5 Reasons Even Republicans Can Love Health Reform

By GottaLaff

John Aloysius Farrell has a blog post up over at U.S. News and World Report. Here are the bare bones:

1. The United States of America remains a proud capitalist country. Forget the "first step" toward "creeping socialism" nonsense. [...]
2. Your stock portfolios are fatter. [...]
3. We are getting a grip on costs. [...]
4. You won a round on abortion. [...]
5. The cocklebur states will make out like bandits. [...]

So cheer up, wingers. In defeat, your base is happily outraged and united. Despite victory, the liberal base is sour and divided. And the public's memory is short. It won't be long before your House and Senate office staffs are winning you thousands of votes helping grateful constituents claim the benefits of this evil law you've fought so bitterly. In a few years you'll be defending it, like Medicare.

The rest is here.

My knee jerk reaction is to accept this passage as a victory, especially if the Rushpublics are this apoplectic over it. I have the same issues with the bill as many of you do, but I see it as a springboard.

My health care PMS is still lingering, but this has been a gigantic accomplishment, getting both houses to pass something. Can you imagine a McCain/Palin administration version of health care reform?

I fervently hope there will be improvements, and eventually, a final bill that we can live with more comfortably. And again, this is a long, tough process. There will be tweaks and twists and turns in the months and years to come.

So I choose to remain optimistic and defy my PMSitude today. Despite the setbacks and bitter disappointments, it's a step. Doing nothing was more destructive, IMHO. I'm still waiting to see what comes out of conference before I commit to full on celebrating or tantruming.

In the meantime, I'll pop a health care Midol, grab a conference heating pad, pig out on chocolate, and hope for the best.