President Obama urged congressional Democrats today to pass a major health care bill in the next few weeks, and to disregard the warnings of Washington "pundits" who say it will hurt the party in November elections.

"My question to them is, 'when is the right time?" Obama told a supportive crowd at Arcadia University, near Philadelphia. "If not now, when? If not us, who?"

Rather than worry about the next election, Obama said lawmakers should be more concerned about a "health care crisis" that he laid largely at the feet of insurance companies. The president said they jack up premiums, and "continue to ration health care based on who's sick and who's healthy, on who can pay and who can't pay."

"We can't have a system that works better for the insurance companies than it does for the American people," Obama said.

The Obama administration and House Democratic leaders are lobbying wavering party members to endorse a health care plan approved last year by the Senate, the first step towards approval of a final, Obama-backed package. The White House hopes the House acts before Obama leaves March 18 for a swing through Guam, Indonesia, and Australia.

Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for America's Health Insurance Plans, attributed rising health care bills to the costs of medical care, which are pushing up insurance premiums. He added that the insurance industry supports efforts to guarantee coverage for consumers with pre-existing conditions, which are another part of Obama's health care plan.

But, Zirkelbach said, "much more needs to be done in the current legislation to address the skyrocketing cost of medical care, which is making health care coverage unaffordable for working families and small businesses."

In his Pennsylvania speech, Obama repeatedly criticized the Washington "pundits," "columnists," and "echo chamber" participants who claim that a big health plans is a political loser, and are "obsessed with the sport of politics." He cited Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who said the issue will help the GOP make big gains in Congress.

"Now, first of all, I generally wouldn't take advice about what's good for Democrats" from the GOP leader, Obama said. "But setting aside that, that's not the issue here. The issue here is not the politics of it."

McConnell spokesman Don Stewart said the Kentucky senator has also said that "listening to constituents would be thinking about the politics, AND thinking about doing the right thing." McConnell says the Obama health care plan is too expensive and too bureaucratic, and that Congress should take a step-by-step approach to the nation's health care problems.

To be sure, upcoming health care votes will not be easy, Obama assured his fellow Democrats. But they won't any be any harder than the higher health care bills faced by most Americans, and he appealed to the crowd to "to help us get us over the finish line these next two weeks."

"The need is great," Obama said. "The opportunity is here. Let's seize reform. It's within our grasp."

(Posted by David Jackson)