Facing a tough political environment, President Barack Obama on Saturday turned up the heat for the health care overhaul that has been his top priority for a year, yet has not been passed by a Democrat-dominated Congress. The president used his weekly radio and Internet address to attempt to sway a public that has soured on the topic – and especially Democratic lawmakers who are wavering. Republicans, recognizing the public's mood, are repeating their call to start from scratch on a proposal that would potentially reshape how all Americans receive health care. “Now, despite all the progress and improvements we've made, Republicans in Congress insist that the only acceptable course on health care is to start over. But you know what? The insurance companies aren't starting over,” Obama said in prepared remarks. “I just met with some of them on Thursday, and they couldn't give me a straight answer as to why they keep arbitrarily and massively raising premiums _ by as much as 60 percent in states like Illinois. If we do not act, they will continue to do this.” Republicans were not swayed. “It's not too late: we can, and we must, stop this government takeover of health care,” said Rep. Parker Griffith, a first-term congressman from Alabama who switched parties in December and delivered Saturday's Republican message. The retired physician continued: “Make your voice heard now. America deserves better.” The competing radio addresses underscored the urgency behind Obama's last-ditch push for immediate health care reform. Without a victory – and quickly – Democrats move into a fast-approaching November election season without a major, tangible accomplishment that affects voters' pocketbooks. And with a chasm remaining between the two parties, Senate Democrats considered passing the overhaul with votes just from their party. That process would let the 59 Senate Democrats declare victory with 51 votes instead of a 60-vote supermajority. More importantly, it would allow Obama's team to move on and get back to talking about the economy, which has shed more than million jobs since the recession began.
