US: US anger at economy will not derail Obama on health: WHouse
Mon Sep 14 03:46:24 EST 2009
Sun Sep 13 17:46:24 UTC 2009
WASHINGTON, Sept 13 AFP - American anger at how much has been spent propping up the US economy will not persuade President Barack Obama to row back on his ambitious health care reform plans, the White House says.
Tens of thousands took to the streets of Washington on Saturday to attack Obama for his big spending and big government, accusing his administration of leading the United States down the road to socialism.
"I think people are upset because on Monday, we celebrate the anniversary of the Lehman Brothers collapse that caused a financial catastrophe unlike anything we've ever seen," said spokesman Robert Gibbs.
"We've had to do some extraordinary things... to rescue the financial system, to ensure that our domestic auto industry didn't go out of business, and to stimulate the economy. That certainly cost a lot of money, but it's something that we had to do."
But Gibbs said Obama, who is preparing to deliver a major speech on the economy in New York on Monday, will not be deflected from his top-priority domestic goal of overhauling the broken US health care system.
"I think what the American people want most of all... is for Washington to put aside the game playing and start to begin to solve the very big problems that our country faces," he told CNN television.
"I know that's what the president believes he was elected to do. And I think it would be a good start to deal with health care."
Obama is ramping up efforts to sell his reform package and on Wednesday addressed a rare joint session of Congress in a bid to regain control of the debate after an August of feisty town hall meetings dominated by opposition to his plans.
He faced down critics on Saturday with a stark warning to a 15,000-strong crowd in Minneapolis that any American could lose their coverage under the current system.
Obama cited new analysis from the Treasury Department that found nearly half of all Americans under 65 will lose health coverage at some point during the next 10 years, with more than a third going without coverage for over a year.
"And these are not primarily people on welfare. These are middle class Americans," he warned. "In other words, it can happen to anyone. There but for the grace of God go I."
