Obama slams Republicans on healthcare

WASHINGTON, July 23 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama, speaking at a town hall in Ohio Thursday, tied healthcare reform to the health of the U.S. economy.

The president, speaking in Shaker Heights, also slammed Republicans for not being willing to work with his administration on the issue. Obama said he has heard that a Republican strategist advised that to "go for the kill' is a better political strategy than compromise.

"And the Republican Party chair, seeking to stall our efforts, recently went so far as to say that health insurance reform was happening 'too soon,' " Obama said. "I thought that was a little odd. We've been talking about health reform since the days of Harry Truman, and he's saying reform is coming too soon. Too soon?"

Obama said healthcare reform along with changes in the education system and clean energy are needed to create an economy "strong enough to avoid the waves of boom and bust that have, time and again, unleashed a torrent of misfortune on middle class families across this country."

Obama said healthcare reform is needed by everyone, not just the uninsured. He told the audience his proposed changes would protect families from large out-of-pocket expenses, from being denied coverage for pre-existing conditions and from losing coverage if someone loses a job.

Before the town hall, Obama toured The Cleveland Clinic with Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland.

The president's plans include a stop in Chicago for a party fundraiser at the residence of Penny Pritzker, a businesswoman and heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune. Pritzker was Obama's national finance chairwoman during his presidential campaign and was considered for nomination as secretary for the Commerce Department before she withdrew her name from consideration.