Deadline schmeadline

Every year, the primary deadline Congress has is September 30th, the cut-off date for passing all federal spending bills. Do they meet it? No. The last time they stuck to it was 1994, in fact. Does it serve to spur progress and keep efforts moving? Absolutely.

Let's examine the alternative: no deadline. I can picture the current health-care debate creeping far into 2010, derailing on middling controversies and irrevocably mired in partisan dissent.

Clearly, deadlines are necessary. Congress needs them in order to sustain the momentum that keeps big reform efforts like this one from going off the tracks. And while the deadline set by President Obama may not be met, it is doubtful we would have made the amount of progress we have seen to date without it.

By Doug Ulman  |  November 17, 2009; 6:24 PM ET  | Category:  Health Care Reform Save & Share:                 
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