What Obama Did Right.

A quick divergence from my usual religion/patients' rights beat:

The president spoke with Republicans in Baltimore today.

Obama did one thing that was absolutely necessary. He brought the conversation around to what works. Facts, statistics, provable solutions to Medicare and Medicaid, trade, health care reform.

Tort reform doesn't work. Selling insurance across state lines (without restrictions) won't work.

He made the Republican proposals that come straight out of impractical ideology sound silly and he debunked them. We need much more of this. We're got a part of the country that is running around mad as hell about ideas and shouting out for solutions that will not meet their objectives. They have been disserved by an unintelligent or manipulative media and party.

A little truth felt awfully good. Instead of putting out ideological solutions to problems, I hope the Republicans (and Democrats) will be held accountable for the viability of their proposals. Not just politically but factually. Today was a first step.