Obama: Losing Insurance Can Happen To Anybody
In this week’s YouTube address, President Obama warned that losing health insurance is something that can happen to anybody — and according to a new report from the Treasury Department, it will happen to half of all Americans under 65, unless something is done about it:
“If you’re under the age of 21 today, chances are more than half that you’ll find yourself uninsured at some point in that time. And more than one-third of Americans will go without coverage for longer than one year,” said Obama. “I refuse to allow that future to happen. In the United States of America, no one should have to worry that they’ll go without health insurance – not for one year, not for one month, not for one day. And once I sign my health reform plan into law – they won’t.”
Cornyn: Instead of More Speeches, Obama Should Listen To Republicans
In this week’s Republican address, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) praised President Obama for taking a bipartisan approach to the Afghanistan War — and attacked Obama’s health care proposals:
“He’s paid lip service to bipartisanship while rejecting the ideas that would build bipartisan support,” said Cornyn. “As a result, the President has alienated not only independents and divided his own party, but Republicans as well. And, he’s ignored the clear wishes of the American people. So the President gave another big speech this week to try to turn his numbers around. But instead of talking, the President and Congressional Democrats should spend a little more time listening.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will speak to a health care rally at 2 p.m. ET, at the Target Center in Minneapolis. He will depart from Minnesota at 3:35 p.m. ET, and arrive back at the White House at 6 p.m. ET.
Tea Party Marches On Washington
The 9/12 Tea Party even marched to the Capitol today, with a crowd of many thousands of people spreading for blocks across Pennsylvania Avenue, though an estimated crowd size does not appear to be available yet. One popular chant at the event was “You lie,” in honor of Rep. Joe Wilson’s (R-SC) outburst during President Obama’s speech to Congress. (Late Update: ABC News reports the turnout to be between 60,000 and 70,000, according to the D.C. Fire Department.)
Census Bureau Severs Ties With ACORN
The Census Bureau has has cut its ties with ACORN — which was to help recruit census-takers — in the wake of hidden-camera video by conservative activists receiving tips from the group’s Baltimore office on how to falsify tax forms. “It is clear that ACORN’s affiliation with the 2010 census promotion has caused sufficient concern in the general public, has indeed become a distraction from our mission, and may even become a discouragement to public cooperation, negatively impacting 2010 census efforts,” wrote Census director Robert Groves.
White House Imposes Increased Tariff On Chinese Tires
The Obama administration has announced an increased tariff on Chinese-made tires, intended “to remedy the clear disruption to the U.S. tire industry,” by cheap Chinese imports. The Chinese government has denounced the move: “Not only does it violate WTO rules, it contravenes commitments the United States government made at the G20 financial summit, and is an abuse of special safeguard provisions that sends the wrong signal to the world.”
Andrew Card Not Running For Ted Kennedy’s Senate Seat
Former Bush administration Chief of Staff Andrew Card has announced that he will not run in the Massachusetts special election for Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat — which did seem like an odd idea, considering Bush’s unpopularity in the state. Card is instead endorsing GOP state Sen. Scott Brown. “I had done my due diligence and decided it was probably not in my best interest to run,” said Card. “I’m disappointed but not unhappy.”
Franken: I’m Not Running For President — “I LIke Tom Harkin And I Like Steak”
Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) joked with Radio Iowa about his upcoming keynote appearance at the annual Tom Harkin Steak Fry fundraiser. “I guess that most people who speak at the Steak Fry eventually run for president. I guess that’s been the history but I’m not interested in running for president,” Franken said — who wrote an absurdist comedy novel in the late 1990’s, about himself running for president. “I’m coming because I like Tom Harkin and I like steak.”
