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Countdown for Obama's healthcare reform
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US President Barack Obama has delivered an emotional appeal for his controversial overhaul of the healthcare system. His latest call comes as the House Budget Committee takes up a reconciliation bill that paves the way for the legislation, to be sent to the full chamber by the end of the week.
On Monday in Strongsville, Ohio, Obama criticized the health insurance industry, as he tried to make his case for a revamp of the system. He outlined the abuses by insurers.
Barack Obama said, "We can not have a system that works better for the insurance companies than it does for the American people."
He made an emotional plea by citing the case of a cancer-stricken woman, and his own mother, who died of disease in 1995. Obama said he was trying to outline the significance of adopting the new healthcare plan.
Barack Obama said, "I'm here. I'm here because of my own mother's story. She died of cancer. And in the last six months of her life, she was on the phone in her hospital room arguing with insurance companies instead of focusing on getting well and spending time with her family."
Obama hopes his efforts on healthcare reform will end with a conclusive vote in Congress after a year of debate. He delayed his first overseas trip of the year this week to help round up votes for the overhaul.
One political analyst believes the White House will have enough support.
Political analyst William Galston said, "For people who play poker, there is a term that describes it perfectly. The president is all in on healthcare, the Democratic Party is all in on healthcare, all of the chips that they were sitting in front of are now in the middle of the table."
In a two-step process, House Democrats want to approve the Senate's version of the bill this week. They then hope to make the changes sought by Obama and House Democrats through a separate measure passed under budget reconciliation rules.
Those rules require only a simple majority in the 100-member Senate, bypassing the need for the 60 votes to overcome Republican opposition.
The panel will also insert the final legislative language later this week, and lay out the process for a full house vote on Obama's top legislative priority.
