Obamacare Press Conference: Reactions to 1,018 Page Monstrosity

The President's healthcare reform is the big policy item this morning. It's an indefensible monstrosity, obviously, as apparently even the President had a hard time defending it. See, the New York Times, "Obama Moves to Reclaim the Debate on Health Care." The transcript of the press conference is here.

Also, Michael Barone weighs in, "Gloomy Days for Obama's Health Plan,," and Karl Rove, "ObamaCare in Trouble." More from Ben Smith, "At Big Moment, President Obama Goes Small," and The Astute Bloggers, "Obama Reveals His Utter Lack of Understanding of the Free Market and His Utter Lack of Faith In It."

Plus, Michelle Malkin on the Obama administration's hypocrisy on executive privilege, "White House Flip-Flop: Ok, Ok, We’ll Tell You Which Health Execs We Met."

Has anyone actually read the bill? Representative Loretta Sanchez hadn't, which made it kind of hard for her to explain the legislation to consitituents. If you don't have time, this guy's done you a favor, "The HC Monstrosity-All 1,018 Pages." More on that at the New York Times, "Experts Dispute Some Points in Health Talk." But don't miss the outstanding analysis from Clifford Asness, "Health Care Mythology." He covers the major myths and misconceptions (actually, a really thorough bashing of this legislative disaster), then adds this:

At this point you might accuse me of offering only complaints about the Administration's plans, without constructive suggestions of my own. There is truth to that. But I make no apologies. If people believe crazy things it's first and foremost important to change that before progress can be made. But also, I think we're doing okay enough without radical changes, certainly not hastily panicked changes towards socialism, and also because I lack the expertise to recommend the detailed practical steps that would be productive (in contrast it requires much less expertise to see that the myths above are indeed lunacy).

Okay, and the reactions on the left? See Daily Kos, Firedoglake, Joe Klein, Pam's House Blend, Paul Krugman, The Reaction, Washington Monthly.

Check Memeorandum as well.

Also, from Kenneth Davenport, "New Polls: "Obamacare" is NOT Inevitable," and Pat in Shreveport, "Do You Feel "More Secure" After Obama's Speech?"

Added: Joust the Facts, "So This Is What It's Come To, Eh?":

Pardon me for being a bit insulted, but according to President Obama I am the problem. No, really. It's my fault. After 10 years of higher education after college; after internship rotations that required up to 140 hours in the hospital in one week (cardiothoracic surgery: do the math - there are only 168 hours in a week); after 18 years of medical practice during which I've successfully treated thousands of people for their life, limb, and livelihood threatening injuries; after years of dedication to the profession of medicine that saw me attend hundreds of hours of continuing education to maintain and improve my skills and knowledge and that made me accept substandard payments from Medicare, Medicaid and HMOs, it's come to this. It's my fault.

The President supports, if he knows what's in the bill,

• paying for it by taxing only "the wealthy"
• reducing payments to physicians by having the government dictate rates which, because of the future structural deficits, must be reduced
• giving the government further ability to hamstring my practice by controlling access to procedures
• leaving loose the dogs of law to sue willy-nilly looking for jackpot justice

All of those provisions leave doctors as the villains ...

Excellent. Read the whole thing, here.