Is Health Care Reform on Life Support?

The lead article in today’s New York Times is titled, “After Recess, Health Talk Steps Lively.” It describes several reasons why President Obama might pass health care reform after all, despite the dramatic prognostications of doom by some pundits.

These reasons include the vast areas of agreement among legislators, the fact that four out of five Congressional committees have already passed legislation, and the overwhelming political imperative for Democrats to act to avoid disaster at the polls in the 2010 elections. President Obama’s speech to the nation tonight is widely viewed as a milestone in the process.

In my opinion, the article’s analysis is right on the money. A majority of the American people still support reform and even the “public option” despite the attempts of some conservatives to foster rebellion at town hall meetings during the summer. In fact, the hysteria of the far right may yet cause a backlash among the average American because of their unruly tactics and disprespect for their district’s duly elected officials.

I think we should expect a lively speech from the President tonight, with a clear explanation of the reasons and components of reform. He seems to have been shocked into action by the overblown reaction to his school speech yesterday. I hope he finally realizes that the conservatives in Congress have no desire for bi-partisanship. Their priority is not the American people but their own Party’s return to power.