In Roseburg, Obama Focuses on Health Care

Thousands of Oregonians attended the town hall to hear Obama's message of uniting Americans and bringing real change to Washington.

(ROSEBURG, Ore.) - - Sen. Barack Obama drew a stark contrast with Sen. John McCain on health care policy at a town hall meeting in Roseburg today, where he also shared his plan to unite America and fix our broken health care system.

Obama has a proven record of making health care more accessible to working families, while Obama said McCain offers four more years of George Bush's failed health-care policies.

"If you don't have health care or you're struggling to pay for it, John McCain's only answer is a tax cut that won't guarantee coverage and won't make it affordable," Senator Obama said.

"If you have a preexisting condition, he'd make it easier for the insurance companies to deny you health care, jack up the price you pay, or drop you altogether. And rather than help businesses get health care costs under control, he wants to shred employer-based coverage, making health care costs even higher for companies or leaving your health care to the whims of the market."

Patricia Wheeler, a 62-year old nurse from Roseburg, introduced Obama and spoke about her years of experience, during which she knew of patients who were turned away or received the bare minimum treatment because they didn't have health-care overage.

She also discussed her support for Senator Obama and his willingness to stand up to the special interests in Washington, so we can finally pass a universal health care plan and bring coverage to every American.

McCain has no plan to provide affordable health care to every single American, or to stop insurance companies from denying coverage to those who need it most. Obama said McCain's plan will shred employer-based coverage, while doing little to actually fix our broken health care system. And he said that McCain's tax-cut proposal wouldn't guarantee coverage or make it affordable for ordinary Americas.

In drawing this sharp contrast, Obama laid out his own approach to fixing our health care system. He will stand up to the big drug and insurance companies and refuse all donations from Washington lobbyists and special-interest PACs, in order to make universal health care a reality for every single American. And he'll cut the cost of a typical family's premium by up to $2,500 a year.

Thousands of Oregonians attended the town hall to hear Obama's message of uniting Americans and bringing real change to Washington. As the deadline to return ballots for Oregon's primary approaches, Obama will continue reaching out to Oregonians at a discussion with seniors in Gresham tomorrow morning, followed by an afternoon rally in Portland, and an evening town hall meeting in Pendleton.

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Henry Ruark May 19, 2008 1:19 pm (Pacific time)

andersen et al: Your open stupidity shows in using hillary website as supposed reliable source in your comment. In Oregon we resent that obvious show of contempt for our open, honest, democratic channel here, and could not let your action pass with no response. Have good day and do not spend your coming check all in one place !! DO understand how this works since years ago I did-somesuch similar, but not with absolute surrender of principle...or does that bother you at all ??

Henry Clau Ruark May 17, 2008 7:41 pm (Pacific time)

Brit. et al: Yours re Arizona only partial fact re consequences. Lawmakers now trying to undo consequences on many business interests as impacts from the immigrants leaving en masse, for states who welcome their activities and expenditures.

Henry Ruark May 18, 2008 8:08 am (Pacific time)

To all: Thank you, Kim, for that strong invitation to think before you write here, and remember dialog --to be both truthful and democratic-- must refleft provable, checkable fact, not merely b-button political feeling. Some here want only to outshoot others, with calumny and catastrophe wrapped in racist fears and fantasies about all issues and problems. But then this is that kind of epic confrontation --and I do NOT mean between the Demo candidates !! THIS time millions of us now find ourselves face to face not only with America's dream of democracy but with strong opportunity to make the right choice(s) --and an awakening conscience to tell us what those choices must NOW be, in this, the 21st Century. Can you see the Founders following our futilities, from wherever they may be now ?? They are even more anxious and concerned than we, for the realization or wreck of what was their OWN dream. Thank you all for your solid participation --and for any others, shame on you for your political posturing pandering to propaganda-style about to die in a true democracy.

Kim Morris May 18, 2008 6:57 am (Pacific time)

It is time to stop pointing the finger at politicians and start taking action and responsibility ourselves. In 1997 our business started as an independent resource for people on their own who needed straight answers about health insurance. We were especially concerned about consumers who did not distinguish between reputable insurance companies and the scams that target advertisements to self-employed people. Since then we helped provide personal support and advice to over a million users nationwide who needed affordable health insurance or help with Medicare, Medicaid and other options. We know that a perfect solution is not available and that our own efforts are only a small first step, but we are pleased to be part of the nation’s health care solution. We believe that anyone who wants to arm themselves with a little knowledge and the resolve to speak out can become part of the health care solution.

andersen May 17, 2008 2:22 pm (Pacific time)

Senator Clinton is the only candidate with the Healthcare plan that covers ALL Americans. Obama's plan leaves people out. Do your homework. Senator Clinton is the most qualified candidate. www.hillaryclinton.com. Read the issues and her in depth analysis and solutions. Do not let the media and the pundits tell you this is over. We can not win in November without Florida and Michigan. Obama has blocked counting those votes. The Democratic party can not disenfranchise millions of voters and expect to win in November.

Brittanicus May 17, 2008 2:18 pm (Pacific time)

Perhaps Ted will go into retirement, and stop trying to relieve Americans of their sovereignty? If Democratic House madam Nancy Pelosi, Obama, Hillary, McCain and Sen.Ultra liberal Ted Kennedy and their thrall are trying to derail the enforcement illegal immigration bill, SAVE ACT (H.R.4088), this includes the border fence. It obviously must be of paramount excellence for THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER? Perhaps Mr.Ted Kennedy will go into retirement, and stop trying to relieve Americans of their sovereignty? If Democratic House madam Nancy Pelosi and Sen.Ultra liberal Ted Kennedy and their thrall are trying to derail the enforcement illegal immigration bill, SAVE ACT (H.R.4088), this includes the border fence. It obviously must be of paramount excellence for THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER? Just as a footnote: WHAT BIASED NEWS REPORTING WILL NOT REVEAL! Read how Arizona was suffering from the illegal immigration, is now gaining economic prosperity? Less traffic on the highways is one great example! http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/05/15 /striking-changes-in-arizona-as-illegal-immigrants -flee-the-state/ YOU DECIDE YOUR FUTURE.........?

Henry Ruark May 17, 2008 1:47 pm (Pacific time)

To all: This time-around, Obama and citizen-power can overcome and deny further economic serfdom via healthcare costs built on mythical magic massage of "the market" --as history shows us all was major failing fact of previous-shot. Wit,wisdom, WILL of American public now DEMANDS rapid and republic-wide remediation of mainspring for more massive changes in American lifestyle, family security, and elderly care -before Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security prove "unsustainable" (!) in current formats and manipulations. For full documentation see Op Eds list in STAFF-section.

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