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8 a.m. ET: Liberals spent a good portion of the health-care debate complaining that President Obama was insufficiently committed to including the public option in a reform bill, accusing him of sacrificing a cause that was important to them for the sake of political expediency. It sounds as though Obama is trying -- cautiously -- to avoid the same charge on abortion.
In an interview with ABC News Monday, Obama weighed in on the controversy that has divided Democrats. "I laid out a very simple principle, which is this is a health care bill, not an abortion bill," Obama said. "And we're not looking to change what is the principle that has been in place for a very long time, which is federal dollars are not used to subsidize abortions. And I want to make sure that the provision that emerges meets that test -- that we are not in some way sneaking in funding for abortions, but, on the other hand, that we're not restricting women's insurance choices, because one of the pledges I made in that same speech was to say that if you're happy and satisfied with the insurance that you have, that it's not going to change." He added: "There are strong feelings on both sides, and what that tells me is that there needs to be some more work before we get to the point where we're not changing the status quo."
What exactly does all that "on the one hand, on the other hand" mean? The New York Times writes that Obama "suggested Monday that he was not comfortable with abortion restrictions inserted into the House version of major health care legislation, and he prodded Congress to revise them." Roll Call says abortion rights supporters "got a critical boost" from Obama's comments, and adds that more than 40 Democrats have now vowed to vote against a conference report that includes the Stupak language. How should the language be changed, and if it is, would the coalition that passed the measure in the House Saturday fall apart? Politico writes that Senate moderates like Ben Nelson, Kent Conrad and Mary Landrieu all urged Harry Reid Monday to include restrictions on abortion funding in the Senate bill as well.
Perhaps Senate Democrats can solicit a solution to the whole mess from President Bill Clinton, who is coming to address the party's weekly luncheon Tuesday. The Hill reports that "Senate Democratic leaders expect their long-awaited healthcare bill to hit the chamber floor as early as Monday," after the Congressional Budget Office releases its score of the Senate bill late this week or early next week. That price tag will be crucial, as the New York Times writes "the White House is facing a growing revolt from some Democrats and analysts who say the bills Congress is considering do not fulfill President Obama’s promise to slow the runaway rise in health care spending," adding that "health economists say it is impossible to know" whether the reform bills would meet Obama's stated goal of reducing health spending by 1.5 percent over the next decade. And the Washington Times suggests the House bill uses "fuzzy math," meaning that its price tag could end up far higher than the official number of $1.1 trillion. The Wall Street Journal notes the "stark choice for Democrats between the interests of younger voters and older ones," as the House bill mandates that "older people could pay no more than twice what the youngest customers are charged" for insurance.
On Afghanistan, the Associated Press reports that Obama "is nearing a decision to add tens of thousands more forces to Afghanistan, though probably not quite the 40,000 sought by his top general there," and that "the deployment would most probably begin in January with a mission to stiffen the defense of 10 key cities and towns." (McClatchy reported Saturday that Obama was leaning toward an increase of 34,000 military personnel.) CBS News adds that Obama is expected to give Stanley McChrystal "most, if not all, the additional troops he is asking for ... the president has tentatively decided to send four combat brigades plus thousands more support troops." CBS says the decision will be announced the week before Thanksgiving, after Obama returns from China. (The White House denies that any decision has been made.)
As for that upcoming trip to Asia, the Wall Street Journal writes "the president isn't likely to bring along tangible concessions on hot-button issues, nor will he return with concrete achievements. Unfinished business -- from the shape of U.S. military bases in Okinawa, to a South Korean free-trade agreement, to climate change, trade and currency issues with China -- will remain unfinished." Tensions on the Korean peninsula will surely be on the agenda, as a North Korean ship has exchanged fire with a South Korean vessel along the country's disputed coastline. The Washington Post reports that Obama has decided to send a top diplomat to Pyongyang for direct talks.
In the midst of so much news, the AP moved this crucial dispatch Tuesday: "Obama's 'crustmaster' shares his pie recipe." It is what it sounds like -- the much-loved apple pie recipe of the White House pastry chef, otherwise known to the Obamas as "the Crustmaster." (Seriously.) The secret, AP reveals, is that he bakes the bottom crust first, then adds the filling and returns it to the oven. Now you know.
By
Ben Pershing
|
November 10, 2009; 8:00 AM ET
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Go to full archive for The Rundown »
Posted by: charlietuna666 | November 10, 2009 9:51 AM
I have been very disturbed what I have been hearing on another news network about C Street in Washington D.C. I was wondering why CNN has not picked up on this story . The C street residence is a secretive religious group which houses members of our Congressman and Senators. Jeff Sharlet has done extensive research on this group and wrote a book called" The Family" Senator Ensign from Nevada just left the organization for drawing attention to it. This is a good investigative story that we the people need to be informed about. These lawmakers need to be accountable for the laws they cast upon us.Especially when they believe they are above the law. They are Democrats and Republicians that belong to this organization. We need a good journalist to do an extensive investigation on these members.Please don't ignor this story. We also need to know ,they list this house as a church do they receive tax benefits also which is important. What happened to seperation of church and state.
Posted by: jnjkelly48 | November 10, 2009 10:56 AM
USPS/IRS Health Care
If health care is the problem, insurance is not the cause and government is not the answer.
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Of those "50 million," that lack insurance there were 45,000 who died without health care.
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WITH health care, 98,000 died FROM health care because of malpractice.
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The question is do we want to trust that largest corporation in the world, the U.S. Government. Do not expect house calls anytime soon.
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We have seen how well the government delivers on its promises and its bureaucracies pursue the money without giving us benefits on so many levels.
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Imagine another 111 bureacracies that only ultimately must listen to the Secretary of the Treasury - another "service" of which is the IRS.
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http://theprogressivecapitalist.blogspot.com/2009/10/affordable-health-care-for-america-act.html
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That blog of mine above has several .pdf connections (HR. 3962 and two summaries, a few videos, and page references for new taxes and other mandates).
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If you cannot use the link, google "Progressive Capitalist H.R. 3962."
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If you believe the promises of this bill, you have to deal with the lie that it fosters competition with a government option called the "Public Option" and establishes the government as a monopoly making its own rules. Don't worry. You'll run out of "rich" soon enough.
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We have at least a $12 trillion economy of which at least $1.8 trillion is spent on health care.
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If you read the bill, there are plenty of opportunities to soak the middle class, if you do not mind the 1.6 million made jobless.
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REPUBLICAN Affordable Health Care For America Act
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MAKING HEALTH Care Affordable For EVERY AmeriCAN
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http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_hr3962_boehner_sub.pdf
http://pnhp.org/excessdeaths/health-insurance-and-mortality-in-US-adults.pdf
Posted by: johnlloydscharf | November 10, 2009 11:14 AM
Was the Fort Hood Shooter a Target of THIS:
SECRET MULTI-AGENCY FED PROGRAM SILENTLY TORTURES, IMPAIRS, PERSECUTES U.S. CITIZENS WITH MICROWAVE/LASER RADIATION AND LOCAL VIGILANTISM, SAYS MAINSTREAM JOURNALIST
* Thousands of Americans, deemed to be "dissidents" or undesirables, targeted by Bush legacy program for debilitating microwave/laser assault, held hostage in their own homes to fed-supported vigilante "community policing" stalking units, equipped with warrantless GPS devices, who vandalize and terrorize as local police look the other way.
* "Directed energy weapons," portable units and a nationwide installation employing cell towers and satellites, induce weakness, exhaustion, head and body aches, physical and neurological impairment, strokes, aneurysms, cancer -- and many victims do not realize what is making them sick.
* Regional Homeland Security- administered "fusion centers" reportedly serve as command centers for covert electromagnetic radiation attacks, pervasive surveillance, financial sabotage of those identified as "dissidents," "trouble-makers" or slandered as threats to society.
* Use of microwave weaponry to torture and impair political opponents recently confirmed by deposed Honduras President Manuel Zelaya.
* Pleas for justice, to local police and FBI, go unanswered -- as do demands for a Department of Justice Civil Rights Division investigation and congressional hearings.
"These are crimes against humanity and the Constitution, being perpetrated under the cover of national security and 'safe streets' by multiple federal and local agencies and commands -- an American genocide hiding in plain sight, enabled by the naivete of those who think 'it can't happen here.'" -- Victor Livingston, former reporter for WTXF-TV Philadelphia, Phila. Bulletin, N.Y. Daily News, St. Petersburg Times; producer/host, MSG Network Sports Business Report; columnist, NowPublic.com/scrivener.
JOURNO TO FBI: TAKE CONTROL OF DHS-RUN FUSION CENTERS
TO STOP SILENT MICROWAVE / LASER ATTACKS ON U.S. CITIZENS
http://nowpublic.com/world/govt-tortures-me-silent-microwave-weapons-ousted-s-prez
http://nowpublic.com/world/gestapo-usa-govt-funded-vigilante-network-terrorizes-america OR (if links are corrupted / disabled): http://NowPublic.com/scrivener RE: "GESTAPO USA"
Posted by: scrivener50 | November 10, 2009 11:36 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
this is how obozo feels about Abortions........most of us wish his mother had one.
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Barack Obama is drawing gasps from pro-life advocates today over comments he made during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania over the weekend. The leading Democratic presidential candidate appeared to back a potential decision by his daughters to seek an abortion saying he wouldn't "punish" them with a baby.