Obama & healthcare reform

Obama makes another Health Care Push
President Obama today launched what the White House is calling the final stage of the year-long debate over health care. The president urged lawmakers to quicklycast an up or down vote on his proposed overhaul. Democrats hope to use a procedural maneuver to bypass Republican opposition. Still, Mr. Obama argues that his proposal incorporates Republicans’ideas, even if it wins little or no GOP Support.

SCOTT HORSLEY: The president was surrounded by lab-coated doctors and nurses this afternoon, as he spoke in the White House East Room. That’s the sameplace he kicked off the health care debate almost exactly a year ago.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Since then, every idea has been put on the table. Every argument has been made. Everything there is to sayabout health care has been said…And Just about everybody has said it. So now is the time to make a decision.
HORSLEY: The president has offered his own health care proposal intended to bridge thedifferences between the House and Senate versions. He wants both chambers to vote on it within the next few weeks. A White House spokesman said Mr. Obama wouldn’t be pursuing this path, if he didn’t thinkit has the vote to win. But, handicapper Charlie Cook of the Cook Political Report says backing this measure won’t be easy for vulnerable Democrats. They have to battle the view, it’s a governmenttakeover.
Mr. Charlie Cook: A pejorative label has been stuck on this bill, correctly or incorrectly. And it just drags it down.
Horsley: The success of that labeling is striking. The president called ita middle-coat compromise neither the government run single payer plan favored by some on the left, nor the unfettered free-for-all championed by others on the right. His proposal is liberal in itsgoal of providing insurance to virtually all Americans but he would pursue that goal using market mechanisms. Under the pressure from Republicans and conservative Democrats, Mr. Obama dropped this...