Sadly, health reform has become a political exercise on all sides, but most particularly on the Democratic side. We have offered real solutions for REAL HEALTH REFORM but the Congress, apparently with the President’s blessing, has continued headlong with many components of health reform that are costly, unnecessary, expensive, and unproven in any fashion. We need Real Health Reform that is based on American principles and values, not much of what is being offered by this Administration or the Democratic congress . . . obi jo

The decision by Senate Democratic leaders last week to devote more time to winning Republican support for a health care overhaul has allowed President Obama to keep alive the possibility of bipartisanship on one of the most contentious issues on his agenda.

But Mr. Obama is under growing pressure to choose between wooing a small band of Republicans or struggling to rally his party to use its big majorities in Congress to get the job done. The bipartisanship exhibited in the passage of two other ambitious domestic programs that offer one historical backdrop for this debate — Social Security in 1935 and Medicare and Medicaid 30 years later — seems increasingly improbable in today’s Washington.

Should Mr. Obama abandon efforts to reach out to Republicans, he risks damaging his appeal among independent voters, who have a history of being put off by overt partisanship.

In addition, the go-it-alone course could cost Mr. Obama and, more important, Congressional Democrats political cover should the health care plan prove ineffective, unpopular or excessively costly before the 2010 or 2012 elections.

Partisan or Not, a Tough Course on Health Care – http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/us/politics/26partisan.html?ref=health

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