I can't think of many issues that have caused the amount of consternation in my more than three decades in this business as the passionate debate over the Affordable Care Act.
You might know it by its more casual name - Obamacare.
There are not shortage of opinions when it comes to this issue - like it, hate it, but very few are indifferent.
I think there are many reasons for this bitter debate. Some people honestly do not like the idea of the federal government running what is a very personal, individual decision. I understand that.
But I fear that a lot of what passes for debate over the ACA is merely a thinly veiled, political attack by those who simply cannot stomach President Obama.
They will fight him at every turn, in the process demeaning not only him but the office as well.
I am not an expert on health care, nor have I ever professed to be.
It is a complicated issue, with legitimate arguments on both sides, not the least of which is the cost of this program, both who will pay for it, and the individual's cost.
The administration certainly did not help themselves with an initial rollout of the website that simply cannot be described other than a disaster.
Then they poured a little salt into the wound by backtracking on the oft-repeated sound bite, "If you like your current health care plan, you can keep it."
Uh, actually, in a lot of instances, you can't.
Despite all those pitfalls, more than 5 million people have now signed up, with a goal of 6 million.
That March 31 deadline to sign up? Well, that also is being delayed, although it's limited to people who are already working their way through the system. At least I think so.
That's why I was so happy last night to take our 'Live From the Newsroom' show back to the Widener campus. We are partnering with the school and use their sparkling new TV studio in Freedom Hall, the new home of their communications department.
I could not have had a better guest to discuss the Affordable Care Act. John Culhane is a Widener law professor and the director of Widener's Health Law Institute. He spoke with a knowledge that few have, or can easily dispense.
I came away from the session feeling better about the health care debate. I hope you do as well.
If you missed the show, we'll have the replay on the site later this morning so you can watch for yourself.
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