Thursday, July 14, 2005

Bargaining for A Health Care Breakthrough Column by David Broder in the Washington Post, called to our attention by the Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report - "When John Breaux retired from the Senate last year, many assumed that the let's-make-a-deal approach he had perfected in his 18 years of service had vanished with him. In an increasingly partisan and polarized Congress, the bargaining skills Breaux displayed seemed relics of another time. It turns out that we underestimated the conservative Democrat from Louisiana, the canny Cajun whose willingness to negotiate across party lines had made him a valuable ally to both Republican and Democratic presidents. In retirement to a Washington consultant's role, Breaux has resurfaced as the spark plug of a 'Ceasefire on Health Care' campaign that already has achieved a few small successes and is aiming for much bigger breakthroughs in the effort to rescue America's dysfunctional medical delivery system." [Viewing Washington Post stories requires registration, which is free.]