45 centrist Democrats protest secrecy of healthcare talks

New York Times, May 12, 2009

Forty-five House Democrats in the party's moderate-to-conservative wing have protested the secretive process by which party leaders in their chamber are developing legislation to remake the healthcare system. Centrist Democrats said they fully endorsed President Obama's goal of guaranteeing access to health insurance and healthcare for all, but they are concerned about the cost of the legislation. And they want to be sure that the role of any new government-sponsored insurance program, expected to be a centerpiece of the bill, is carefully delineated.