Health Care For America Now

As markups move forward and bills begin to pass, there will be a lot of process for folks watching the health care debate to sort out. Thankfully, we have the Internet, something we didn't have in the 1990s. That means we can explain and respond in real time. It really helps, and might just make the difference.

For example, Democratic leadership was able to respond effectively and in real time to a press conference called today by Republican leadership. This kind of thing ensures not only that conservative misinformation doesn't make its way too far into the mainstream, but that Republican obstructionists become the laughingstocks they deserve to be.

Other examples abound. Sites like Congress Matters deal specifically with process and often liveblog Congressional goings on. And the committees writing the legislation themselves have online outreach programs that are creative and effective. The tri-committees, in particular, are paving the way here, with Education and Labor staffers responding to Daily Kos comments, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account.

Will this push health reform over the edge? I don't know, but it just might. Certainly, real time information directly from Congress will make it easier for the coalition supporting reform to unite behind legislation and to push back against opponents. That just might do the trick.