The Senate passed the health care reform bill, 60-39, and if anyone deserve the lion's share of the credit, it's Senator Harry Reid, the Majority Leader.
President Obama also deserves huge credit for making this his number one priority and Speaker Pelosi for shepherding the House bill past the opposition.
Certainly the legislation has serious defects but the simple fact is that we cannot reform health care unless and until nearly everyone is covered. And this first giant step has been taken. (See Jonathan Chait's wonderful summary in The New Republic of why this bill is hugely important.)
And now undeniably the footprint of the federal government in health care will overshadow the private health insurance industry, making clear that it will be government and democratic majorities who will have the major say in shaping the future of our health care system.
Way to go!!!
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