Problem solved?

By Leslie S. Lebl

President Obama and the Congressional leadership, in trying to ram through their version of health care reform, presumably want to shore up their base in the left of the Democratic party, while demonstrating more broadly that they can produce a legislative achievement.

They may or may not achieve those goals, but perseverance is also likely to induce Tea Partiers to suppress their disillusionment with the Republican Party. Right now, the amorphous nature of the Tea Party movement poses the danger of third candidates that split conservative and independent votes. Obama, Reid and Pelosi may be about to resolve that dilemma.