Former President Obama was taken to task on social media Sunday after he gave a speech describing himself, as well as other Democrats, as ‘courageous’ for passing the Affordable Health Care Act, then suggesting that Congress should display the same ‘courage’ to save the bill.
Obama made the speech at the John F. Kennedy Library while accepting the annual ‘Profile in Courage’ Award.
It marked the former president’s first public comments about new health care legislation following the vote of House Republicans to repeal and replace Obamacare.
“As everyone here now knows, this great debate is not settled, but continues,” Obama said, adding “It is my fervent hope, and the hope of millions, that regardless of party, such courage is still possible. That today’s members of Congress, regardless of party, are willing to look at the facts and speak the truth, even when it contradicts party positions.”
Obama: "I hope current members of Congress recall it doesn't take a lot of courage to aid those already powerful…" pic.twitter.com/J9t5YkTwRt
— Axios (@axios) May 8, 2017
Obama on how it is the duty of people to bend the arc of justice: "It bends because we bend it" pic.twitter.com/WAl2lynXDo
— Axios (@axios) May 8, 2017
“I hope that current members of Congress recall that it actually doesn’t take a lot of courage to aid those that are already powerful, already comfortable, already influential, but it does require some courage to champion the vulnerable, and the sick, and the infirmed. Those who often have no access to the corridors of power.” Obama added.
“I hope they understand that courage means not simply doing what’s politically expedient, but doing what, deep in our hearts, we know is right.” he said.
Those comments didn’t sit well with many on social media, who were quick to point out that doing what Obama suggests would actually be the LEAST courageous thing Congress could do:
That's literally the easiest political thing to do, especially when your "solution" is to give them stuff. Makes things worse, but it's easy https://t.co/R7dCB3kXM9
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) May 8, 2017
It doesn’t. It is the easiest thing to do, and invites instant praise. Making a counterintuitive case? That’s hard. https://t.co/lKCdUSRy2Q
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) May 8, 2017
"Champion" here means hectoring people to give the Feds more money and control. https://t.co/z1vftzUaYh
— Mo Mo (@molratty) May 8, 2017
Others took umbrage with Obama’s not so subtle description of himself in this context:
Did you break your arm patting yourself on the back for your courage, Obama? https://t.co/z1vftzUaYh
— Mo Mo (@molratty) May 8, 2017
@politico @IsaacDovere Huge amount of courage to go to fancy dinners and meetings, make speeches to friendly audiences, and spend other people's money…
— EllidaProject (@EllidaProject) May 8, 2017
@politico @IsaacDovere It takes ZERO courage for me to think that YOU should pay to help someone else. That is the opposite of courage.
— Chuck Vipperman (@ChuckVipperman) May 8, 2017
Takes even more courage to say that kind of thing after hanging on billionaires yacht in French Polynesia with celebrities for two weeks. https://t.co/RwyEIeikbk
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) May 8, 2017
It actually doesn't take any courage, especially when you're spending other people's livelihoods along the way https://t.co/9JNYqa65HD
— Mr. Cain Thaler (@Mr_Cain_Thaler) May 8, 2017
It takes zero courage. Zero.
"Hi, I'm a politician and I'm for the little guy with other people's money."
Wow. I'm inspired. https://t.co/KCI7oKumWp— A Raised Cup (@ARaised_Eyebrow) May 8, 2017
I can think of many examples of courage far greater than asking for the reallocation of other people's money. https://t.co/ToJmP3YDNw
— Michael Freeman (@michaelpfreeman) May 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/sav01/status/861562898631368704
@politico @IsaacDovere Too bad he screwed over the middle class, he handed the House, Senate snd Presidency to GOP.
— Wiretapped Marshall (@PoliticalTropes) May 8, 2017
