Editorial: Behind Closed Doors

• Oct. 21, 2009, Midnight

Part of what killed former President Bill Clinton’s push for health care reform in the 1990s was the perception that the bill was crafted wholly behind closed doors. Members of Congress from both parties felt as if they were shut out of the process — and rightly so. With little investment in the success of the bill, most Members did not feel the need to overly extend themselves to ensure its passage. Sure enough, it sank like a stone.