Obama George Mason University Health Care Speech: text, quotes

President Obama health care address uses Campaign style rhetoric to sell health care bill. 

President Obama continued to campaign fiercely for health care reform at George Mason University as opponents of the health care bill also continued their efforts to convince members of Congress to vote against the bill.

• Obama Health Care Speech: Full Text, Transcript
  

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President Obma: Health Care Speech, George Mason University

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Highlights of Obama's George Mason Address

The health care vote is scheduled for Sunday and by all reports it will be close. Obama is clearly staking a lot on the results of the vote on health care. The President cancelled his state visit to Indonesia to put his weight behind getting the health care bill passed

"Right now we are at the point where we are going to do something historic that is what this health care bill is about" Obama said

The crowd chanted in reply "Yes we can." 

"If this vote fails the insurance industry will continue to run amok...they know this, that is why their lobbyists are stalking the halls of congress as we speak...The only question is this, are we going to let the special interests win again or are we going to make this a victory for the American people.?"

Obama repeated a now familiar theme that the time for debate is over and the good ideas have been incorporated.  Obama stressed that the health care bill was simply common sense reform. Obama reinforced the key highlights of the health care bill including:

Reforming rules for insurance companies

Pre-existing conditions will no longer disqualify children from receiving health insurance coverage. Insurance companies will not be able to jack up health rates because someone has fallen sick. College students will be able to stay on their parent's plan until they are 26 if they need to.

Small Business Owners Expanded Coverage

Small business owners will get the same type of coverage as members of Congress receive Essentially, these owners can be part of a big pool of people who can get cheaper rates because they are part of a big group.

Health Care Costs Will Decrease Overall

Obama said health care costs will come down for families, with some families seeing their rates drop by up to 20%. Obama says this will be achieved by more prudent and efficient ways to deliver health care services. Obama claims that the deficit will be reduced by $1 trillion over the next 20 years.

Obama mocked the cable news networks and the media who are pontificating about the political impact of health care reform on the mid-term elections. He compared the Washington news media to ESPN sports center anchors and "rock em sock em robots."

In classical  rhetorical flourish ended his health care address to the crowd at George Mason University with the lines "we have waited long enough, we have waited long enough, and in just a few days a centuries long struggle will culminate in a historic vote...We are going to fix health care in America."