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Probably because Obama understands that the problem is far more complex than "Sheesh." 

Americans are being savaged by their own laziness, lack of attention to their own health and any participation in their own well being. 

And the HMOs you're referring to are quickly becoming a thing of the past.  Given no intervention from outside whatsoever, the insurance industry would have eliminated the HMO model themselves.  They know it doesn't work. 

"During WW II what side was Norway on?  I forget.  "

We were on the side of the US and Britain. Why? That's a curious thing to ask when you can just google.

"Knut, since your login says Norway, I dont want amounts, but may I ask what percentage of your paycheck do you take home."

Because I've been taking a teacher certification course that required a month and a half off from work, and I was unemployed without benefits for close to 4 months (they don't pay unemployment benefits if you take university courses part-time) I only made about 35.000 dollars last year and therefore paid only 20% tax (that's local and national tax).

Regular pay for my job as a high school teacher (with a masters degree) is about 65.000 a year.  In that case I would pay 36% tax.  Of course, if I actually owned my house, I'd get a mortgage deduction on top of that. My mother is retired, receives about 45.000 a year and has a lot of deductions for health reasons and a big mortgage deduction, so she pays less than 5%.

But that doesn't give the whole picture. We also have a 25% percent sales tax (with exemptions for food and books), and there are employment taxes or social security payments paid on the employer's end as well.

We may complain a lot about taxes, but we rank very high on "take home pay". I.e. what you've got left to spend after paying all the essentials.

That's one reason I think Mark Twain's "A connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's court" should be mandatory reading. His musings on economics in that book are quite educational.

The thing that pisses me off is when people say that the insurance companies profit margins are less than "soda makers, retail stores or HOSPITALS". That may be true, but the cost to run any one of those is a lot more than the cost to run an insurance company. Other than the cost of employees and offices, what major expenditures do they have compared to the other three?

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Paying billions of dollars in medical claims, perhaps?  I know that this is an emotional issue for you, and for many Americans.  And again, I understand.  Whether you or the other fellow believe it or not, I've been there.  But comparing the "overhead" (not really an accurate term, but we'll let the business majors settle that one) of a soda pop company to that of a major health insurer is ludicrous.  Last time I checked, an MRI cost a lot more than high fructose corn syrup, aluminum or water.   

And you do understand that part of calculating profit involves "the cost to run" the company, right? 

If we don't pass health care - the terrorists win: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20001197-503544.html