Legal Commentary

Will The Health Bills Really Be "The Most Important Thing They Will Ever Do?"

By Big Tent Democrat

Matt Yglesias reports on Speaker Pelosi's conference with some Village bloggers:

[T]he most interesting part of the discussion was when Pelosi waxed a bit expansively about the historic nature of the achievement if reform passes. She observed that with the exception of John Dingell who was around for the Civil Rights Act and Medic[a]re, nobody else serving in the House has been part of anything this important. For most of us, she said, “this is the most important thing we will ever do.”

For the life of me, I do not see it. This bill is thin gruel. Of course it has its points that are applause worthy - the expansion of Medicaid being the clear winner - but there is nothing in the reform part of the bill that I see as particularly important. And in the end, I think evaluations of the health bills really rest on whether you believe the regulatory, state exchanges model adopted by the Obama Administration will lead to meaningful health care reform. Is it a camel's nose under the tent for real health care reform? In my opinion, it isn't. YMMV. Pass it? Sure. But argue it as important, substantively and/or politically? Don't see it.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on March 16, 2010 (boomark / email).