Health reform debates during the Obama Administration’s first week
posted 1-28-2009 3:50 p.m.

 
In a week in which 10,000 jobs were lost in a single day, with more losses to come in the months ahead, the weak health care spending measures meant to cover more children and unemployed are already virtually moot. Unless Congress snaps to and suddenly realizes its gross underfunding, the monies intended to expand coverage won’t even give the states enough to maintain status quo. And the states aren’t waiting: they’re already cutting back.

There is a solution, but the Democrats would have to be uncommonly brave to take it on. And they’d have to push aside all but a mere handful of moderate conservative Republicans to get it done. The economic disaster is of great enough proportions to justify it; but that doesn’t mean the majority in the House and Senate will work up the nerve and twist enough moderate arms to get it done. And they're in too big of a hurry, as is the President.