Political Quotes

“The editorial is entitled ``End run denies public a debate on health care.'' The point of the editorial is that while we had a very long debate over the so-called health care legislation--I think the name of the act was the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act--we never had the kind of debate that would have edified the American public on the general question of a government-run health care system versus one that was more amenable to the doctor-patient relationship and the privacy that Republicans were suggesting was a better way to go. What the editorial says is that the President's recess appointment of Dr. Berwick obviated the kind of debate that could have occurred had he gone through the regular nomination process and had a hearing at which his views could be elicited, and we could have then debated whether he, with his views, was the right person to head the CMS, which is the entity that will be running the program. The editorial concludes with these comments, after noting that even Democratic leaders in the Senate were perplexed by the recess appointment, noting Senate Finance Committee chairman, Max Baucus, saying he was ``troubled'' by the move. The editorial concludes: Considering how dubious the public remains about Obamacare, there is every reason to believe the Republicans really did want an exchange with the candid, erudite Berwick.…”