Obama has staked his presidency on final passage of the Health Care Reform Bill. Whether the Democratic majorities in both houses of congress will rise to the challenge and make it happen, frankly, remains to be seen. A victory will galvanize an administration in dealing with other thorny issues; a defeat would be a crippling blow to its effectiveness. What is clear is that the Republicans remain resolute and unshakably united in their opposition and, as such, making appeals for bipartisanship are exercises in futility.
