provides the best quality health care, if they tell us that they’re offering a good deal, then why is it that the government — which they say can’t run anything — suddenly is going to drive them out of business? That’s not logical.” – Barack Obama, June 23, 2009
I like it when he gets all Spock on everyone.
I also love it when he pulls his verbal jujitsu moves on people who bring up opposing points of view. He did this the other night during the ABC event a number of times. He said things like, “You’ve raised a valid point…,” or “I understand your reasoning…” or even “Thank you for bringing that up…” and then presents his position. It very effectively pulls the hostile questioner forward with a stroke of acknowledgement followed by Obama’s calmly presented facts and positions. The questioner barely realizes they’ve landed on the floor. Watching him do this made me joyful over having a truly intelligent President with superior people skills.
I don’t agree with everything Obama has done and is doing. In fact, I’m kinda horrified by his use of the “executive powers” created by Bush. But, ya gotta admire the guy…
Yeah. I still haven’t adjusted to seeing the presidential seal with a smart, competent person behind it. I suppose it’s kind of like having a long illness and waking up expecting to feel the pain long after you’re cured. Which is why I can get intensely frustrated by Obama, but really mad. In contrast to the congressional Dems.
“not really mad”. Sigh.
And don’t forget .. on the campaign trail .. Obama admitted that Single-payer was the way to go .. but that DC was FUBAR .. so it would never happen anytime soon
And speaking of not logical .. who is Capt. Kirk .. to Obama’s Spock?
Joe the Veep…
“God forbid I should agree with Spock, but he was right”…dr. mccoy
re: the likelihood of any reasonable public option coming out of this is pretty damn slim. there’s lot’s of money at play inside the beltway according to common cause’s latest report…
think the pols, on both sides of the aisle, have a vested interest in keeping this money tree growing? [rhetorical question]
these guys expect a return on their investments, and l doubt they’ll be too disappointed with the final version of the bill.
The public option would be backed by the resources of the US government. No private insurer can compete with that. Mr. Obama’s logic is flawed.
Understand, however, that I see the private insurers as heartless, greedy pieces of shit and the public option is the way to go.
bullshit, ed.
If you tell me there are no profits in medical insurance, then I’ll believe you. A public option just makes them have to work for less margin, that’s all.
Ed, following your logic, we would be able to identify just what the subsidy is that the Federal government is providing the public option for them to operate the system. With that information in hand, we’ll be able to back calculate just what the costs are and – more importantly – just what the profits are for the health insurance policies being offered by the health insurance companies. Could it be that they are actually most concerned that we – the public, electorate and taxpayers – just might learn what obscene profits they’ve actually been making all these years, not just the 15-20% we’ve all surmised?
Publicly financed institutions are, if anything, more constrained in their funding than corporate ones. If private insurers can’t compete, it’s because they spend so much on idiot executives, marketing, lobbying, and hiring biz-school dropouts to argue with doctors about what is medically necessary. They may well fail to survive the public competition, but that’s because there’s no reason for them to exist.
Somehow, UPS and FedEx are still in business — and making profits — despite competing with the US Postal Service…
I still don’t know quite how to read Obama. He makes these amazing statements, yet somehow doesn’t give the impression he’s fighting to make them so. Of course we have no way of getting a sense of what might be possible when the ones who are supposed to have his back are huddled together so the bullies won’t notice them and call them names.
It isn’t enough to say these brave things. Somebody with the power has to shove the questions into some faces among the pols and the media. Do you see anything like that happening?
Isn’t it actually the Quote of Five Days Ago?