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Book Tour Shows Palin
Hitting a Nerve

'Going Rogue' phenomenon may foreshadow something bigger

Nov 22, 09 2:46 PM CST
Matt Taibbi

Palin: Our First WWE Politician

Pick an asshole, any asshole, and she'll rock the house

Nov 22, 09 10:44 AM CST
editorial

NYT to Blankfein:
Your 'Apology'
Is Bull

Editorial board schools Goldman CEO in true meaning of 'sorry'

Nov 22, 09 4:53 PM CST
ROLLICKING RHODE ISLAND

Zip It on
Communion
Ban: Bishop
to Kennedy

Tobin thinks Patrick's spiritual matters should be left private

4 hours, 46 minutes ago
the big plan

Beck Will Host Conventions
to Educate America

He's shifting toward political organizer, plans big DC rally

Nov 21, 09 5:06 PM CST
Once-Profitable Services
Are Killing Local Budgets

Utilities, transport, even gambling, are now $3.5B drains

6 hours, 16 minutes ago
Debt-Happy US Faces Payback Time as Rates Rise

Cost of debt to skyrocket $500B in next 10 years

10 hours, 39 minutes ago
First State Dinner to
Reveal Obama A-Listers

Mad scramble for invitations

16 hours, 25 minutes ago
Palin Pulls in Big Bucks
—for Democrats

'Going Rogue' boosts Dem fundraising to new high

Nov 21, 09 6:50 AM CST
who let the paranoids out?

46 Years After Kennedy, the Virus of Hate Is Back

Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert panders to dangerous paranoids

Nov 21, 09 9:08 AM CST
Jim DeMint Becomes Hill's Top Tea Partier

South Carolina senator throws weight behind conservative insurgents

10 hours, 20 minutes ago
Ethics Panel Charges Sanford With 37 Violations

Civil committee slams SC gov for travel expenses

3 hours, 42 minutes ago
TALK SHOW ROUNDUP

McConnell:
Dems Proceed
at 2010 Peril

Senators hit the Sunday talk shows after health vote

Nov 22, 09 11:15 AM CST

|NEXT STORY »

Obama Asks Unions for Health-Reform Support

President expresses support for public option in speech to AFL-CIO

By Nick McMaster| Posted Sep 7, 09 2:51 PM CDT|

(Newser) – President Obama honored the achievements of organized labor today, pointing out that iniatives like the minimum wage and paid vacation “bear the union label,” the AP reports. Speaking at an AFL-CIO meeting in Cincinnati, Obama asked for union support in his push to reform the health care system, and he pledged to make progress on a bill that would make it easier for workers to join unions.

"We have never been this close" to reforming health care, Obama said. "We have never had this broad an agreement on what needs to be done." The president didn’t divulge many details of Wednesday's address to Congress on the issue, but he expressed support for a government-run plan, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. “I continue to believe that a public option within the basket of insurance choices would help improve quality and bring down costs,'' Obama said.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

President Barack Obama speaks at the AFL-CIO Labor Day picnic at Coney Island in Cincinnati, Monday, Sept. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/David Kohl)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

It was labor that helped build the largest middle class in history. So, even if you're not a union member, every American owes something to America's labor movement.
- Barack Obama

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

11.23.09

Books Are Bad for You

11.20.09

The Health-Care Wars Have Just Begun

48 comments

VIEWING:

suiteharte
Sep 7, 09 2:58 PM CDT

I would like to see food reform.. if I were employed...then my employer provides me with a policy where for a 15$ copay, I could buy all the rice and beans that I need for my family. If I get a referral from my government nutrituionist, then I can get something green ( another 15$ copy). The really important people in the company could get a better meat and potatos policy that befits their skills and education... Congress.... meat, potatos, greens..lobster and crabs for life, their families too. Goodbye obestiy.... Reply

IN RESPONSE:

DJM420
Sep 7, 09 3:39 PM CDT

so who's the wannabe socialist then...get a job, lazy

IN RESPONSE:

suiteharte
Sep 7, 09 3:47 PM CDT

this place is all about name calling... man...I am 73 years old.. I made a little bit of money...I am not collection SS.. I guess I should die for the good of society

-2

IN RESPONSE:

suiteharte
Sep 7, 09 3:53 PM CDT

I have to apologize... that was a bit self pitying... but really... DJ you and your friiends lack any kind of debating skill, intellectual discnerment or civil propriety ... me...I am done with this place. enjoy but please....try to rember the rules they taught you in kindergarten

IN RESPONSE:

dontlikeyou
Sep 7, 09 4:54 PM CDT

Dream on socialist. Get off your behind and get a job.

-10

IN RESPONSE:

cornelison
Sep 7, 09 5:38 PM CDT

Bye, bye.

IN RESPONSE:

Rocket448
Sep 7, 09 5:41 PM CDT

Having just seen a PSA on TV for food banks, I have to say how frustrating it is to live in America and learn there's hunger in this country. Its a real shame.

IN RESPONSE:

WallyEFunk
Sep 7, 09 6:59 PM CDT

In the US.. hunger, ignorance,sickness , infint mortality. and PPL like DJM, dontlike,cornelison,libertyman. like women voting ,Unions ,abolished slavery .there was change. Some PPL forgot how bad things were before PPL got togeather for " we the PPL" and forget it was them standing togeather as one.

IN RESPONSE:

Face-Of-RNC
Sep 8, 09 9:02 AM CDT

If corporate interests continue their stranglehold on food the way they have on healthcare, then food reform may be the only way you and your family get anything to eat. Corporate control of all food, and everything else, that's what some would have us believe is truly the American way.

IN RESPONSE:

DJM420
Sep 8, 09 11:44 AM CDT

suiteharte...get off your high horse with your 'debating skills" and LeRn 2 spEl ... and what's your interest in preventing 1/6th of America from having affordable access to hc? you're set, right? so screw everyone else? many people are hungry because they lost all their money to NC! and to be honest, it was hard to 'discern' where your rambling was heading, not to mention, you made no mention of your age...

IN RESPONSE:

DJM420
Sep 8, 09 11:46 AM CDT

haha..HC, not NC...pot calling the kettle

| 0 minutes ago

LibertyMan
Sep 7, 09 3:02 PM CDT

I think that was tried before....it was called the Soviet Union....long lines, bare shelves, sullen sales staff, rationed everything.....all for the good of the people. Socialism is evil incarnate. And so is Obamacare. Reply

-14

IN RESPONSE:

dontlikeyou
Sep 7, 09 4:56 PM CDT

Definitely evil. Socialism kills the hopes and dreams of countless generations.

-7

IN RESPONSE:

newzjunkie
Sep 7, 09 5:05 PM CDT

suiteharte, I agree with you.... no matter what you say on these boards you get attacked. I'd like to find another site without all the name-calling and putting people down.

IN RESPONSE:

WallyEFunk
Sep 7, 09 6:45 PM CDT

U can't find a middle of the road.Eh. socialism is evil? sorta like the teaching of Jesus Christ.Looking after Ur fellow man. Evil uses sneeky meathods patritism,flags and half truths.When U point a finger 3 point back. Know no history?Move back to the 1800's and lets hear U say unions were not needed or sociallist.Go and tell that to the coal working community. Wonder what would happen to U. Thank a union for alot we have now.

IN RESPONSE:

Reader60610265
Sep 7, 09 6:47 PM CDT

Desert, aint it the truth.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

Adapt-Overcome
Sep 8, 09 6:07 AM CDT

Your ignorance and others like you is what creates problems and never any solutions which explains why you belong to the party of NO SOLUTIONS.

IN RESPONSE:

emptycalm
Sep 8, 09 11:30 AM CDT

I would hardly call the soviet union an example of what socialism is supposed to be nor would I call it evil. I'd call the people evil who abused it for their own purposes but that happens in capitalist governments as well. It's always made me laugh that supporters of a bureaucratic, large, imperialist government who tries to spread their ideology, would complain about the soviet union doing the exact same thing.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

DJM420
Sep 7, 09 3:41 PM CDT

both parties pander to corporate suits...give us something to work with here... enlighten us, oh wise one

IN RESPONSE:

cornelison
Sep 7, 09 5:40 PM CDT

His rescue plan for the economy has helped my investment portfolio.

IN RESPONSE:

godawgs
Sep 7, 09 6:42 PM CDT

@corn I am going to call bullshit because just last week you were talking about how you were pulling all of your money out of stuff in the states. so what is it, is he helping or hurting because last week he was hurting.

| 0 minutes ago

hamsammichs
Sep 7, 09 3:22 PM CDT

"We have never had this broad an agreement on what needs to be done."... you're KIDDING right?!? Reply

IN RESPONSE:

JaneMP
Sep 7, 09 9:53 PM CDT

No, the president is NOT kidding. Polls show that between 55-69% of American citizen agree with the need to reform health insurance. Most believe the public OPTION (for those of you who don't know, OPTION means CHOICE). Sadly, the right has gone nuts and misrepresented this so badly that no one can discuss this because of the noise.

-1

| 0 minutes ago

Dr.Y.Dino
Sep 7, 09 3:57 PM CDT

Hypocrisy - the EFCA is only free choice when there isn't a union. BUT that same "free choice" is not allowed if you want to remove a union, or even change to a different union for representation. The same goes for ObamaCare - regardless of what he's promised, Obama won't require Congress and all Federal employees be enrolled in the "Public Option". (e.g. HR3200 specifically excludes them.) Reply

IN RESPONSE:

cornelison
Sep 7, 09 5:34 PM CDT

Federal employees & Congress already have a public option. They get their health care at a govt-run hospital - Bethesda.

IN RESPONSE:

jamerican
Sep 7, 09 6:18 PM CDT

You are right...it is hipocracy and it is NOT free choice. All of us Americans will get screwed. We will all get incompetent health care full of red tape nightmares and we (those of us who work) will get higher taxes to pay for the lazy, the illegal criminal immigrants (wet backs), illegal Cubans, and others that no one seems to have the balls to enforce the laws to kick out of our country, the abortions on demand, and other parts of the healthcare nightmare that people don't want to talk about. And congress, full of fat cat prostitutes and pimps will get their "special" gold care healthcare for life, which is 10 times better than anything we are getting offerred. No conflict here. Obama is a radical racial marxist.

-4

IN RESPONSE:

JaneMP
Sep 7, 09 9:56 PM CDT

jamerica, what I LOVE about you is that you never allow facts to get in the way of your opinons. It is called the public option--what makes you believe there will not be choice? Secondly, NO illegals will be covered. Third--the HYDE ammendment does not allow the government to pay for abortions. Have you ever read the bill?

IN RESPONSE:

Rocket448
Sep 7, 09 5:16 PM CDT

I still don't know what a "mooliyans" is, but for your consideration: A new study by SurveyUSA puts support for a public option at a robust 77 percent, one percentage point higher than where it stood in June. In a Time Magazine poll, forty-six percent of respondents said it was "very important" that Congress and the President pass major health reform in the next few months, and an additional 23% said it was "somewhat important." Only 28% found the immediate effort either not very or not at all important. In a separate question, more Americans said it would be better to pass "major reform" to health care (55%) rather than "minor adjustments" (43%). All I have to say is, MSF you have no idea what you're talking about.

IN RESPONSE:

WallyEFunk
Sep 7, 09 6:51 PM CDT

They can't hear U. The ears close when facts are presented. Gadawgs said he didn't care if Canadains were 99 % happy with there health care. It wouldn't change his mind. It's the no tax thing.

-1

| 0 minutes ago

doingtherightthing
Sep 7, 09 4:39 PM CDT

Obama has done a good job in dividing this country. He's spending beyond means. He's enforcing beyond the constitution. He's instituted his form of socialism. But the biggest thing he's done so far is against the American people. Socialized Obamacare. He'll kill the seniors and give our dollars to aid his abortions and illegals in this bill. Obamacare cares not for the American citizen. This president will go down in 2012 or sooner. I'm good to go for a impeachment! Reply

-4

IN RESPONSE:

Rocket448
Sep 7, 09 5:12 PM CDT

Of course you are. Sorry to say, there are standards for impeachment which don't beear on how much you don't like Mr. Obama.

IN RESPONSE:

cornelison
Sep 7, 09 5:35 PM CDT

Congress has a public option in a govt-run hospital. Every time they use it they are "socialists." Every time you pay your taxes you are a "socialist."

-1

IN RESPONSE:

cornelison
Sep 7, 09 5:42 PM CDT

Do you work for an insurance company? Some employees have been bullied into protesting at town halls. A "whistle-blower" has told the media about this harassment.

| 0 minutes ago

ClearSight
Sep 7, 09 5:12 PM CDT

Heres something you won't find on Newser, but you should....Chew on that you progressive loons.... .http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/6147211/Barack-Obama-accused-of-making-Depression-mistakes.html Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Jayster999
Sep 7, 09 5:26 PM CDT

Yeah, you do that chump. The lefty special interest groups (Eco-fascists, minorities, gays, druggies, welfare moms, wetbacks, unionists, government workers, media propagandists, teachers, gays and the Hollywood crowd), are always on board with socialism. The rest of us say: "Go to hell, Obummer, we don't need any more of your thievery." Reply

-1

IN RESPONSE:

cornelison
Sep 7, 09 5:37 PM CDT

Your "socialist" members of Congress use an excellent govt-run hospital in their health plan. Check out which Republican Senators have had their operations there.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

WallyEFunk
Sep 7, 09 6:27 PM CDT

Those Commie unions. Cutting into the profits of hard working corporations. Whats wrong with these PPL take what they give U .sickness long hours who cares if U have no pention or money at age 65 get a job @ wallmart. Does this sound dumb? Unions gave a middle class to America. move back to the 1800's jayster,U have got to be a retired military man, never living the the real world.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

godawgs
Sep 7, 09 6:38 PM CDT

@walle I am intrigued by your accusations that everyone is a retired military man, who never lived in the real world. So even if someone was a career military person you don't consider that a real job? If not, what do you consider the real world, I would be interested to know. Also it's pension.

IN RESPONSE:

godawgs
Sep 7, 09 6:44 PM CDT

@corn we all know that every member of congress gets to use a government run health care, so do the military and civil service. what is your point? the republicans tried to get an amendment added to HR 3200 where congress would fall under the same health care they are going to give us, but it got voted down on party lines. So you tell me which party is in the majority on each committee? that's right the left....

IN RESPONSE:

WallyEFunk
Sep 7, 09 7:13 PM CDT

Hell no gadwags .U missed what I said in an earlier post. MUCH needed, thank god, for U and what U do.U deserve EVERY thing Ur got or getting.. THANK U again. for sacrifices U had to have made... But really. Have did U have to worry about Food shelter clothing medical care retirement,life insurance for family.Tell me about the "real life" experiances about getting laid off. cancelling dentist appointment for Ur wife or kids.hotwater heater braeking down and having to get the kids winter coats next week, pentions missing .losing sleep about getting food in the house.Real life problems PPL live every day. I'm not a socailist ,but I do know U can't let companies look after all. their for the dollar, NOT for the country , there fellow man .or the family, or god.. U need a balance. more is spent every day on a war,money they didn't spend or have before.., then for PPL in there own country. Is something wrong with that picture?

IN RESPONSE:

godawgs
Sep 7, 09 7:48 PM CDT

@walle yes because the way you are saying what you are saying in your posts is disrespectful to everyone who was or is in the military. Also I have been laid off and fired from jobs. I didn't go to the dentist until I joined the military so what is your point?

IN RESPONSE:

WallyEFunk
Sep 7, 09 8:13 PM CDT

I note U never made that point in the last commnet U made to me.Why ? (DON'T ANSWER) Well Apoligies.State very clearly ,about job they did most important ,ETC. deserved on what they got or getting...U miss that? If it is offencive to say, what is obvious ,with PPl that are full time military or been in for a long time and/or retired on the government .If I was needing a wife the army would of issued me one. " My only point ,would be ...." U never told Ur day to day stuggles with health care ETC while in the military. U just attacked me. Missing that and other real issue point I made.. Good come back,nice O'Bama spin. for the record how many years. 1 or 2 ?

IN RESPONSE:

JaneMP
Sep 7, 09 10:02 PM CDT

Okay, Jayster--you're correct. The President is a thief because he wants affordbale healthcare for all, good schools, and an improved economy. Can you believe the nerve of that man?

-1

IN RESPONSE:

godawgs
Sep 7, 09 11:01 PM CDT

@wall first off, you should really shorten your responses. When I was in the Navy for 9 years, which I have told you before, of course I didn't have to worry about health care, food, or clothing (if you consider a uniform clothing) that stuff comes with the job. I was also deployed about 6 of those nine years. That means away from family out in the water. So i am sorry if you can't get a job that pays for your health care but for you to sit there and try and blast the military because it gives health care, and i was in is fucking nuts. You are not the worst poster on this site.

IN RESPONSE:

godawgs
Sep 7, 09 11:03 PM CDT

@walle i meant now, you now the worst poster on this site, but that's just my opinion.

IN RESPONSE:

WallyEFunk
Sep 8, 09 12:22 AM CDT

Wow again I didn't BLAST the military. What nuts is Ur added things I DIDN"T SAY.and ignore the issues.glad U agree with me about missing out on the things most PPl have to deal with. So its hard for U to know the real world been like .FYI. ROAD ,SCHOOLS FIRE DEPT . ETC are also paid unequally by everyone. Well would go on but Ur mind is too narrow and twists things around. like U said U don't care about facts .why do U post? to see how many negatives U can get. What no friends at the GOP, U have to suck up to liberal newsers posters? Ur words back @ ya..

| 0 minutes ago

cornelison
Sep 7, 09 5:32 PM CDT

Hi dontlikeyou. Your "socialist" representatives in Congress have a health plan that includes a govt-run hospital - Bathesda. Republican Senators go there for excellent surgery. Call them & tell them to get private insurance instead. Reply

-2

IN RESPONSE:

godawgs
Sep 7, 09 6:45 PM CDT

you said that above....

| 0 minutes ago

View all 48 comments »

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Obama Asks Unions for Health-Reform Support

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