No Bickering

Last week President Barack Obama delivered his most anticipated speech since his inauguration. He spoke to a joint session of Congress to regain momentum lost during a summer of discontent. Commentators considered the setting his last chance to salvage health care reform. We are not so confident. Law-making American-style is seldom that dramatic.

"Come, let us reason together," Lyndon Johnson used to say before applying the screws. Obama called for an end to the "bickering" in a speech more partisan than the typical presidential address to Congress. He offered Republicans a few sops but scant details. Indeed, although occasions such as this seldom offer the fine print, health care truly rates as one of the issues that will rise or fall based on the specifics.

Obama reiterated the reasons he supports the so-called public option for insurance. He also suggested he might be open to a plan without the public dimension. The public option has divided Democrats on Capitol Hill. On Wednesday, Obama pitched his remarks to members of his party -- which helps to explain the edgy tone.

The speech included many blanks. Obama said no federal money would pay for abortions, for instance, yet in a thoughtful column the morning of his address, Kathleen Parker wrote of the "disingenuous ways" the legislation would fund abortion. By the way, Parker addressed a serious issue with a clarity seldom expressed by the screamers.

Health care reform covers vast ground -- coverage, access, cost, quality of care, and more. Each probably requires a bill, and a debate, of its own. We continue to believe that the U.S. generally enjoys a strong system, one that remains preferable to systems in most other countries. The system is not perfect, however. We also believe that common-sensical market-based reforms can palliate those imperfections. We believe as well that mere opposition to Obamacare is not enough. Americans want the system improved, not remade. They are incrementalists. The long-term advantage will go with the party of enhancement.

Obama talked about policy, but the point was to rally his party. While response to the address seemed positive, the political outlook remains hazy. Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball suggests Democrats could lose 20 to 30 House seats next year. Other analysts concur. Some even say that although still unlikely, a GOP takeover has entered the realm of possibility.

Speaking of the GOP, Eric Cantor -- the House Republican whip and representative from the 7th District -- attracted attention and sneers as he clicked away on his BlackBerry during Obama's oration. Cantor said he meant no disrespect, but, as members of Congress did not receive printed copies of the address, he used his BlackBerry to take notes. It is possible that no criticism would have come if Cantor had been seen scribbling on a legal pad, but we are not sure. Disrespect need not be intended to occur. The BlackBerry should have stayed in Cantor's pocket. Also last week, Cantor praised Obama's efforts in Afghanistan.

We will close with an observation about health care universally. Health care systems vary throughout the world. Different countries take different approaches. Every one has its detractors -- and its fans. Yet regardless of the form, health care appears resistant to fundamental overhaul. Margaret Thatcher did not try to remake Britain's NHS. Nicolas Sarkozy's attempts to restrain spending in France have met with opposition, not only from the bureaucracy but from the citizenry. In the U.S., Republicans deplore "socialized" medicine yet vow to defend Medicare at all costs. And so it goes.

Just take two aspirin and call back in the morning.