Group of 24

An article this weekend in the NY Times reported on an effort by 24 national leaders, of all political stripes and organizations, who have been meeting for months in secret to figure out a plan that would expand health care coverage to as many uninsured people as possible. The report said the group has been meeting in secret to avoid political pressure. Leaders from unions have sat down with leaders from the Heritage Foundation to try and find a solution to one of the nation’s biggest problems. It is a reflection of the depth of the crisis that partisanship and ideology have taken a back seat. This kind of dialogue is critical if we are to succeed in achieving the goal of health care for all. However, this kind of sit-down has happened before, and nothing has come of it. Talk is important, but is also, as they say, cheap. The reason we need the health care constitutional amendment is so that not only will people sit down and talk about the problem, but they will then be required to do something about it. The amendment will also act as the lock in for whatever plan the stakeholders agree on.