[Schneed10]

I thought the address was good, it showed Obama's willing to moderate on some issues and incorporate ideas from both sides of the aisle.

He said that everyone will be required to carry insurance, like auto insurance in Pennsylvania. I love that because no longer can the uninsured head to the emergency room for care on the insured's and the taxpayers' dime. Now everyone will have to pay into the system, nobody can get away with something for nothing - no handouts for anyone.

He said he wants to work to find ideas to bring down malpractice costs and looked to Republicans on those efforts. Love that.

I don't care about death panels, I don't care about hecklers, don't let yourselves get distracted from the real issues. Obama is willing to moderate and compromise and because of that I think we'll get a plan passed that makes sense and works.

Much detail needs to be ironed out, because when he says "we'll pay for this by eliminating wasteful spending from the healthcare system", one of the ways he currently plans to do this is by eliminating government subsidies to hospitals in very poor neighborhoods (like mine). That would crush us and could threaten to put us out of business in 10 years, leaving the poor with no access to care here in North Philly. That has to get worked through or he could do more harm than good. But the willingness to compromise on issues is encouraging.