Send Feedback
 

Tavis Smiley Calls Obama’s Health Care Victory “Small Change”

Written by Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger on December 21, 2009 1:57 pm

obama smiley

On NBC’s, Meet The Press, Tavis Smiley continued his ongoing criticism of President Obama. He reffered to Obama’s upcoming victory on health care refom as small change. Here’s what he had to say.

“Throughout the campaign, the president promised change, We have change on the horizon here but, unfortunately, it’s small change.  I find myself kind of like John McCain agreeing with Howard Dean, here I am agreeing with my friend Joe Scarborough.”

“I think the real winners here are the insurance industry. They’re, they’re the–yeah, they’re the ones who win here.  I mean, you, you, you walk through that list, David, of those points you put up earlier.  The president wanted the public option, the industry said no.  The president wanted to tax their windfall profits, the industry said no.  The president wanted to do a variety of things, the industry pushed back.  And here’s the problem for me.  It’s not just, David, that we’re not getting the kind of health care that we were promised we were going to get, it’s that in the president’s first big fight with a powerful lobby in Washington, the White House lost and they lost big.  And that, I think, portends something very dangerous down the road for all the other issues we have to deal with where lobbies are going to be pushing back on the White House.”

RELATED STORIES

Tavis Smiley Draws “Child Rape” Criticism For Publishing R. Kelly’s Book

Tags: Barack Obama, Tavis Smiley
Recommend to friends!
  • BlackPlanet
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • email

News One Links

 
  • http://www.blackplanet.com/GREENLANTERN19/ GREENLANTERN19

    I agree with Mr. Smiley on his comments here, however anyone truly wanting to understand why he lost she go to youtube & type in the Obama deception & watch the facts presented about Mr. Obama & you will get a better overstanding of why he is loosing so big

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/whyseman/ whyseman

    GREENLANTERN19 C’mon give him a chance , things can’t change over night just because we want to . I’m from Canada and we do have free health care , I don’t think it’s fair for y’all not to have it ( America is the most powerful country on this planet ) . Obama is the strongest man in the world , nobody can stand close to him , the pope and the queen ain’t crap , your country can attack and destroy 8 countries at the same time , the republicans are jealous of him ,they’ll do everything to overthrow him , he”s the most educated president that America ever had , and what about George Bush ? for 8 years he had destroyed not only America but the whole world , he’s got to fix all of that . Listen and watch his debates (Obama ), see the futur of America throught his eyes , you can feel that he’s honest , concerned about his country and aware of the difficulties that stand ahead of him . Y’all need to come together and fight with him , not against him . the Obama deception is a lie , if it’s the truth then Americans are idiots , why did y’all vote for him ? Y’all voted for him because you believe that he can deliver the change , and he also said that it won’t be easy , have a little faith big brother .

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/slit_lcka005/ slit_lcka005

    Everyone talks about the “mess Bush put us through” but Presidents powers are in fact very limited. If I’m not mistaken the DEMOCRATS have run congress since 04 and became the majrity in 06. Now every economic proposal has been submitted by DEMOCRATIC senators for the president to sign as law. that means Obama and his cronies have been effectively passing the proverbial buck since the election. Bush was a retard and drunk but the dems need to really suck it up and admit their f**kups as well!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/drummer-2/ drummer-2

    I’m really tyerd of you ungreatful negros this man is not God he can’t fix everything in one year or an a couple of months give him a chance. Its going to take time did you listen to his victory speak Obama said. (everybody not going to like everything he does) , get off of his back. Quit complaining!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/trueblackcat/ trueblackcat

    In short, I will say that ignorance is Bliss, and arrogance is as big as one’s ego.

    You people are so quick to jump on the fact President Obama is having such a hard time making his goals [in such a short period], and hang on to the a fact that entities with long held ties with members of the the government are strong arming the White house of Pres. Obama.
    I did not wish to resort to name calling, hoewever, you are all idiots, ignorant and arrogant.
    Let us examine Tavis Smiley, this male has abhored President Obama since his days in the Senate, and more so since his election to the Head of State. He has nothing good to say about him [that is until Black America checked him on his hatred], he feels now is the time to jump on the Republican bandwagon and proganda machine and critique all that does not go the way as planned. What brilliant solutions does he offer, is he willing to battle the house and senate to help get this overhaul done…what about you other “seasoned critic and experts on governmental affairs and healthcare lobbying.” The moment that you saw things going south, praytell, why werent you all rallying to Washington to help for the representatives to vote the way of the president and the people? All you can do is complain…just like an arm chair coach or some crab in the bucket N****R, yes…take offense, perhaps you may grow up and be rational. Perhaps think with your own mind that your ancestors from the golden era encompassed with passion. Smiley, a joke, Glover, a joke, that clown Jackson, a joke…Steele a joke and tom. I have more respect for Alan Keyes and Clarence Thomas.

    I put the question to you critics, what was President Obama suppose to do for blacks when he got into ofice…get us our forty acres and mule, reparations? this president has more than blacks to worry about. I can not answer this for certain, but, I am sure that we are on his agenda of affairs to take care of in his term(s).

    Oh my, My apologies to you all I do profess that I did not know that you all were students of domestic affairs and political science, Plato, Socrates, and other thinkers of the time past.

    Oh yes and for those of us that do not follow blindly to the beat of the media and other mouth pieces–those that have complaint please offer up solutions to the lamen that follow this paltry commentary.

    And to tavis Smilely, you are the lowest form of media ENTERTAINMENT, that should take up employment with Fox Broadcasting with the like of Gleen Beck, Shaun Hannity, and Rush Linbaugh.

    Good day, good bye and good tomorrow

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/john_jetter/ john_jetter

    A Small mind can only identify and acknowledge small things and even, when they aren’t small at all. It’s mainly because they don’t have the wisdom to know the difference.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/cwm299/ cwm299

    Another victory for President Obama and his people. The rich are getting richer, the government is getting bigger, the Union leaders are getting richer. The only losers are the lower and middle class, and the media is keeping them brainwashed into thinking that they are winning.

  • http://newsone.com/nation/tavis-smiley-ends-annual-state-of-the-black-union-conference/ Tavis Smiley Ends Annual State Of The Black Union Conference | News One

    [...] RELATED: Tavis Smiley Calls Obama’s Health Care Victory “Small Change” [...]

  • http://foxync.com/celebrity-news/cyoung2009/tavis-smiley-ends-annual-state-of-the-black-union-conference/ Tavis Smiley Ends Annual State Of The Black Union Conference | FoxyNC – Foxy Hits

    [...] RELATED: Tavis Smiley Calls Obama’s Health Care Victory “Small Change” [...]

  • http://qa.kysdc.com/photos/dev/tavis-smiley-ends-annual-state-of-the-black-union-conference/ Tavis Smiley Ends Annual State Of The Black Union Conference | qa.kysdc.com

    [...] RELATED: Tavis Smiley Calls Obama’s Health Care Victory “Small Change” [...]

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/earthling/ earthling

    More like pocket change.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DarrellBetton/ DarrellBetton

    To survive and move ahead blacks must stop holding out their hands to the former slave masters for a handout.Self – determination is the key. The begging has got to stop.
    Tavis Smiley and his meetings are a joke! He is just continuing the brainwashing of blacks. He has no solutions and neither do Jesse, Louis, Al, Cornell, and Dyson,all they have is rhetoric.

blog comments powered by Disqus
?>