“MAY” – The One Little Word That Changes Everything

Dear Leader Barack Hussein Obama, in July 2009, said, “If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor. Period.” Now, in July 2013, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sibelius has interjected one little word into Obama’s statement: “MAY“. The HHS created and controlled website “www.healthcare.gov” has this statement: “Depending on the plan you choose in the Marketplace, you may be able to keep your current doctor.”   [emphasis mine]   What happened, Kathleen, to Obama’s one little word: “Period“?

Obama even offered a guarantee. He said, “Here is a guarantee that I’ve made. If you have insurance that you like, then you will be able to keep that insurance. If you’ve got a doctor that you like, you will be able to keep your doctor.”

Then-House speaker Nancy Pelosi, (of “So, that’s why I was saying we have to pass a bill so we can see so that we can show you what it is and what it isn’t.” fame), and Senator Harry Reid, in 2010, rammed ObamaCare (The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or PPACA) down our throats. Obama signed the bill into law fourteen days after Pelosi made her remark.

Obama also said, “If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan. Period. No one will take it away. No matter what.” But (and there’s always a “but” when Obama is involved), Healthcare.gov has this statement: “Depending on the type of policy you buy, care may be covered only when you get it from a network provider.”   [emphasis mine]   There’s that word may again. But wait! We may be misunderstanding Obama here, taking him at his literal word. Obama said, ” No one will take it away. No matter what.” But Healthcare.gov says, “Depending on the type of policy you buy…[.]” So, Obama can still make his “No one will take it away.” claim if you choose another plan (perhaps in order to get similar or any healthcare coverage and/or to keep your doctor). I predict that this is the “reasoning” that Obama (and Reid, and Pelosi, and ObamaCare proponents) hides behind. Is Obama quibbling? Your call!

Again, but wait. We got this from White House deputy chief of staff Nancy-Ann DeParle in 2011:

“… the president wasn’t saying the legislation would guarantee that everyone can keep his or her preferred plan, just that the legislation wouldn’t force anyone to change. What the president promised is that under health care reform, that he would make it more possible for people to have choices in these (health insurance) exchanges.”

Unbelievable. Was DeParle prescient, anticipating what was to come? Obama is getting more and more like Clinton: every word he utters must be carefully parsed. Why should we believe anything that comes out of Obama’s mouth if others come behind him and say we should not take what he says literally?

Pelosi, in March 2010, said, “We’re prepared for every eventuality, including success.” Well…, Nancy, it seems that you were not prepared for the one little word may, but you somehow forgot Obama’s use of the word period.

The word period sounds unequivocal to me. The word may is an equivocal word. Which is it, Nancy? Try as you may (and, sadly, in November 2012, you succeeded), you can’t have it both ways.

But that’s just my opinion
Please visit RWNO, my personal, very conservative web site!