And that’s where it gets interesting. Far from the impasse that some expect in an election year, I think Obama and the Democrats have the chance to get a lot done now that health care is out of the way. A financial regulation bill is likely to go to the senate floor, and it already has some Republican support (as well as a much broader public appeal). There’s also Obama’s push to reform No Child Left Behind, which falls into a similar category. Then there is the Senate’s climate change/energy bill that also has shown signs of life. Health care may be divisive at the moment, but it will not be the only issue come November (I almost forgot – another supreme court nomination over the summer could make things interesting too).

I guess my basic point is that the health care victory is not only important because it is an achievement in itself; it also may have forged a strong working relationship between Obama and the Democratic leadership and provided a model for approaching important but perhaps slightly less contentious issues than health care. Obama may lack Lyndon Johnson’s knowledge of the ins and outs of congress or FDR’s experience in the executive branch and as governor, but he is a talented politician with a demonstrated ability to adapt and defy expectations. Health care reform took a long time to pass, but it might have been well worth it for Obama if it provides his administration with a recipe for future success.