Moments into his address to the joint session delivering a sales pitch for his health care plan, President Obama claimed his administration has “pulled our economy back from the brink.”

From the brink of what, I wonder?

Our economy is no better today than it was before the economic stimulus plan. Banks are no more likely to write loans. Unemployment is higher. We’re facing a coming massive inflation due to currency debasement. Foreclosures continue. This is progress?

He also stated that he wanted to craft a bipartisan plan to address the health care crisis.  If he wanted to work with the GOP, he could have done so at any time. He and the Congress shut the GOP out completely. President Obama magnanimously claimed, “My door is always open.” Except it hasn’t been. The GOP has been trying to have input into this bill from the beginning with no luck.

I was surprised at first to hear the new three-point plan, but when he later revealed that the exchange menu would include the public option, I realized the new plan was something of a “bait and switch.”

It doesn’t appear to be essentially different from HR 3200. The public option is still a route to bankrupting private insurers and achieving single payer. Obama is on record in support of a single payer system.

Private industry cannot compete with a government funded agency that doesn’t have to turn a profit to survive. No private insurers equals government takeover of the health insurance industry (which is something he criticized people for suggesting as though those who think it are kooks or out to hurt the nation).

Speaking in economic reality, there is no way we can do this without adding to our deficit. This is a $1 trillion plus plan. (He says $900 billion.)  If there was that much waste in the current Medicare system that could be carved out with the president’s magic scalpel, why doesn’t he do that first and then fund his plan with the found money?

According to the Congressional Research Service, the proposed healthcare bill would extend healthcare services to illegal immigrants. This is not partisan hype. This is research from a non-partisan arm of the Congress. Obama is suggesting they are liars.

Ultimately, his facts and figures need some serious checking. I’ll hold my breath now while the media rushes to check up on all the claims he made.

I am pleased to hear that he is looking at tort reform. Not too pleased to hear that the person he is assigning to oversee this effort is Kathleen Sebelius, former chief lobbyist and executive director of the Kansas Association of Trial Lawyers.

His comment — “If you misrepresent what is in this plan, we will call you out” — sounds like a threat to me. Like if you point out a flaw in the plan or come out against it, the administration will come down on you personally.

I think it’s tacky that he used Ted Kennedy to push his plan and called on Kennedy’s Republican friends by name. It was a moment worthy of a the Paul Wellstone memorial DNC pep rally. Not worthy of the president of the United States.

Finally, I don’t agree with him that Social Security and Medicare are examples of worthy government programs done right. If these are the benchmarks for success, we are in big trouble.