In essence, the power to enact significant legislation has passed to a few Senators (e.g. Joe Lieberman), whose swing votes were garnered by making major concessions to important provisions within the bill. A lasting legacy of the 2009 health care reform debate will most likely be anger among partisans on both sides of the aisle.

The overwhelmingly negative response of the American public to Rush Limbaugh’s interest in purchasing an equity stake in the Saint Louis Rams football franchise is just one indication of the growing enmity between the conservative, right-wing fringe and mainstream America.  Limbaugh and his Fox news cohorts, Hannity, Beck and O’Reilley have taken every opportunity to attack the Obama Administration and the Congressional Democrats, while offering almost no viable alternatives to the complex problems that face Americans.
The problems of race relations in America have been re-kindled and fueled by Limbaugh’s belittling …