U.S. President Obama: 'Wait and see what happens'

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PORTLAND, Maine — President Obama urged Americans not to judge the nearly $1 trillion health care legislation he signed into law last week until the massive policy changes take hold.

During an enthusiastic, campaign-style appearance in Maine's largest city, Obama mocked the pundits and pollsters who say he isn't getting a boost from his year-long campaign to pass the sweeping legislation.

"Every day since I signed reform into law, there's another poll or headline that says, 'Nation still divided on health reform, no great surge in public support,' " Obama said. "It's been a week, folks. So before we find out if people like health care reform, we should wait to see what happens when we actually put it into place. Just a thought."

The law extends health coverage to 32 million people who are uninsured and will shape how almost every American receives and pays for medical treatment. Some aspects of the plan go into effect this year, but Obama has said it could take four years for all the changes to take hold "because we need to do it responsibly and we need to get it right."

Obama's trip to Portland took him to the home state of two moderate Republican senators, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, whose votes for the legislation the president ardently sought but ultimately could not win. The White House said both senators were invited to attend the event, but neither did.

During the speech, one in a series of appearances to sell the health law, Obama focused on his plan's short- and long-term impact on small businesses, many of which have suffered during the economic downturn.

Under the plan, businesses that have 25 or fewer employees with average annual wages of less than $50,000 will receive tax credits this year if they provide health care coverage to their workers. Those credits are expected to increase by 2014, with 4 million small businesses benefiting, according to the White House.

"This health care tax is pro-jobs, it's pro-business, and it starts this year," Obama said.

Also starting in 2014, companies with up to 100 employees will be able to buy insurance through new state-based purchasing pools, or exchanges, with the goal of giving small businesses the same kind of purchasing power as larger companies. About 22 million self-employed Americans will also be able to buy insurance through the exchanges.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said employers already know the health law will create new mandates.

"The timing couldn't be worse for a bill that will make it even harder to create private-sector jobs, and harder for small businesses to comply with the dozens of new federal boards and a thicket of new rules and regulations," McConnell said.

Congressional Republicans were united against the law and many predict that Democrats who voted for it will be dragged down in the November elections. Some Republicans are calling for repeal, and Obama told opponents of the bill to "go for it."

"If these congressmen in Washington want to come here to Maine and tell small-business owners that they plan to take away their tax credits and essentially raise their taxes, be my guest," he said.

After speaking in Maine, Obama planned to travel to Boston to attend two fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee.

USA Today News

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