Obama speaks out on health reform: Do his words match the reality?

The President just gave a pep talk for health reform but most of the speech was at odds with what is actually being proposed in the 'reform' legislation.

"The healthcare system is breaking families and businesses" but the current reform proposal doesn't include any major reforms that would decrease costs. In fact, the CBO estimates that costs are likely to GO UP under the current proposed reform.

And while our families and business are being financially broken, the current proposal adds taxes on families (only on the 'rich', maybe) and an unfunded mandate on business or an 8% tax on wages. Obviously increasing costs on families and business will not lower their costs. Did i miss something??

The President stated that we "cannot put off the hard work" required to achieve healthcare reform. But this is the biggest contradiction going. Clearly there are reforms that can help the healthcare system and the insurance system. They may even receive bipartisan support and public acceptance. But the current proposal is not the result of 'hard work'; it is a plan to spend money we don't have on a system that doesn't provide good value in the first place.

A proposal that simply spends money we don't have or make others spend money they don't have is immature and irresponsible. It is 'reform' for the headlines; not for the patients.

Absent from the entire conversation and proposal are the details that call for personal responsibility in the healthcare system, whether it is taking care of one's health or spending money wisely on necessary services. Clearly that is where the reform needs to start. The system is too expensive primarily because there is little personal accountability today. It will take a thoughtful, mature, and responsible leader to accomplish this. I hope the President or someone in Congress will step up to the challenge.