Health care reform great gift to Americans

Thank the Democrats in the Senate for giving millions of Americans a great Christmas present. It still has to have the final bow put on it, but at least it is in the box. Even if some parts can't be delivered until next Christmas, it still is a great present for those who would otherwise have been devastated by health and financial problems.

Our government has been going in the wrong direction for many years, but it appears that the attitude of “Yes, we can” is starting to take hold again.

Just five years ago, the Republicans were trying to privatize Social Security, shifting money into the stock market (just in time for a crash). Thank heavens Social Security survived. Now here we are with a major reform that, for all its faults, is the biggest expansion of the social safety net since Medicare. That counts as a big success.

Ralph Beach

Central City