A firestorm is brewing as leaders of the Catholic Church in the U.S. react to a decision by the Obama Administration that there will be no exemption for church-owned hospitals, universities, social service organizations, homeless shelters and soup kitchens from certain provisions in the new federal health insurance law.

The Obama Administration, which actually means Barack Obama and those hoping to earn a second term with him at the White House, appear to be willing to chip away at their health reform law in order to stay in power.

The one-year anniversary of the sleight-of-hand passage of President Obama‘s signature health reform law is upon us, as March 23, 2010, may go down as an embarrassing example of not only abuse of presidential power, but the danger of partisan politics and a Congressional majority drunk on its own illusion of authoritarianism and righteousness.

The U.S. House of Representatives will begin debate Jan. 18 on an effort by Republican representatives to repeal the health reform law approved by a Democratic majority last year.

Members of the Democratic Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives say they will not allow the compromise extending Bush-era tax cuts for two more years to go to the House floor for vote.

About three months ago, one of my blog postings created a bit of a stir among some local health insurance professionals. These folks, whom I admire for not only their experience but for their well-earned status in the industry, told me that my retelling and questioning of some comments made by a Democratic Pennsylvania state delegate regarding the federal health insurance overhaul law didn’t express his true commitment to work to ensure the viability of the health insurance broker, and that he was a true friend of the industry.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, outgoing speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, says jobless people looking for an extension of their unemployment benefits will not see one when Republicans take over control of the House.

Republicans who now have a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives plan to fight to repeal federal health reform, passed in March by Congress’ Democratic leadership.

Last week I had a quick conversation with my Maryland congressman at the Starbucks near our IFA offices, and came to understand more fully the dilemma that Democrats face in the midterm elections, and why voters are frustrated that candidates still don’t get it.

Josh Shapiro drank the Kool-Aid. Speaking before a gathering of local health insurance agents, brokers and carrier reps, the Pennsylvania state delegate who represents Montgomery County outside of Philadelphia, sounded eerily like Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House who rallied fellow Democrats to pass health care reform in March.