Lieberman: Many Health Care Changes Can Wait
Says Obama should postpone many initiatives because of recession

Sen. Joe Lieberman (Photo credit: Evan Vucci / AP)

Aug. 23, 2009

WASHINGTON – An independent senator counted on by Democrats in the health care debate showed signs of wavering Sunday when he urged President Barack Obama to postpone many of his initiatives because of the economic downturn.

“I’m afraid we’ve got to think about putting a lot of that off until the economy’s out of recession,” said Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman.

“There’s no reason we have to do it all now, but we do have to get started. And I think the place to start is cost – health delivery reform and insurance market reforms.” …

“I think it’s a real mistake to try to jam through the total health insurance reform, health care reform plan that the public is either opposed to or of very, very passionate mixed minds about,” Lieberman said.

Republicans want to start over

Talk about resorting to this maneuver comes as Republicans dig in against the idea of a government-run insurance program as an option for consumers and a requirement that employers provide health insurance to their workers. …

Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., also suggested that a fresh start was needed.

“Bringing up of the health care situation in the midst of recession, the unemployment problems … was a mistake,” Lugar said.

“For the moment, let’s clear the deck and try it again next year or in subsequent times.” …

Lieberman and Lugar appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” … 

 
Is Obama too ambitious? (CNN, Aug. 23) — In this clip from Sunday’s “State of the Union,” three senators discuss the president’s health care agenda. (07:46)

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