When it comes to President Barack Obama's obsession with imposing government-run health care, the nation needs a Major Clipton to cry out: "Madness!  Madness!" The Clipton character shouted those memorable words at the close of the movie classic Bridge on the River Kwai.  

Barack Obama like Colonel Nicholson can't seem to shake his obsession, not with building a railroad bridge for the Japanese, of course, but with putting the nation's health care under the government's thumb.  Mr. Obama's obsession with controlling health care has dominated the thirteen months of his presidency, despite the imperative of fixing a faltering economy, an economy that may well be heading for very dangerous waters in 2011.  

Yet what Americans concerned for their jobs, homes and investments get from the President is more health care razzmatazz, starting with Thursday's dog and pony show - better known as the health care summit - at the Blair House in Washington.

As the President well knows, the health care summit is just cover for the Democrats shortly coming effort to ram through Congress government-run health care legislation.  That gambit is likely to fail.  How do we know this?  The media is full of reports that Mr. Obama has a fall back plan - a mini-health care power grab - ready to go.  The White House wouldn't float an alternative plan if the President smelled victory.

So the President's health care saga continues with no end in sight.  The government spends and borrows hugely with abandon - with Mr. Obama's blessings - as the economy staggers toward a steep cliff. 

If not madness, then what?