As faithful readers know, I did not imbibe the Barack magic potion in the winter of 2008. At best, I’ve been sceptically hopeful regarding Obama’s presidency. His Afghanistan, Middle Eastern and immigration policies remain tragically wrong-headed to my mind.
HOWEVER, one must give credit where credit is due. Yesterday’s vote over Health Reform is a major humanizing step forward in American democracy. Obama and Nancy Pelosi had the courage of their convictions.
The years ahead will be difficult because the very partial analysis of the Congressional Budget Office could not truly account for the costs of expanding health care. Injustice remains: millions of undocumented immigrant workers will continue to keep the economy moving without access to health insurance; women received a slap in the face over access to abortion. Such was the price this time round of hard fought political compromise over meaningful change. May Obama and his crew have the courage and wisdom to improve health care further and to extend their reborn reformist zeal to other pressing matters.