歐巴馬的國會演說
【邱鴻安】在9日晚的國會演說中，歐巴馬終於提出了他的健改計畫。在此之前，雖然他推銷這項改革已有數個月，但是卻一直沒有說出他自己的計畫，直到現在，由於這項改革形勢落後，他終於改變作風，站到最前線，為改革衝鋒陷陣。在演說中，他不僅清楚說出他的改革目標，還提出了落實目標的具體辦法。不過，他提出的仍是他自己的計畫，國會不一定會接受，所以他還要遊說國會去接受和通過他的計畫。
在計畫的目標方面，可從民眾的角度去說明。對於那些已有健保的人來說，歐巴馬說，他的計畫不會改變他們現有的健改；已參加了聯邦健保計畫(Medicare)的65歲以上人士，也不會受到影響。對於那些無健保人士，改革將使他們得到可負擔的 (affordable)健保，那些轉職及被裁員的人，不用再擔心會失去健保，保險公司再不能因為投保人患病而拒保和棄保。
在具體辦法方面，健改將會設立一個市場機制 (an exchange)，保險公司可以參加這個健保市場，而無健保人士也可以在這個市場中選擇適合自己的健保計畫。這個市場機制的最大好處是確保競爭，保險公司提出的健保計畫必須具有競爭力，才能在這個市場中吸引顧客。
至於引起極大爭論的公營健保，也將會成為健保市場中的一項選擇(a public option)，進入市場的無健保人士，可在包括公營健保在內的各種健保計畫之中作出選擇。 歐巴馬的計畫將會規定，所有人(不包括非法移民)都必須購買健保，但他沒有說，不買健保的人是否會被罰款。為什麼所有人都要購買健保？因為那些不買健保的人，當生病時，會去急診室求醫，但急診的成本卻是平常醫療成本的三倍，因此無健保人士必須購買健保，才有助於降低整體的健保成本。
至於改革所需的經費，歐巴馬說，最初十年需款9000億元，大部分經費來自現有健保制度(主要是Medicare和Medicaid)，只要減少現在的浪費情況，就可節省到9000億元中的大部分經費。其餘的小部分經費，則來自保險公司和藥物公司，因為這些公司將可以從健保市場中取得大量新客戶。
歐巴馬說，他不會簽署任何增加聯邦預算赤字的健改法案，另外，他的計畫還會規定，任何健改法案都必須寫明：如果改革的經費出現超支，聯邦政府就必須作出削減支出的行動，以確保聯邦政府不會因健改而出現赤字。
歐巴馬的計畫有待國會通過才能落實，但國會是否接受他的計畫，還沒有定數。共和黨反對健改的態度看來不會改變，而歐巴馬這次演說的最大作用，應是推動民主黨的團結，只要民主黨能夠團結，歐巴馬的計畫在國會過關的機會就會提高。樂觀的估計是，在民主黨控制下的聯邦眾院，最後應可通過歐巴馬的計畫，而在民主黨沒有絕對優勢的聯邦參院，歐巴馬須爭取到少數共和黨參議員的支持，他的計畫才有機會過關，但是爭取共和黨參議員所付出的代價可能很大，公營健保可能成為交換籌碼。(世界日報，9.11.2009)
There are a number of theories about why America's greatest living statesman shouted "You lie!" at that juncture, but mine is that Wilson said it because Obama told a big, fat stinking lie.
Every single American knows it's a lie. But liberals take pleasure in repeating it -- and then condescendingly accusing anyone who doesn't accept their lie of being a toothless, illiterate racist.
Our politicians, media and courts have done everything they can to encourage illegal immigration, including obstinately refusing to enforce the border. While illegals streaming across the border generally aren't prosecuted, U.S. border patrol agents who naively try to guard the border often are.
Wise (and pregnant) Latinas dash across the border just in time to give birth at American hospitals -- medical services paid for by U.S. taxpayers -- gaining instant citizenship for their children, thereby entitling them to the entire Chinese menu of American welfare programs.
In 2004, 42.6 percent of all babies born at taxpayer expense in California were born to illegal aliens, according to a state report on Medi-Cal-funded deliveries. In hospitals close to the Mexican border, the figure is closer to 80 percent. Remember: This is before health care becomes "free" to every U.S. resident.
Hospitals across the country are going bankrupt because the federal government forces them to provide free services to illegals. This situation appears to have angered some segment of the population, in particular, American citizens who pay taxes to support the hospitals, but then are forced to spend hours writhing in pain in hospital waiting rooms.
With Americans in a boiling cauldron of rage about the government's impotent response to the tsunami of illegal immigrants, last year, both political parties ran candidates for president who favor amnesty for illegal immigrants.
And now Democrats have the audacity to tell us to our faces that national health care won't cover illegals. Not only that, but they tell us we must not be able to read if we think it does.
The crystalline example of this sneering liberal pomposity came from MSNBC's Rachel Maddow on Monday night:
"Reading the House health care bill would show you that (the bill does not cover illegal aliens). But you know, sometimes reading is hard. Fortunately, in the case of the health reform bill, there is a way to get all of the information that's in it without any of that pesky reading.
"It's called HearTheBill.org. Volunteer voiceover actors have donated their time to read all 1,017 pages of the house health care reform bill, HR-3200, the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009. "So if you don't want to tire out your eyes, you could just listen to the thing that disproves (Rep. Wilson)."
Maddow then played an audio clip of Section 246 from the bill. This section, which liberals keep brandishing like a DNA-stained dress, states: "Nothing in this subtitle shall allow federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States."
In other words, illegal aliens are excluded from precisely one section of the thousand-page, goodie-laden health care bill: Section 246, which distributes taxpayer-funded "affordability credits" to people who can't afford to pay for their own health care.
Even this minor restriction on taxpayer largesse to illegals will immediately be overturned by the courts. But the point is: Except for vouchers, the bill does not even pretend to exclude illegals from any part of national health care -- including the taxpayer-funded health insurance plan.
Moreover, liberals won't have to wait for some court to find that the words "nothing in this subtitle shall allow" means "this bill allows," because the bill contains no mechanism to ensure that the health care vouchers aren't going to illegal aliens. Nor does the bill prohibit the states from providing taxpayer-funded health care vouchers to illegals.
Democrats keep voting down Republican amendments that would insert these restrictions -- just before dashing to a TV studio to denounce anyone who says the health care bill covers illegal aliens.
It's as if we have a relative who shows up at every holiday gathering, gets bombed and totals the family car. At the 18th Christmas celebration, he's not only demanding a drink, but also calling us liars for saying he's already totaled 17 family cars. Gimme a gin and tonic and the car keys, you lying racist!
I think that's why America's greatest living statesman erupted with rage when Obama retailed this particular lie during his speech on health care.
It's bad enough to be lied to, but to be lied to by people who accuse us of not being able to read when the problem is that we can read -- and also can remember what happened at the last 17 family Christmases -- is more than even Mother Teresa could bear without a quick heckle.
若健保能改革, 歐將名留青史。
只觉苍天方愦愦，欲凭赤手拯元元。
十年揽辔悲羸马，万众梯山似病猿。
我志未酬人犹苦，东南到处有啼痕。
祝奧巴瑪健保改革成功！