While it was fine to affirm the importance of universal health care delivery, and take on the the worst of the spurious criticisms, I'm afraid by minimizing the importance of a strong government plan, Obama left unclear what mechanism would be provided to control costs and improve quality among private plans.

While there was the expectation the addition of so many new customers would lower overall premiums, there was no explicit presentation of what would make premiums more affordable for the greater number of Americans whose income has dropped in the last decade and who cannot afford coverage, or if covered cannot afford co-pays and deductibles. Instead there was talk about tax credits, subsidies, and Medicaid.

But along with declining quality the biggest long term problem with medical delivery in the US remains cost, and without either national regulation of how much is spent in its entirety and some form of cap, as well as what is delivered, a kind of national quality control and customer protection, or a true government sponsored alternative, the overall social and economic burden will begin to grow again.

To increase coverage and eliminate the worst practices of private insurance companies is obviously a good, but without a mechanism for lowering in costs, the gains made will lose effectiveness and the structural problems will reassert themselves.

Charlie M.

Posted by cmsandia at 09/10/2009

Americans now mandated to pay insurance CEOs, with no Public Option, Failed Presidency, Big Losses in 2010, F--- the Democrats in 2010 they sold out Americans TOO F---ING BIG THIS TIME.

Posted by DPGrassley at 09/10/2009

Greatest ever .... again ....

Unrivaled until next time ....

Move over Jefferson ...

and all the other bullshit asskissin' complements.

Posted by bleedingheart at 09/10/2009

It's too bad that "not great" is the lowest grade we can give him. Doesn't matter, though. It's all a farce. There will be no change, at least none for the betterment of the people.

Posted by Citizen54 at 09/10/2009

Theodore Roosevelt, cited by Mr. Obama, had the perfect word for the "change we can believe in" President's speech: bullfeathers!

Posted by fragen at 09/10/2009

P.S. As I write this note, about three-quarters of respondents feel the speech was "excellent" or "pretty good." All I can think of is that having invested so much in Mr. Obama people find it difficult to notice "the emperor has no clothes." How unfortunate "denial is not a river in Egypt."

Posted by fragen at 09/10/2009

Until President Obama makes it clear through actions, not words, that he places as his top priority in health care reform the best interest of the working public - and that means a strong public option as a centerpiece of the legislation - we can only fear the worst.

Posted by syfriendly at 09/10/2009

I liked what he had to say and it reminded me that there are several ways to resolve issues that aren't extremely painful for any one group, unless they're distorted beyond reason.

Posted by hsuBfools at 09/10/2009

The people deserve the same health care that Obama and Congress get with our tax dollars without red tape, without co-pays and without a bill that will force one into bankruptcy. All we have to do is stop waging war and we can afford it.

Posted by Something_Stinks at 09/10/2009

President Obama did a great job last night. Ya gotta love those Republicans like Eric Cantor, he wants a health care bill so bad and wants it to be bipartisan that he didn't even pay attention to the speech. Now truly do the Republicans expect us to believe they are really interested in passing a health care bill. I DON'T THINK SO!!! We need to pass it without them, they are all idiots.

Posted by Anthem85086 at 09/11/2009

That the Democrat party is one of the two parties of corporate rule in America should be obvious to all--the only change Obama represented was the color of the skin of the "President Select" of the corporations. The idea that an election between two parties of the corporations promoted by the corporate controlled media is anything other than a sham, is absurd on the face of it.

All Obama's policies, including health-care "reform" have one aim only. To foist the burden of the economic crisis and war on the backs of American workers, blasting them back intio the stone-age in the process.

Posted by Doric at 09/11/2009

Maybe we should hope for change with the ins industry? Outlawing these would give me hope. Cherry picking Recissions Caps Pre existing condition exclusions

Posted by Dennis1957 at 09/11/2009

If any of you bothered to listen to the speech or to read Matt Taibbi's article in Rolling Stone, or READ THE BILLS, you would have noticed that the so called public option is ONLY available to those without insurance or those who can't afford insurance. The CBO's estimate which Obama quoted during the speech was that only about 5% would be eligible for this so called public option. Those who have employer or private insurance are NOT ALLOWED to opt for public option(which obviously is not an option at all). I also wrote this comment to Dan Froomkin-now of Huffington Post. His reply, and I quote-"that's been the extent of of the public option from the get go". The speech sucked since it was one big con job by the great center right speech maker empty suit President. the entire thing is a huge fraud designed to funnel hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer money into profit making private corporations hands. And guess why its implementation is four years away, somehow just after the Senatorial elections that will allow the same corporate interests to funnel millions into Democratic candidates and the Democratic party. Given what the Supreme's are about to do to election financing, the fight is over!! The Corporations RULE!!!

Posted by alan2a at 09/11/2009

His speech was good. But it seemed more like Insurance reform and regulation. While this is needed, I'd hardly call it healthcare reform, especially if the public option is not rigorously supported. We all know that real healthcare reform is called Medicare for all. But with this president health insurance reform might be the closest we get to that for now.

Posted by lltrix at 09/11/2009

There's too much pussyfooting going on and by tolerating nonsense we are giving it a life of its own. It is a weak projection and wastes time and opportunity.

We started by taking Medicare for all off the table followed by single pay. Now we are saying "do you think that we'll get a public option through? It's weak.

When we took anything off the table before starting we lost, period.The first and best choice was eliminated although the majority had spoken. Government is kissing the ass of corporations and it should be the other way around. Sixty thousand lobbyists are running around with cash and trying to influence 100 Senators. Corporations are effectively replacing democracy.

Posted by linwood at 09/11/2009