Earlier
Tuesday, a hostile crowd shouted questions and made angry statements
against proposed health care legislation at a Pennsylvania meeting led
by Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter.
Obama and Democratic leaders
have accused opponents of health care changes of organizing protests
intended to drown out the debate, but Republicans respond that the
public anger is a genuine response to what they call excessive and
misguided legislation.
In New Hampshire, Obama welcomed a
"vigorous" debate as part of the democratic process but said people
should talk "with each other and not over each other."
He criticized "wild misrepresentations" by special interests trying to undermine health-care legislation before Congress.
In particular, Obama
rejected rumors that a health care bill passed by a House committee
included setting up "death panels" to decide whether senior citizens
get treatment. He called spreading such rumors a longstanding practice
by opponents of health care reform, such as "those who profit under the
status quo."
"What is really scary, what is really risky, is to
do nothing," Obama said, noting that premiums paid for health care
coverage were rising three times faster than wages and that the
government-run Medicare program for senior citizens would run out of
money within a decade
In a new twist at such forums, Obama specifically asked for
questions from opponents of health care legislation to address issues
of concern.
He repeated guarantees that a health care overhaul
won't force anyone to give up health insurance they like and won't cut
Medicare benefits, and he stood by his election pledge that he won't
raise taxes on people making less than $250,000 a year.
At the same time, Obama defended his call for a government-funded public health
insurance option to compete against private insurers. He said such an
option would hold down rates, rejecting accusations that it amounted to
a government takeover of health care because private companies can't
compete with a government-funded plan.
"UPS and FedEx are doing
just fine," Obama said, referring to private courier services that
compete with the U.S. Postal Service. "It's the Post Office that's
always having problems."
The atmosphere was different at
Specter's morning event in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, where angry
questioners made emotional statements against health care proposals
that they likened to a socialist takeover of the country.
One man who shouted an unsolicited comment was shoved by another,
prompting Specter to intervene while warning that those disrupting the
meeting would be thrown out.
Videos of other protests
circulating on the Internet show raucous crowds heckling their
representatives in Congress and carrying posters with devil horns drawn
on lawmakers' heads, swastikas, or Obama with Adolf Hitler's mustache
drawn on his face.
The White House has launched what it calls a Health Insurance Reform
Reality Check Web site designed to combat what the administration
considers misinformation about the issue. The Web page features Obama
aides discussing various aspects of health-care reform.
However, the Web site prompted Republican complaints that Obama's government would use it to compile a list of enemies.
Obama rejected that accusation, too.
He called a health care overhaul essential for ensuring long-term
economic stability while ensuring that that virtually all Americans
have access to health insurance.
"The status quo is not working for you," Obama said, to applause.
Congressional action on a health care overhaul has slowed because
of strong Republican opposition. Neither chamber met Obama's goal of
passing a bill before their August recess.
In
particular, Republicans and some Democrats reject the proposed public
option, which they believe will lead to a government takeover of the
health care system and prove too costly.
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