[Joiseydude]

Obama administration officials and Democratic lawmakers say the reason for the three-year wait is the time it's going to take to set up insurance marketplaces, write consumer protection rules and reconfigure the bureaucracy to carry out the legislation.

"It's very important to get the execution right," White House budget director Peter Orszag told The Associated Press in a recent interview.

There's another reason, less talked about: to make the costs of the plan seem more manageable under congressional budgeting rules.

Lawmakers use a 10-year accounting window to assess new programs. Starting the Medicare cuts and some of the taxes in the early years — and pushing the bulk of new spending into the latter years — helps keep the cost of the health care overhaul within Obama's $900 billion limit.

"It means that the full cost of the program is underestimated in the 10-year window that you are looking at," said Gail Wilensky. "It's not like we've never seen this before, but people need to understand what's going on."

[NormsRevenge]

Nothing but Smoke and mirrors.

As goes California, so goes the nation.