applznorngz

Dave Durenburger was a Senator from
Minnesota, one of the last of the Centrist Republicans. He actually
helped get health care reform going in Minnesota, could it be 20 years
ago. MNCare is a system of state subsidized health insurance for
working folks who don't make much money and who don't have health
insurance from work. He was actually brought down by his own petard,
but still he's actually still talking the talk and walking the walk
so... Too bad there's not more of him.

Here is an interesting question and answer session from MinnPost.com.From the page: Durenberger says his biggest disappointment in the 21st century's health-care reform debate is "Republicans sitting on the sidelines" despite overtures by Democrats and the Obama administration in the beginning. A big surprise, he says, was that Democrats still fashioned some reform proposals that appeal to his Republican roots.Interestingly, at Durenberger's invitation, aides to key Democrats and Republicans in last year's presidential election as well as figures in the 1993-94 Clinton reform effort came to Minnesota in April 2008 to develop "10 commandments" for presidential leadership in the next round of health-care reform. Some of the Obama administration's tactics and talking points seem to echo the commandments.