Who do you think will be paying for this wonderful "public option"? Because you won't see a bill from an insurance co., you assume its cheaper? What will motivate a bureaucracy to reduce cost and optimize efficiency? What will the government do differently from what they're currently doing about rising Medicare and medicaid costs? Have you been to a VA center recently or talked with veterans about it? Of course you won't see the $125,000 bills, but how do you feel about an 85 year old having open heart surgery "because he can, and, he will" on your public plan? Who will say no, this doesn't make any sense? With a private plan, at least you can shop around if you don't like it when they increase your premiums, (I recently reduced my premium considerably); with a public plan, you have absolutely no control if the costs skyrocket., your taxes will increase and there's nothing you can do about it. Will government employees and congress be on the same public plan? If its good enough for taxpayers it should be good enough for everyone else.

How is Medicare a success if the costs are skyrocketing???!!

You Don't get it, do you? Obama doesn't get it either. I'm tired of hearing his platitudes, he keeps repeating the same thing.

If you're paying $966/month as a government employee, you're paying more than twice what I am as an individual with a private plan. Point made. Government does not know how to procure anything at reduced cost.

Yes, our government should be managing infrastructure (roads, bridges, water, etc.) and defense. But just because they're doing it --- doesn't mean they're using our taxdollars in the most efficient and effective way. And I don't even want to get started on our public schools... what a disaster. There are very few, if any, examples of a bureaucracy running anything efficiently.

We need healthcare reform;, costs are completely out of control; however, my point is, you don't have to reinvent it to fix it. Obama does not have a viable plan, he doesn't have his arms around the issue yet. Obama and Congress should not rush into it until they have a plan that makes sense and most of all, reduces costs immediately. We can't afford higher premiums or increased taxes for the next 10 years while he gets his act together. Instead of trying to "sell us", he should be focusing on cost reduction. That's the key to getting everyone covered.

Just because the current system isn't working doesn't mean the government has to step in with their own system. The government has already proven they are not capable of managing Medicare or Medicaid. The best solution is to eliminate the insurance companies altogether except for hospitalization

/catastrophic insurance which should be regulated. The money saved by not having to pay monthly premiums can be put in a health savings account and we can make our own choices and shop around for doctors, clinics, prescriptions -- based on best value. Doctors will save money if they don't have to deal with insurance, they will get paid faster, then they can compete with each other. The only way you can truly create competition and reduce costs is if Americans are paying for their own healthcare.

The stories from the audience members are very sad, and as much as we are concerned ---they're not solutions. Obama needs to stop selling, stop the platitudes, and instead, explain how we save money by spending more money. The government has not been able to control the costs for Medicare and Medicaid, so why would this be any different? Sorry, but I'm not buying...

Most Americans would prefer to keep their current plan, which usually is provided by their employer who bears most, if not all the cost. The 12-25% annual increases in premiums have driven many employers out of business. Individuals paying out of pocket for insurance are going bankrupt or simply dropping their insurance. Obama admits Medicare and Medicaid costs have spiraled out of of control and the government can't afford it. The public option is a great solution for employers to eliminate these costs, however -- those costs will shift to the individual now. The cost savings Obama's identified so far are miniscule, 1%.... nothing that will reverse this runaway train.

The constant propoganda from the liberal groups is very eerie and weird.. its what you'd expect from dictators - brainwashing the people, constantly pushing their agenda.

This is Obamaworld.

All we want to know is how the government is paying for it without causing another financial crisis. The numbers don't add up.

I guess we shouldn't expect tax and spend liberals to understand the concept of "cost avoidance!"

Whether you're liberal or conservative you should be glad that

someone is questioning whether reverse discrimination occurred.

It can be subtle, innocent, undeliberate, but its definitely occurring. Unfortunately its in our public school system, in the workplace, everywhere. Its affecting our children, starting in grade school: girls get a pass on all kinds of bad behavior while boys are constantly punished to the point that they drop out of school, or get bad grades, etc. White males especially are victims of hypocrisy, double standards, extreme affirmative action taking place.

Assasinating al-Qaida leaders, the people who planned 9/11 attack on U.S.-- sounds like a pretty good plan to me. Anyway

we know this is just a distraction from the real news that unemployment is rising and the so-called stimulus plan was a

joke on us taxpayers, again.

I have zero confidence in the Obama administration managing healthcare reform. Why don't they prove to us they can fix Medicare and Medicaid first? If they're successful, then they can move on to universal healthcare. If you're not successful

with Medicare, why would you be successful with something even

larger and more complicated?