OBAMA: What is working. What is not.
Tell us what you are seeing and hearing - from your friends, from your family, and in your community. Just stick to the regular rules - no rants, profanity, ugliness, or hero worship. Thanks.
Posted by BLOGBRAINSr4u2 at 3/9/2009 4:25 PM 
Categories: Politics - Obama So Far
Tags: healthcare coal energy war Obama on banks corruption. constitution
Categories: Politics - Obama So Far
Tags: healthcare coal energy war Obama on banks corruption. constitution
The strongest democracies flourish from frequent and lively debate, but they endure when people of every background and belief find a way to set aside smaller differences in service of a greater purpose.
BARACK OBAMA, press conference, Feb. 9, 2009
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While surfing this site came up. Interesting. What is working? Our new president is working and making an effort to improve things. What is not? The opposition party, to which I belong. Give this man a chance to do what the people elected him to do. My party had their turn for 8 years with majorities in both houses of Congress for most of the time. Let the people's voice be recognized and see where it goes. Times are too difficult to still be playing petty partisan politics.
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Inspiring to see an American President once again be warmly received overseas. It's been a long time since this happened. Restoring our credibility around the world will take some time and effort. Obama is doing a good job on this front.
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The President is doing what the people elected him to do, and that is CHANGE THINGS. Everything he has done so far is on target with what he said he would do. Obstructionists, self interests, and those who can't think for themselves are the ones who may prevent him from accomplishing his goals. It will be interesting to see how this all develops.
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Very well said! He is doing a remarkable job of making good on his promises. All of our prayers and best wishes should be with him as he tries to guide our country out of the hole that was dug during the last 8 years.
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Health care is in trouble. Opponents of anything that resembles change in our health care system are out in full force with lies and distortions as they try to de-rail Obama's agenda. He was elected to reform the system. Let him do it.
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I'm disappointed in how President Obama has been handling this thing. It isn't clear what he is pushing and the lies and stupid rumors that have been circulated by these people who make no sense are drowning out any good discussions about what can be done. SOMETHING must be done because too many of us can't afford to buy insurance, our employers don't provide it, or we can't get a company to take us on. I don't know what the answer is, but these insurance companies are making life and death decisions about people's lives and it isn't right.
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I don't care about anybody else's problems with insurance. I have it and I like it. My job picks it up for me and some of my wife's. If some people can't afford to buy health insurance then they should just pay what the docs and hospitals charge or get a job that has it as a benefit. I don't want the goverment telling me about my medical.
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People like you who do not care about anyone but yourself simply do not see the picture of the condition of our health care system. Health care reform has been needed desperately in the U.S. for years, and now we finally have a chance to achieve it. The government will not be interfering at all with your medical needs. You are fortunate to have an employer that pays your insurance costs, because many employers are ceasing that benefit due to the horrible increases in premiums they must pay. You could be without insurance tomorrow and then you would be in the same boat as so many. Get the facts about the programs being discussed in Congress before you make such selfish and rash comments, please.
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I agree with you. This country desperately needs some sort of reform of our health care industry. People are being frightened by pretty much those who benefit from the current system about reform, making some afraid that the government will take over. We need options and our current options are very limited. Doctors and hospitals are being run ragged trying to keep up with the insurance companies and their "plans". "No Government Programs" needs to educate himself or herself about the current system and about the plans being discussed. If nothing is done, we are all in trouble, including Mr. or Ms. "No Government Programs".
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The Obama administration's "pay czar" is embarking on a review of proposed compensation packages for the top employees at seven companies that are on government life support, marking the first time a federal official will have veto power over how much private-sector executives are compensated.
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I've never heard of any "Pay Czar". What is his or her name? What are the seven companies to which you refer? I've heard nothing about such a thing.
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Now that Sen. Kennedy has left us it is hoped that some will not try to revise history and the man's legacy with distortions and more hatred. It is unfortunate that he is not in the Senate to help push through the health care proposals of the new administration, because he certainly is one who could have done it. President Obama will need to assert himself better and counter the distortions that are being bandied about. The plans being worked on absolutely do not replace private insurance with a government run plan. That is nonsense.
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Sounds like the president will try to explain it all again in a major speech that is coming up. Not sure when. I just heard about it. Hope he does a better job of explaining it all than he has done. That's one reason some people yell and scream and drown out others. If his plan had been better presented we might not be having such dissention. That's my opinion. What's yours?
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Here I am again commenting on this topic, only this time my comment is about the absurd reaction some parents are having to the President's speech to school kids. Any parent that objects to the President of the United States speaking to kids about staying in school, working hard and doing their best, and all the other 'pep talk' points to help us cut our dropout rate is in need of psychiatric help. For pete's sake! Reagan and Bush spoke to kids, too. Where was the outcry over that? As a teacher, I see a lot of poor behavior and attitude among parents nowadays, but this takes the cake. My class watched the speech, and the students listened respectfully. I had no adverse reaction from any of my parents. We discussed the speech afterwards with good input from the students.
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When the former president told lie after lie no member of Congress ever was disrespectful like the imbecile from South Carolina the other night. Is this the kind of behavior parents who don't want the president speaking to their children are fostering in their children? Our country is in sad shape if this is truly the case. Wilson is refusing to apologize to the president from the House floor. What does that tell you about his character?
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One reason the health care debates are so raucous is that most people don't understand how the actual process of writing a bill works. People are confused. None of the "bills" currently being worked on will be the final one. Perhaps the news media could do the public a favor and give a civics explanation. Obama might do that too.
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Excellent post.The President is doing what the people elected him to do, and that is CHANGE THINGS. Everything he has done so far is on target with what he said he would do.
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Weird name you have there and you repeated Bobbi's comment from April verbatim. She probably doesn't mind though. Some people don't like the change because they like the status quo and are tied with special interests (like insurance companies). He was very good this morning at the United Nations. Very presidential.
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Why the life is fast becoming money-oriented? What should be the aim of life of a person?
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The latest recession and complete economic downturn has possibly made our materialistic society less so. We can hope. My opinion is that the aim of one's life should be to simply be a good person who makes a contribution to society. Money does not make a person happy. Your comment and my reply don't necessarily have anything to do with the subject of this portion of the blog, but they are good comments (at least I think so!). Food for thought.
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People got tired of racist scandals that appear because the President belong to another race. The second point is about his health reform. My family and friends approve it but we want to see its implementation in real life. But stil we see and here only discussions about it. Only yesterday I came across a large discussion (when I was just looking for the examples of economic reforms at the files search engine http://rapid4me.com . To my mind it is high time to do something except of talks.
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The government will not be interfering at all with your medical needs. You are fortunate to have an employer that pays your insurance costs, because many employers are ceasing that benefit due to the horrible increases in premiums they must pay.
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President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, so obviously someone thnks he is doing a good job.
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Not that you have a choice! You’re fighting fires, handling a customer, rending your face over an emergency bug-fix, the website just went down, and the accountant is coming tomorrow and the books are in shambles.
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This is the stuff that makes America great! Just as the founding fathers stepped away from their farms and businesses to form a new nation, so too do we their heirs step away from the selfish pursuits in our own lives to restore a nation so tarnished by an era of greed and exclusivity! God Bless Barack Obama, and God Bless these UNITED States!
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SC, I've been reading so much negativity about Pres. Obama in our local paper and seeing it on television that it is nice to see someone who is so supportive of him. He stepped into a huge mess and is doing the best he can to clean it up. It will take awhile for him to accomplish this. We must hope that he can make the right decision about the Afghanistan mess and that some sort of good health care reform will be enacted. The senators and Congressmen who are so against health reform are bought and paid for by the insurance companies. Check it out. We must have patience and be as supportive of him as the country was with Bush after 911 and before he invaded Iraq needlessly.
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This blog looks to be read by people who support what this guy is doing. Why is that? Can't you see what this Obamacare thing is about? They want to have control over our lives and our medical care. And they will cut our medicare out so us over 65 won't have any health care. I listen to the talk radio guys who know what is going on. These people in the govement are going to take away our medicare.
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Oh boy you are way off base here. Where did you get the idea that Medicare is going to be cut? Now that the bill has been passed read what is in it and you will see that all of this hoopla was just that, hoopla. The talk radio guys you talk about are entertainers.
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I just found this site and will put in my two cents worth. Good for the House in passing the Health Care Reform bill. Now it is up to the Senate to pass a bill also and then the two branches will iron out one bill. This is needed by our citizens and the Republican naysayers need to do what is best for our country. If we don't have health care reform we will bankrupt our country and many of our citizens. This is not about "socialized medicine" at all but it is about reforming the greedy insurance industry and giving citizens a choice. Many of the legislators who are against reform are in the pockets of the insurance industry. Joe Lieberman is a prime example. Insurance rules his state and his campaign contributions.
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that is CHANGE THINGS. Everything he has done so far is on target with what he said he would do. Obstructionists
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You didn't finish your sentence, but I think you are saying that the obstructionists like Republicans in the Senate and House and those who are indebted to the insurance industry are the ones opposing any reform. If that's what you are saying, you are right!
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the President belongs to another race. The second point is about his health reform. My family and friends approve it but we want to see its implementation
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We can hope. My opinion is that the aim of one's life should be to simply be a good person who makes a contribution to society. Money does not make a person happy. Your comment and my reply don't necessarily have anything to do with the subject
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They want to have control over our lives and our medical care. And they will cut our medicare out so us over 65 won't have any health care. I listen to the talk radio guys who know what is going on.
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Candidate Obama spoke about Afghanistan often during the campaign. This new strategy should not be a surprise to anyone who was listening to him. He is between the proverbial rock and a hard place on this issue. Will this choice be the correct one? Who knows? If he had not sent more troops he would be vilified by some just like he is being by some now. I have confidence that he will do the right thing if this does not work.
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This blog looks to be read by people who support what this guy is doing. Why is that? Can't you see what this Obamacare thing is about? They want to have control over our lives and our medical care. And they will cut our medicare out so us over 65 won't have any health care. I listen to the talk radio guys who know what is going on. These people in the govement are going to take away our medicare.
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I do believe that Obama will turn things around, but like he said the night he got elected…things will start to change but it may take past his term to change them. Let’s just say that I think we have a chance with Obama.
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so far is on target with what he said he would do. Obstructionists, self interests, and those who can't think for themselves are the ones who may prevent him from accomplishing his goals. It will be interesting to see how this all develops.
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once again be warmly received overseas. It's been a long time since this happened. Restoring our credibility around the world will take some time and effort. Obama is doing a good job on this front.
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Obama hasn't done a good job in selling an overhaul of health care. One is badly needed, but he must have thought the congress would pass something without much of his input. It shouldn't be such an extensive overhaul at first and should be a smaller one because people can't handle too much at once with cable news and the special interests on television and radio all the time.
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I'll be watching the "health summit" to see what happens. The Republicans have already said they won't listen or participate. I agree that the president hasn't done as good a job as he could have with this issue, but he's not going to get any sort of collaboration from the Republicans. They will not do what is best for the country, but will try to defeat the president so they can win in 2012 and take the country their way. Too bad. I hope I am wrong. Our health care system is broken and will break the country if something isn't done to begin to fix it.
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I am grateful for the people who stood up and showed courage to vote for the health care bill. While not perfect at all, it is at least a start to provide some relief to many and to begin to rein in the insurance companies who stomp all over their customers.
This is good.
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Once people see that this health care legislation is NOT a government takeover and that it is simply a small step towards reigning in the insurance companies they will begin to accept it and LIKE it. The authors could have made it simpler to understand - then there wouldn't have been so many opportunities for opponents to scare people with untruths. This legislation really doesn't do all that much!
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The opposition party, to which I belong. Give this man a chance to do what the people elected him to do. My party had their turn for 8 years with majorities in both houses of Congress for most of the time.
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My opinion is that the aim of one's life should be to simply be a good person who makes a contribution to society. Money does not make a person happy. Your comment and my reply don't necessarily have anything to do with the subject
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Supreme Court nominee Kagan sounds like a good one.
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I think so. She was confirmed yesterday. It is ridiculous the way the GOP opposes anything this president does. They would oppose Thomas Jefferson if Obama had nominated him. I only wish it were possible to get rid of some of the ones on there like Clarence Thomas, who doesn't do or say anything other than to cast a vote. But I guess that is one of the reasons a Supreme Court nominee is so important: it is a lifetime job. Good Day!
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agree that the president hasn't done as good a job as he could have with this issue, but he's not going to get any sort of collaboration from the Republicans. They will not do what is best for the country, but will try to defeat the president so they can win in 2012 and take the country their way.
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The president has had a tough time with all of the mess he inherited plus new additional problems like the oil spill. Overall I think he has done a good job. There have been some missteps, but he is delivering on his promises. Those who voted for him should be proud of their vote and not be swayed by the loud commentators and others who are opposed to doing what is necessary to fix what is wrong with this country. It is too bad that the media is so overrun with radical right wing talking heads.
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