President Obama to Eric Cantor: We could make food and drugs cheaper but we don't want to kill people
Eric Cantor wanks away about the 2000 page bill and complains that some people might have to change coverage, the usual government interference with big business stuff and whatnot. Obama called him out on his "props" mentality while trying to discuss health care and the proper role of government oversight. Democrats have done a horrible job on explaining government's role in our lives can be a great thing instead of the republican line that government is the problem.
Obama: We could set up a system where food was cheaper than it is right now if we just eliminated meat inspectors, and we eliminated any regulations on how food is distributed and how it's stored. I'll bet in terms of drug prices we would definitely reduce prescription drug prices if we didn't have a drug administration that makes sure that we test the drugs so that they don't kill us, but we don't do that.
Eric Cantor wanks away about the 2000 page bill and complains that some people might have to change coverage, the usual government interference with big business stuff and whatnot. Obama called him out on his "props" mentality while trying to discuss health care and the proper role of government oversight. Democrats have done a horrible job on explaining government's role in our lives can be a great thing instead of the republican line that government is the problem.
Obama: We could set up a system where food was cheaper than it is right now if we just eliminated meat inspectors, and we eliminated any regulations on how food is distributed and how it's stored. I'll bet in terms of drug prices we would definitely reduce prescription drug prices if we didn't have a drug administration that makes sure that we test the drugs so that they don't kill us, but we don't do that.
We make some decisions to protect consumers in every aspect of our lives.
Health Care Summit: Obama To McCain "The Election Is Over, John"
McCain: Thank you, Mr. President and I understand the four categories. But there is a big category that the people in my state and across this country are deeply concerned about. And that’s not just the product that we are examining today, the 2,400 pages, but the process we’ve gone through to reach that. Now, both of us during the campaign, promised change in Washington. In fact, eight times you said that negotiations on health care reform would be conducted with the C-Span cameras. I’m glad, more than a year later, that they are here. Unfortunately, this product was not produced in that fashion. It was produced behind closed doors. It was produced with unsavory—and I say that with respect—deal-making. The “Louisiana Purchase”, the funding of $300 million for one state, the “Cornhusker Kickback,” which is, I understand now, been done away with. One of the things as provisions of this legislation that was particularly offensive was the carve out for 800,000 for Florida seniors exempt from cuts in Medicare Advantage Program. There’s 330,000 seniors under Medicare Advantage in my home state of Arizona. They’re deeply concerned about that. They’re deeply concerned about the carve-outs for Vermont, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Michigan, Connecticut, $100 million for a hospital in Connecticut. Why? Why should that happen? They don’t understand it. And at the townhall meetings I conduct all over my state, people are angry. We promised them change in Washington. And what we got was a process that you and I both said we would change in Washington.
McCain: Thank you, Mr. President and I understand the four categories. But there is a big category that the people in my state and across this country are deeply concerned about. And that’s not just the product that we are examining today, the 2,400 pages, but the process we’ve gone through to reach that. Now, both of us during the campaign, promised change in Washington. In fact, eight times you said that negotiations on health care reform would be conducted with the C-Span cameras. I’m glad, more than a year later, that they are here. Unfortunately, this product was not produced in that fashion. It was produced behind closed doors. It was produced with unsavory—and I say that with respect—deal-making. The “Louisiana Purchase”, the funding of $300 million for one state, the “Cornhusker Kickback,” which is, I understand now, been done away with. One of the things as provisions of this legislation that was particularly offensive was the carve out for 800,000 for Florida seniors exempt from cuts in Medicare Advantage Program. There’s 330,000 seniors under Medicare Advantage in my home state of Arizona. They’re deeply concerned about that. They’re deeply concerned about the carve-outs for Vermont, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Michigan, Connecticut, $100 million for a hospital in Connecticut. Why? Why should that happen? They don’t understand it. And at the townhall meetings I conduct all over my state, people are angry. We promised them change in Washington. And what we got was a process that you and I both said we would change in Washington.
Frankly, responding to McCain's concern trolling is laughable. Which is why Obama's response is the only way to do so.
OBAMA: Let me just make this point, John, because we are not campaigning anymore.
McCAIN: I'm reminded of that every day.
OBAMA: So we can spend the remainder of the time with our respective talking points going back and forth, we were supposed to be talking about insurance reform. Obviously I'm sure that Harry Reid and Chris Dodd and others who went through an exhaustive process through both the House and the Senate with the most hearings, the most debates on the floor, the longest markup in 22 years on each of these bills, will have a response for you. My concern is, if we do that, we are essentially back on Fox News and MSNBC on the split screen. My hope would be is that we can just focus on the issues about how we get a bill done.
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