Presidential address to Congress Full text of President Obama health care speech. President Obama has been trying to convince opposition to understand the logic of his proposed healthcare system. He has accused the opposition of scare tactics against a proposed health care overhaul, saying failing to fix problems in the current system would be the scariest outcome of all.
He has criticised 'wild misrepresentations' by special interests trying to undermine health care legislation before Congress.
In particular, Obama has rejected rumours that a health care bill passed by a House committee included setting up so-called 'death panels' to decide if senior citizens get treatment.
'What is truly scary, what is truly risky, is to do nothing,' Obama said, noting that premiums paid for health care coverage were rising three times faster than wages and that the government-run Medicare programme for senior citizens would run out of money within a decade.
He repeated past guarantees that a health care overhaul won't force anyone to give up health insurance they like and won't cut Medicare benefits, and he stood by his election pledge that he won't raise taxes on people making less than $250,000 a year.
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Watch the Obama health care speech live online video here, along with transcript and photos on September 9, 2009 via live web feed at 8pm ET. The Presidential address to Congress text will be posted when available. The Congressional speech will be delivered before a joint session of the House and the Senate at the Capitol Building.
The address will be broadcast at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday and can be seen via the live stream below. Thereafter, check back here for photos as well as the full video of Obama health care speech (transcript) which will be posted as soon as it is available. Live web-feed is below.
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