The WSJ has a good op-ed on the effect a Democrat Congress will have on our new President. On health care, for example, Pete Stark will “encourage” him to abandon his “centrist” health care plan and go for single-payor.

The Chairman of a crucial House subcommittee dealing with health care doesn’t think Mr. Obama’s proposal to significantly federalize the insurance market goes far enough. He wants a single-payer system like Canada’s. Mr. Obama may want to strike a deal with Senate Republicans on health care, but Mr. Stark will be pulling him left at every turn.

Obama’s record is one of “going along to get along,” so I don’t see him putting up much of a fight on this.  In fact, he was for single-payer before he ran for President. So they probably won’t have to push him very hard.

Also, as I have pointed out before, Senator Kennedy is working hard on a Medicare-for-All bill, for which his impending demise will create considerable congressional momentum.

With Pete Stark and Kennedy pushing hard for single-payer, and Obama only recently against it for the sake of political expediency, is it not obvious what’s going to happen on health care next year?