Kentucky delegation reacts to Obama speech

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's toughly worded address Wednesday to Congress on health care reform made a compelling and inspirational case for action on reform legislation, according to U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth.

“If this didn't move people, nothing ever will,” Yarmuth, D-3rd District, said in an interview. “He made the case as compelling as he could about the need for change and the way in which this reform proposal would benefit every American.”

But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Obama failed to address Americans' worries about the president's plan.

“There's a bipartisan agreement on the need for reform,” McConnell said in an interview. “(But) he set up a false choice between a massive government takeover or no reform at all. Frankly, that isn't the choice.”

Area lawmakers, just back from a monthlong recess during which health care reform dominated encounters with constituents, are facing an array of congressionally generated proposals now likely to be further revised to incorporate ideas Obama discussed in his speech.

Yarmuth said Obama made a compelling case for change, and directly attacked the confusion and myths that have eroded public support for health care reform.

“I think the vast majority of people in this country who are engaged in this issue are mostly confused, and that is understandable because it's a very complicated process to try to reform a sixth of the economy,” he said. “But those people who were genuinely interested in answers and clarity would have gotten it tonight.”

McConnell said Obama is not in sync with the public's wishes on health care.

“When it comes to health care, Americans have made it pretty clear to all of us they don't want government to tear down the whole system we have and build an even bigger, government-run system that adds massive spending and debt,” he said. “What they want us to do is repair it and incrementally fix it.”

Earlier in the day, McConnell and House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, held a Capitol Hill press conference criticizing Obama's approach.

“What we ought to do is skinny this thing down, target the problems in the system that we can call agree on, and try to go forward on a bipartisan basis,” McConnell told reporters.

Obama's acknowledgment that malpractice lawsuits force some doctors to practice “defensive medicine” and his directive that demonstration projects to test proposed changes should be started now did not convince McConnell.

“I wouldn't call that a serious junk-lawsuit proposal,” McConnell said. “If he wants a bipartisan bill, a real proposal to do something about junk lawsuits against doctors and hospitals would be a way to get a lot of Republicans interested.”

As for prospects for an agreement on health care legislation, McConnell said: “If we can get to the middle of road here, I think we might be able to do something, but I think it's just not clear yet.”

Obama's task is not just to win over the GOP. Some lawmakers in his own party are not yet on board, including U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, D-6th District.

In a statement, Chandler said Obama's address was “a good starting point for reviving a meaningful national discussion.” But the congressman said he still had concerns about the reform proposals.

“As Congress moves toward a final bill, I will continue working to find solutions, but will continue to have grave reservations about any plan that does not retain the benefits of our current system, support rural healthcare, protect our small businesses, control costs, and continue to allow patients to choose their doctors,” Chandler said.

U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., said in a statement that while the current health care system has flaws, fixing them is a complicated process.

“This is not something we should rush through Congress to meet arbitrary deadlines,” Bunning said.

“As we have all seen from the town hall meetings over that last month, the American people are not happy with what the president and Democrats in Congress are proposing,” he said. “Now, we will see if Congress and the Obama administration are really going to listen, or continue to ignore the will of the people in an effort to force their liberal agenda down our throats.”

Despite the president's assurances to the contrary, U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-2nd District, said he remained concerned the Obama plan would increase the deficit and force Americans to change their insurance coverage.

“I was encouraged by President's Obama willingness to work together on this issue that affects every single American,” Guthrie said in a statement. “Our current health care system contains cracks, leaving many individuals with high bills from the soaring costs of treatment and prescription medication.”

“However, the president continues to look towards a plan focused around a government-run health care system, which is not viable,” Guthrie said. “Americans need specific, sensible solutions and I was disappointed I did not hear those laid out this evening.”

U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, R-5th District, said Obama's plan would create a massive new bureaucracy and bankrupt the country.

“We don't need a new speech. We need a new bill,” Rogers said in a statement. He said he favors a plan that includes a limit on medical malpractice suits; allows workers to carry insurance between jobs; permits small companies to negotiate a lower insurance rate; and protects Medicare and Medicaid.

Two Hoosier Democrats whose support the Obama plan did not comment on the president's speech. U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, D-9th District, issued no statement. Spokeswoman Katie Moreau said there was “a lot out there already” on Hill's position.

Hill is a member of the Blue Dogs, conservative House Democrats who won assurances from their party leaders that a health care reform bill would not affect the deficit. Hill also has said that “probably we're going to have to raise taxes” on higher-income individuals and families to pay for changes to the health care system.

Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., also did not issue a reaction to the address. He said in late July that while the status quo on health care was unacceptable, “our reforms must be practical, affordable and not cost jobs.”

Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., did not comment on Obama's address, but his office said his view has not changed from his July 28 statement that the administration and Congress should focus on economic issues first.

Washington “must recognize that the overwhelming demand of most Americans is that presidential and congressional leadership should focus each day on restoration of jobs, strengthening of housing opportunities, new growth in small business and large industries, and banks that are not only solvent but confident of normal lending,” Lugar said.

— James Carroll