US Passes Health Care Reform

Well, it finally happened. The major legislative push of the Obama White House in its first year; health care reform occurred. The brief details of the slim victory is included in the piece below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/health/policy/22health.html?ref=global-home

So how should American's feel? I believe that at the end of the day, everyone, including the President of the United States will feel relief. Relief that it is over. Or is it?

The Republican Party, very much the party of "no" throughout this process of reform and national debate showed how much the issue of health care will be used in the upcoming midterm elections. In the following link, the NY Times author laments what President Obama has lost in his win. Namely, the promise of a postpartisan Washington.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/health/policy/22assess.html?hp

However, I take issue with Mr. Sanger's very assertion.

The Republicans demonstrated from the very beginning of the Obama presidency that they were unwilling to work in a bi-partisan manner. And those few who did show an interest, any interest, were marginalized to the point that most moderate Republicans have left the party, either in retirement, disgust, or both. Meanwhile, the Party has been influenced by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin and is trying to co-opt the anger of the 'Tea Party Movement' for their own political advantage.

So, really President Obama did not lose anything. The aim of creating a postpartisan Washington D.C. was never a realistic option, however good the intention when the other side was unwilling to make it happen.