Thanking the GOP Congress since no one else will....

Congressman Dave Camp, Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, is doing his job and he's doing it well.

So is Senator Judd Gregg.

And if it weren't for them and their staff, cap-and-trade could already be a reality and we probably wouldn't have 54% of Americans believing passing no health care reform is better than the plan currently in Congress.

Let me explain...

Historically speaking, voters have been cynical of Congress. And rightly so.

But believe it or not, there are good people on the Hill that are smart, do their jobs well, and most importantly, are there for the right reasons. And I don't say that because I used to be one.

So many times it's the seemingly little things that can have a profound effect on national policy. For Dave Camp and Judd Gregg, that included several letters addressed to Doug Elmendorf.

These letters spelled out specific questions about the fiscal impact of health care reform legislation and cap-and-trade(e.g., the National Energy Tax). They were carefully written to ensure Elmendorf had the correct framework with which to respond.

For those not familiar with that name, Elmendorf is the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

The same CBO that brought about this gem from Charles Krauthammer:

Reforming the health-care system is dead. Cause of death? Blunt trauma administered not by Republicans, not even by Blue Dog Democrats, but by the green eyeshades at the Congressional Budget Office.

Krauthammer goes on to detail three CBO reports that have significantly impacted the national health care reform debate. Two of which were responses directly to letters submitted by Dave Camp and Judd Gregg.

Without their efforts to kickstart the CBO into action, it's quite possible we wouldn't be where we are today - with the Democrats on their heels and at eachother's throats.

By no means is this fight over. In fact, the latest rumor is that Obama and the Democratic Congress may try to ram something through without worrying about obtaining a single Republican vote.

It may work, but it will also most assuredly cost them much politically in the long run.

A similar situation happened during the stimulus debate in the Spring when the entire House GOP caucus voted against the measure. With the stimulus floundering, that vote will provide much-needed ammo in the 2010 midterm elections. Will the Democrats use the same tactic again for health care?

Nancy, I triple-dog dare ya.