When I went for my regularly scheduled doctor's appointment this past week, my doctor and I spent almost my entire appointment talking about health-care reform. We discussed our frustration at the recent compromises required to get to 60 votes, and we shared our sense that something big was about to happen. As I was getting ready to leave, my wise--and very good doctor--said to me:

"It is really very simple. Once they get a bill passed--almost any bill--they will have a foot in the door. Once the foot is in the door, the door will stay open forever, at least for a couple of generations. They will be able to amend this law, change it, modify it, make it better from now until our grandchildren's grandchildren are the beneficiaries. It was exactly this way with Medicare, with Medicaid, even with Social Security, for crying out loud. The point is simply to negotiate change. Once change is negotiated, there is no going back. The door will be open; the change will have come."

So the deed is done. The change has come. We all have to agree that no president has accomplished more in his first year in office since FDR. Let those who have no plans, whatever their party, step aside. Let those who want to stand on the sidelines and criticize get out of the way. The Obama era has arrived.