Two Cheers for the Health Care Bill

America has now (provisionally) passed a bill providing health care for more than 90% of America. The Democrats say it's historic. That's true. Some Republicans are saying it's 'the end of our country'. Probably not.

But is it a good thing? Yes...if you believe that two out of three is good enough:

1) The Upside. More people will be covered. Insurance companies will be constrained in some meaningful ways (say goodbye to 'preexisting conditions'). Young people looking for non-existent jobs can stay on their parents health care plans until age 26. The caps on annual and lifetime benefits ostensibly will disappear. So, there is good news.

2) The Politics. Much is being made of President Obama 'spending all his political capital' to get this bill passed. This is a line of argument being promoted by the Republicans, so like everything else they've said on this issue, they're dead wrong. Obama showed he can, in the end, get things done. Something truly historic. In the midst of one of the most shamelessly vile, virulent and vindictive oppositions in America's legislative history. The Republicans, aided by a compliant, lap dog media, allowed themselves to lie and slander at will. And guess what?--it didn't work. Now where do they turn? Does it make sense for them to become even more lunatic? Could be. But they will drive themselves further from centrist voters.

3) The Downside. Mr. Obama's mistake from the start was to believe that he could bring all corporate and political entities to the table...and that they would eventually fall before his logic and his charm. That was never going to happen. He got played. He assumed when they said 'bipartisanship' they meant it. That ruse now has been put to bed. But in the process, some extremely friendly concessions were made to hospitals and drug makers (if not so much to the insurance companies). The road to meaningful health care reform...in terms of both service and cost control...has only begun. But more importantly, he now must now accept that his opponents will never stop opposing.

This downside can end if the President decides to call their bluff, and isolate them. For example, think Wall Street regulation. What if the administration proposed a bill that hard-capped the salary and bonuses of any bank executive whose company accepted money during the bailout? Of course, the free market ideologues would scream. But the Tea Partiers might shut up. On this point, the far left and the far right actually agree. Proving that the Republican party serves solely as pool boys for big business would be both honest and effective. Yes, it would be divisive. But at this point, what difference does it make?

Oh yeah, and one more thing.

Nancy Pelosi is now the world's foremost 70-year-old rock star.