Pete Stark: “a number of large business organizations have said recently that they would like to reconsider the financing mechanisms…”

“a number of large business organizations have said recently that they would like to reconsider the financing mechanisms in the President's health care plan. They oppose taxes to help finance care for the low-income and uninsured. They oppose mandates on employers to guarantee such insurance, so they are looking for a third alternative. There is a third option, and we are overdue for it. I refer, of course, to the option described in Exodus 16: 14-15 and Numbers 11: 7-9: ``Manna from Heaven.'' There is a good chance in the year 2000 that manna will fall again. The reason is clear: the first manna fell 3000 years ago, about the year 1000 BC. All good things come in threes: there are three branches of the Federal Government, and this is the Nation's third major debate on health care reform in 30 years. The coincidence of threes is so strong, that I think we can count on a new crop of manna very soon. All we have to do is legislate that everyone goes out and collects the manna every morning and uses it to pay for their health insurance policies. All our tough financing problems will evaporate like the morning dew that brings the manna. On the other hand, the Congressional Budget Office, being the cynics that they are, may not give us scorable savings for this financing alternative. Which brings us back to taxes or employer mandates. Mr. Speaker, people can look and look, but there is no health finance tooth fairy who will give us health care for free.”