The New Health Dialogue

While all eyes are on Massachusetts, it’s important not to forget about the other ayes in Congress needed to pass reform.

While today’s special election may complicate calculations of Democrats watching the House-Senate-White House negotiations on the final form of the health reform bill, it should not kill this legislation. Centrist Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) for one seems to understand that point. In her first video address of the new year (below) she lays out her six priorities for health reform, while emphasizing “This bill is important to people in Louisiana and across the nation.” 

For all its flaws, the bill does too much good – expanding coverage to more 30 million Americans and beginning the process of controlling health care costs. And for all their concerns, the Democrats have invested too much political capital to come away empty handed on health reform.

“Let's remove all doubt, we will have health care -- one way or another,” Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said at an event in San Francisco on Monday.

There are several “one way or another options” the Democrats are considering right now, but in addition to passing reform, Democrats need to be thinking about selling its benefits.

President Obama got the ball rolling by laying out reform’s immediate benefits in a recent weekly address and pledging to campaign directly on reforms accomplishments in the 2010 midterm elections. Sen. Landrieu has continued the effort in her state and more of her colleagues should follow suit.