Republican National Chairman Michael Steele and others in the GOP claim President Obama and Democrats are trying to ram health-care reform through, ignoring the reluctance of many Americans to leave the government responsible for such a massive program.

But for the president, perhaps his endeavor is a personal one. During the presidential campaign, Obama told the story of his mother dying of cancer at age 53. She had to fight her insurance company to prove her disease was not a pre-existing condition. "I believe that health care is a right for every American," the then-candidate said, adding that he believes in cracking down on "insurance companies that are cheating their customers."

Obama wants Congress to pass universal health care for 46 million Americans before it leaves town for the summer recess on August 8, even though he knows there’s not enough money to pay for it, and the difference will be made up by taxing the wealthy more. He’s also asking bloggers to help keep the pressure on to pass health care. But some leading Democrats are now suggesting scaling back the plan to tax top earners to pay for the bills, and signaled a retreat from their ambitious timetable, reports The New York Times.

"If you don’t set a deadline in this town, nothing happens," he told the "Today Show’s" Meredith Vieira in an interview that aired today. "The default in Washington is inaction and inertia. And there’s a reason why we haven’t had health-care reform in 50 years. The deadline’s not being set by me; the deadline’s being set by the American people." He also blasted the "politics" involved as some try to prevent the bill from being passed.

That could be, in part, from comments made by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-SC, who recently described Obama’s plan as "D-Day for freedom in America," adding, "if we’re able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him."

Republicans have launched a campaign to compare the health-care bills to what they labeled as a failed economic stimulus bill. Steele on Monday said Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and key congressional committee chairmen are part of a cabal who want to implement government-run health care and engage in socialism. "Obama-Pelosi want to start building a colossal, closed health-care system where Washington decides. Republicans want and support an open health-care system where patients and doctors make the decisions," Steele said.

Steele told MSNBC this morning that Obama has to slow down, given all the opposition by Republicans to this bill, and recent polls showing American support slipping for how the president is handling health care. "You cannot come to a reasonable solution in two weeks," Steele said. "We do have choices … and I’m not willing to give my choices over to the federal government."

On top of that, FOX News host Glenn Beck went on a very animated rant against Obama’s health-care plan — complete with a miniature figure of Obama with an umbrella — warning Americans to "be afraid" because the president is remaking the country "into a place that’s a whole lot crappier, kind of a hybrid between France and Venezuela." Watch Beck below:

Watch Obama’s interview with Meredith Vieira below: