Quantcast
Article Index |Advertise | Mobile | RSS | Wireless | Newsletter | Archive | Corrections | Syndication | Contact us | About Us| Services
 
  Breaking News :    
Advertisement
Inquirer Mobile
Property Guide

INQUIRER ALERT
Get the free INQUIRER newsletter
Enter your email address:

 
Breaking News / World Type Size: (+) (-)
You are here: Home > News > Breaking News > World

  ARTICLE SERVICES      
     Reprint this article     Print this article  
    Send Feedback  
    Post a comment   Share  

  RELATED STORIES  




imns



Obama urges vote on health care: 'Let's get this done!'


Agence France-Presse
First Posted 09:15:00 03/21/2010

Filed Under: Politics, Health, Congress, Obama Articles

WASHINGTON DC, United States?"Let's get this done... for the American people," President Barack Obama rallied Democratic lawmakers Saturday, a day before a landmark vote on health care reform.

Brimming with confidence despite the cliffhanger vote ahead, Obama extolled the virtues of the health care measure, calling it "a middle of the road bill...designed to help American people in an area of their lives where they urgently need help."

Obama, speaking to the House Democratic Caucus hours before the vote, addressed many details of the compromise legislation he said was the product of "a difficult process."

"This body has taken on some of the toughest votes and some of the toughest decisions in the history of Congress. Not because you were bound to win, but because you were bound to be true," Obama stressed.

After decades of false starts and a year of tough negotiating, he stressed, "it is time to pass health care reform for America."

He recalled the divisive debate that included conservative Republican and Democrats worried about public funding of abortion and the perception of increased government control in private lives, but urged US lawmakers to vote from the heart.

"Don't do it for me. Don't do it for the Democratic Party. Do it for the American people. They're the ones who are looking for action right now," he said.

"There are some things I would like to see that's not in this legislation. But is this the single most important step that we have taken on health care since Medicare? Absolutely!" he added.

To lawmakers worried about the November midterm elections, renovating a third of the Senate and all of the House, and how Sunday's vote would affect their chances, Obama clearly thought passing the health care measure would be a plus.

The health care bill, said Obama, "will end up being the smart thing to do politically because I believe the good policy is good politics."

"This is one of those times where you can honestly say to yourself, Dog-gone it, this is exactly why I came here. This is why I got into politics," Obama told the assembly of lawmakers.

"And this is the time to make true on that promise. We are not bound to win, but we are bound to be true."

The bill aims to extend coverage to 32 million Americans who now have none at all. That would bring the world's richest country closer than ever to guaranteeing health insurance for all its citizens, with 95 percent of Americans covered, when fully in place.



Copyright 2012 Agence France-Presse. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.



Share

RELATED STORIES:

OTHER STORIES:



  ^ Back to top

© Copyright 2001-2012 INQUIRER.net, An INQUIRER Company

The INQUIRER Network: HOME | NEWS | SPORTS | SHOWBIZ & STYLE | TECHNOLOGY | BUSINESS | OPINION | GLOBAL NATION | Site Map
Services: Advertise | Buy Content | Wireless | Newsletter | Low Graphics | Search / Archive | Article Index | Contact us
The INQUIRER Company: About the Inquirer | User Agreement | Link Policy | Privacy Policy

Advertisement
Megaworld
TAGAYTAY FONTAINE VILLAS
Radio on Inquirer.net
Pacquiao