President Obama on health care reform, 'We're going to get this done one way or another.'

Excerpt:

President Obama said something that everyone should be thinking about. He pointed out that while only (only!) 46 million Americans were without health insurance, that people with private health insurance have a "stake in this" issue. Insurance premiums are going up faster than inflation and millions of people are losing their jobs (and employer paid health insurance as a result). 'Incomes are going down while the cost of medical care is going up.' To do nothing, to accept the status quo means that even those who have private health insurance are going to suffer. The status quo (things as they are now) is unsustainable.

He also said, "If you're a deficit hawk you should be especially concerned." He said that the way things are at present, Medicare will be in the red in just 7 or 8 years. The status quo is not acceptable. The peak of the baby boom were in 1957 and 1958. Children born in those two years are now 52 and 51. If there is no medicare in 8 years, those who were born at the peak of the baby boom will be in serious trouble if they aren't already.

President Obama talked about the scare tactics used by opponents to health care reform. He asked that supporters not be intimidated by scare tactics. 'People are nervous about significant change.'