By John W. Lillpop
As the facts about health care reform are scrutinized by reasonable people and measured against reality, support for President Obama's plans has evaporated, or at least diminished significantly.
In response, Obama has tried to blame his declining fortunes on Republicans like Jim DeMint (R-SC) whom the president claims are using "scare tactics" and misinformation to counter his signature initiative.
The irony is that Obama is issuing all sorts of dire warnings about the consequences of not acting NOW on the Democrats' proposals.
Unfortunately for the president, the most potent critics of Obamacare originate with Blue Dog Democrats and even more importantly, the Congressional Budget Office (CB).
As reported, in part, at Politico.com:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25415.html
"For the second time this month, congressional budget analysts have dealt a blow to the Democrat's health reform efforts, this time by saying a plan touted by the White House as crucial to paying for the bill would actually save almost no money over 10 years.
"A key House chairman and moderate House Democrats on Tuesday agreed to a White House-backed proposal that would give an outside panel the power to make cuts to government-financed health care programs. White House budget director Peter Orszag declared the plan "probably the most important piece that can be added" to the House's health care reform legislation.
"But on Saturday, the Congressional Budget Office said the proposal to give an independent panel the power to keep Medicare spending in check would only save about $2 billion over 10 years- a drop in the bucket compared to the bill's $1 trillion price tag. "
Given the fact that there is so much informed opposition to the Obamacare package, one wonders why the president does not take a long, deep breath, and cogitate on this huge issue, with input from others, before throwing another $1.6 trillion down the drain?
Part of Obama's campaign rhetoric was how cool, calm and collected candidate Obama was. For example during the economic meltdown last fall, John McCain suggested that a scheduled Obama-McCain debate be canceled so that both candidates could return to Washington, D.C. to deal with the crisis.
Obama asserted his "cool and calm" approach and insisted that the debate go on as scheduled.
What happened to all that cool and calm demeanor now that Obama is president? Why does he demand that trillion dollar measures be adopted without considering the consequences, instead relying on fairy tale concepts of hope and change ?
Is Barack Obama working to destroy his own presidency?
