All of the great progressive political leaders were smiling down on the US last night as the House vote tally flipped to the magical number of 216.   JFK, RFK. LBJ, FDR, MLK, Harry, Truman, Teddy Kennedy and Roosevelt, and yes, even Richard Nixon, must have been saying its about time.   I sat rivited most of the day to the debate on the floor of the House wating for information as to how the votes would break.  The leadership had expressed confidence for days but you never know when it comes to actually voting. 

After all the zig and zags of legislative sausage making, after all the comments from the pundrity and the blogosphere, after all the vitriole and falsehoods coming from the Right, Health Care Reform and its coverage of 32 million more Americans, and its limitations on the horrendous excesses of the insurance industry are now put into law.  Americans will now join the rest of the civilized world in assuring its citizens access to health care.