Obama should keep Bill Maher in mind when he convenes the health care summit today. Bill said that "Americans are aren't bright enough to understand healthcare the issues, but they can sense strength or weakness". If the Democrate need to pass the healthcare bill via reconciliation, then so be it. Don't waffle... It is also instructive to keep the following in mind: Sixteen of the 22 “reconciliation bills” that have made it through Congress were passed in the Senate when Republicans had majorities. Among them were the signature tax cuts of President George W. Bush, the 1996 overhaul of the welfare system, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Medicare Advantage insurance policies and the Cobra program allowing people who leave a job to pay to keep the health coverage their employer provided (the “R” and “A” in Cobra stand for “reconciliation act”).