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Stark: Health Care Reform Can Happen This Year
Just talked to a spokesman for Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), a powerful subcommittee chief in House Ways and Means, who wanted to make the congressman's stance on health care reform crystal clear. Although a report last month suggested that Stark believes a major health care bill could wait until early next year, his spokesman reiterated that the congressman is ready for a reform push before the 2010 midterm elections intrude on the political scene.
"Comprehensive health reform is a complicated, important effort," Stark clarified in a statement. "It will take time to do it right, but we ought to finish in 2009 if at all possible."
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Watch the fine print. "Reform" can mean anything.
January 13, 2009 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
As much as I admire Pete Stark, and as much as I personally want health care reform, I think he's being a trifle optimistic. Congress is going to have a pretty full plate and, unless some mighty fancy choreography is implemented to have some programs worked on simultaneously, things are going to be slow going in the beginning. These guys have become lazy over the last eight years, what with their three day work weeks and lack of a veto-proof majority. It's going to take a little time to spool up and start actually working for a living.
I hope that the atmosphere in DC will be conducive to that happening.
January 13, 2009 8:10 PM | Reply | Permalink