As President Obama repeatedly tells America that his plan for healthcare reform will not lead to the elimination of private health insurance, statements he made in 2007 and 2003 tell a different story altogether.
In shocking video uncovered by our good friends at Naked Emperor News, Obama, speaking at SEIU's New Leadership Health Care Forum on March 24, 2007, said, "My commitment is to make sure that we have universal healthcare for all Americans by the end of my first term as President."
Later in the discussion, he elaborated (video embedded below the fold):
I would hope that we could set up a system that allows those who can go through their employer to access a federal system or a state pool of some sort. But I don't think we're going to be able to eliminate employer coverage immediately. There's going to be potentially some transition process.
In 2003, Obama stated at an AFL-CIO Civil, Human and Women's Rights Conference:
I happen to be a proponent of a single payer universal healthcare plan...That's what I'd like to see.
Later in the video, viewers are treated to Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) saying on July 27 of this year:
I think that if we get a good public option, it could lead to single payer, and that's the best way to reach single payer.
Yet, the way media are reporting this issue, those who want to stay with private insurance -- which is the vast majority of Americans -- will be able to do so.
Will these new revelations about what Obama really wants make it to a news outlet near you?
Stay tuned.
*****Update: Here's a more complete transcript of Obama's relevant statement at SEIU's New Leadership Health Care Forum on March 24, 2007 --
As I indicated before, I think that we're going to have to have some system where people can buy into a larger pool. Right now their pool typically is the employer, but there are other ways of doing it. I would like to -- I would hope that we could set up a system that allows those who can go through their employer to access a federal system or a state pool of some sort. But I don't think we're going to be able to eliminate employer coverage immediately. There's going to be potentially some transition process. I can envision a decade out or 15 years out or 20 years out where we've got a much more portable system. Employers still have the option of providing coverage, but many people may find that they get better coverage, or at least coverage that gives them more for health care dollars than they spend outside of their employer. And I think we've got to facilitate that and let individuals make that choice to transition out of employer coverage.
Those interested can find a complete transcript of Obama at this event here and a video here.
For more videos like this, please visit Naked Emperor News.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.
By Noel Sheppard
August 2, 2009 - 19:48 ET
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Posted: True Health Is True Wealth
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