‐”But if the right of free and open debate is taken from the minority party and the millions of Americans who ask us to be their voice, I fear the partisan atmosphere in Washington will be poisoned to the point where no one will be able to agree on anything. That does not serve anybody’s interest and it certainly is not what the patriots who founded this democracy had in mind. We owe the people who sent us here more than that.” – Senator Barack Obama, April 13, 2008
A USA Today headline toady: “Obama Applauds Filibuster Rule Change.”
‐“And that means that no matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise to the American people: If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor. Period. If you like your health-care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health-care plan. Period. No one will be able to take it away, no matter what.” – President Barack Obama, June 15, 2009, and repeated in substantially the same form more than two dozen times.
More than 5 million Americans have had their health-care plans canceled to date. Millions more cancellations are expected. An unknown number of Americans are unable to keep their doctors.
‐“The problem is, is that the way Bush has done it over the last eight years is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up the national debt from $5 trillion for the first 42 presidents — number 43 added 4 trillion dollars all by his lonesome, so that now we have $9 trillion of debt that we’re going to have to pay back — $30,000 for every man, woman, and child. That’s irresponsible. It’s unpatriotic.” — Candidate Barack Obama, July 3, 2008
The national debt today is $17.2 trillion, $54,000 for every man, woman, and child.
Reached for comment, White House spokesman Jay Carney said the president would clarify his remarks just as soon as he finishes watching an obscure internet video about the IRS targeting extremely fast and furious tea-partiers who are running guns to spontaneous mobs in Benghazi.