AP: 'Some' Obama Health Care Bill Promises Not Kept; More Like 'Almost All'
By Tom Blumer | March 20, 2010 | 00:18
In a Friday piece of presidential protection prose promulgated by the Associated Press, writer Erica Werner correctly identified a number of significant "unfulfilled commitments" relating to proposed health care legislation, and then attempted to make excuses for why they didn't happen. Werner's work was conveniently accompanied by a heavily downplaying headline -- "Final health bill omits some of Obama's promises" -- while her rundown of the specifics in reality ended up being "all but two":
It was a bold response to skyrocketing health insurance premiums. President Barack Obama would give federal authorities the power to block unreasonable rate hikes.
Yet when Democrats unveiled the final, incarnation of their health care bill this week, the proposal was nowhere to be found.
Ditto with several Republican ideas that Obama had said he wanted to include after a televised bipartisan summit last month, including a plan by Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma to send investigators disguised as patients to hospitals in search of waste, fraud and abuse.
And those "special deals" that Obama railed against and said he wanted to eliminate? With the exception of two of the most notorious - extra Medicaid money for Nebraska and a carve-out for Florida seniors faced with losing certain extra Medicare benefits - they are all still there.
For the White House, these were the latest unfulfilled commitments related to Obama's health care proposal, starting with his campaign promise to let C-SPAN cameras film negotiations over the bill. Obama also backed down with little apparent regret on his support for a new government-run insurance plan as part of the legislation, a liberal priority.
But was it all the president's doing?
In the cases of the insurance rate authority, the Republican ideas and the special deals, it came down to Obama making promises that Congress didn't keep. He can propose whatever he wants, but it's up to Congress to enshrine it into law.
Arguably, the president could have foreseen that outcome, and was making a low-risk p.r. move by floating proposals - dismissed by critics as insubstantial anyway - whose demise he couldn't be blamed for.
While the White House worked hard to trumpet Obama's plans for the rate authority, his embrace of bipartisanship and his opposition to special deals, the administration hardly advertised the lack of follow-through. Understandable, certainly, but perhaps not the new way of doing business that Obama promised to bring to Washington.
Werner also continued the wire service's annoying habit of saving some of the more important news for the very end when she quotes a health policy consultant who says that "Democrats will have three years to tinker with health reform before universal coverage goes live."
Geez, after 2,000-plus pages in heaven knows how many Senate and House iterations, with who knows how many new bureaucracies, taxes, mandates, fines, and penalties, we will have to endure another three years of "tinkering" until we know what we're really going to face in 2014 if the current madness disguised as legislation "passes" this weekend ("passes" is in quotes because the constitutionality of attempt is extremely dubious)?
If so, this will mean that the length of the Wall Street Journal has called "the uncertainty economy" will bear quite a resemblance to how certain not-free countries used to run things -- i.e., five-year plans -- while endless establishment press protection prose continues to proliferate.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
- Tom Blumer's blog
- Login or register to post comments
Comments
Spam Alert
Submitted by 26CX on Sat, 10/16/2010 - 6:48am.
Spam.
Yeah, these things pop up
Submitted by motherbelt on Sat, 10/16/2010 - 6:54am.
Yeah, these things pop up every now and then. I think it's funny when they pop up in really OLD threads like this one.
Spam filter must need recalibration.
China Wholesaler Town -
Submitted by jywhy999 on Sat, 11/13/2010 - 4:57am.
China Wholesaler Town - China's most viable wholesale supplier of promotional gifts, Wholesale Umbrella you can customize your own logo, no matter anywhere in the world! Wholesale Lighter Successful corporations realize Wholesale Camera that well-planned and well-executed employee incentives play an important Wholesale Speakersrole in helping reach objectives, Wholesale Razor building company morale, Wholesale Jewelryand rewarding both the employees and the valued customers.Wholesale Socks With promotional and novelty gift items, China Wholesale Town Wholesale Furniture International became a specialist in providing branding services. Recorder Pen We proud ourselves in being fast and accurate. Wholesale Scarf We can put your logo on all the products from our OEM / ODM ection. Wholesale Chair Most of our items can be decorated with logo or personalized with personal engraving. ladies Briefcase We delivering to virtually every country in the world Computer Desk. Our warehouse and office
are staffed by a young team of Chinese and Western staff Vacuum Storage Bag . Our professional staff will contact you as soon as possible to provide you with the best quality service through the mail and the telephone.Wholesale Briefcase We can provide customers around the world with many well-produced goods and good service,Wholesale Toys because of many years of
experience in friendly and Wholesale Stress Ball cooperative relations with many Chinese factories and suppliers. Wholesale Fan Here you can find all the most popular, Wholesale Clocks stylish, high-quality goods. Wholesale Sweatshirt China Suppliers, Custom Logo Imprinted, Wholesale Wallet Promotional Products, Promotional Gifts, Promotional Items, Waterproof Waist Pack Wholesale Suppliers, Wholesale Merchandise, Dropship Wholesale, Wholesale Accessories, Wholesale Directory China Wholesale Town - Most Reliable China Wholesale Suppliers, Wholesale Ashtray Custom Logo Imprinted Promotional Gifts, Promotional Items Products, Giveaway Material!Wholesale Pen If you want to start your business with some daily used items, Wholesale Pillow here is the site you need to check. It offeres many products like Bottle Opener, T-Shirts, Carabiner Wholesale Frisbee and Umbrella, Pen, Wholesale Carabiner ect. Under each product section, there are some detailes classification. For Wholesale Keychain, there are Coffee Mug, Water Bottle. For Wholesale Socks and Wholesale USB Products, there are also some detailed classifications. Wholesale Waterproof Case China Wholesale Town - China's most viable wholesale supplier of Promotional Gifts, you can customize your own logo, no matter anywhere in the world! China Wholesale Town - Most Reliable China Wholesale Suppliers, Custom Logo Imprinted Promotional Gifts, Promotional Products Items, Giveaway Material! If you want to start your business with some daily used items, Wholesale Kitchenware here is the site you need to check. It offeres many products like Wholesale Pom Poms, T-Shirts, Carabiner Wholesale First Aid Kit and Umbrella, Pen, Bottle Opener ect. Under each product section, there are some detailes classification. For Wholesale Cup, there are Coffee Mug, Water Bottle. For Wholesale Clap Hands and Wholesale Water Bottle, there are also some detailed classifications. China Wholesale Town - China's most viable wholesale supplier of Promotional Gifts, you can customize your own logo, no matter anywhere in the world! Wholesale Apron Top China Wholesaler-Buy Wholesale Promotional Gifts Promotional Products from China Our main products are consumer electronics, gifts and souvenirs, Wholesale Lanyard, health care products, beauty products, Wholesale Carabiner, automobile parts, household items, plastic products, metal products, Wholesale Mug, kitchen supplies, stationery, sports goods, toys, Wholesale Christmas Gifts, watches, leather products, etc. Tips for Choosing Sports Wholesale Halloween Gift; One Way To Protect Your Device - Wholesale Waterproof Case; Introduce The Wholesale Lanyard For You; Customized Cheaply Prices Promotional Caps-Wholesale Bag; And the Wholesale Clothes Rack also gradually become recognized best promotional product; Buying A Gift For your Friend Who Likes Reading-Wholesale Golf Products; Customized Printed Wholesale Vase
Personalization/Engraving Services
Some items, such as Crystal Award and Metal Coaster and Metal Money Clip and Metal Luggage Tag and Metal Keychain etc, crystal material or metal material products. Camera Tripod require a plate to be added for engraving. Wholesale Clothing These plates can added as your request.Bean Bag
Debossing/Embossing
Debossing services are offered on leather items. Such as Leather Wallet and Leather Mouse Pad and Conference Folder and Leather Name Card Holder etc, Debossing is a method that depresses yor company name or logo down into the surface of a leather item. Eye Mask Wholesale EarphoneThis method displays your company logo through the leather goods without color, Water Guncommonly known as "blind debossing". Wholesale MatWe use this method to ensure quality of your goods. Over time, Wholesale Keyboardcolor that is added to leather will fade or flake away.
Screen/Silk Screen PrintingWholesale Jacket
Screen or silkcreen printing is popular for our non-textile products. Poncho RaincoatThis screening can be either single or multicolored. such as Pen and and USB Flash Drive and Tape Measure and Mug and Water Bottle and Umbrella and Inflatable etc, plastic material, leather material, metal material, Wholesale Knifesilicone material, rubber material, Wholesale Candletextile material are available.
EmbroideryWholesale Mouse
At Corporate Snobs we pride ourselves in offering some of the best choices of customization in the industry.Wholesale Calculator
Our embroidery options are available for most of our monogrammed Tote Bag and Apron and Cap and Embroidery Coaster and Towel etc textile products.
Decoration styles vary per item. PVC Vase Each decoration style will be listed in the product page. Wholesale Mp3For various products, Wholesale Tie decoration options are available for customer to choose type of engraving desired. BB GunsThis will be noted as a choice with the item.Wholesale Earphone Promotional Products, Promotional Gifts, Electric Shaver Promotional items from China, Toy Guns Custom-made gift Wholesale, Promotional Giveaway Material! Sport Watch Wholesale Merchandise, Safety Belt Wholesale Suppliers, Wholesale Dropship, Door Mat Wholesale Distributors, Wholesale Accessories, Wholesale Watch Wholesale Directory, Discount Wholesaler Flexi Vase
health-health informetion and tips
Submitted by ddruiam on Sat, 07/09/2011 - 5:26am.
Gevolgen stoppen met roken
Een gezonder leven, een betere conditie en veel geld besparen. Mensen die roken hebben veel meer kans om kanker en andere ziektes te krijgen dan niet-rokers. Ook krijgt u weer een mooie huid als u stopt met roken. Er zijn dus veel positieve gevolgen van stoppen met roken, waarvan het gezondheidsvoordeel de belangrijkste is.