The real question is not, "How can the Democrats pull out the Massachusetts Senate seat to preserve the supermajority?", but rather, "Why are the Republicans completely unwilling to negotiate a health care bill that is good for the country?"

That the health system in this country is broken can not be argued. By any number of measures -- infant mortality, numbers without access, cost to the individual and society as a whole, outcomes for patients -- the system is in danger of collapsing of its own weight. As a result, even more people will go without coverage and be sicker and cost more to treat. If nothing is done, healthcare costs will rise by about a third again to $3.1 trillion by 2012, or more than one fifth of U.S. GDP.

So, I ask, why is the GOP willing -- nay, eager -- to see this bill, or any health care bill, go down to defeat? Can it be that they are so enamored of power and control that the good of the country has no merit? Is no one among them willing to put the good of the nation before their desire to "see Obama fail?" How can it be good for a nation for a significant minority wish ill on their president solely for the perceived benefit to their party?