“What's your position on health care reform?”

English Lesson: What's your position on health care reform?

A candidate for a senate position is being interviewed by a news reporter. The reporter wants to know what the candidate thinks about changing the health care system. She asks the candidate this question.

What's your position on health care reform?

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(someone's) position on (a topic)

"Postion" means "opinion". However, a "position" is more set and more thought out than an "opinion".

A person is usually only expected to have a "position" on a topic if they are an expert or an authority. Politicians have "positions" on a variety of topics:

Mr. President, what's your position on marijuana decriminalization?

(something) reform

"Reform" is a set of large changes to a system, such as in government or an industry. When an idea for reforming something becomes popular among a group of people, it is given a name in the form of "___ reform". For example:

  • education reform - changing the education system of a country or region
  • campaign finance reform - changing the system of how political candidates raise money for their campaigns
  • tax reform - changing the system of how taxes are charged or collected