4 out of 6… 2 more to go.

The Democrats in the House of Representatives weren't kidding when they said they were going to change healthcare. Already, in the first 100 hours of Congress, they have passed 4 out of 6 of their top agenda items. As the chart on the left shows (as illustrated in the Wall Street Journal article, "Democrats Take On Health Care" ), the items already passed are :

• enacting the 9/11 Commission measures


• Increase the minimum wage


• Expand embryonic stem cell research


• Negotiate Medicare drug prices (please see yesterday's posting for more information on this).

The items yet to be passed are: Cut student loan interest rates and curb oil-industry subsidies.

Now we only have to wait for the Senate to vote, and if passed, it will be headed to the White House. Unfortunately, President Bush has already said he would veto it (no big surprise).

We'll wait and see who perseveres in the end.