Bachmann signs her health care independence declaration

After some carefully orchestrated media buzz, Michele Bachmann unveiled a "Declaration of Health Care Independence" at a DC press conference yesterday, along with some other House conservatives. They all stood and signed a poster board printed in a way made to mimic the Declaration of Independence.

Missouri Republican Todd Aiken linked the press conference to Scott Brown's GOP Senate victory last week in Massachusetts, which he called a "shot heard around the world" no different from the opening salvos at Lexington that began the War of Independence.

Odd ironies abound.

First, yesterday's political theater was all about maintaining the status quo, not launching a revolution.

Also, Massachusetts peacefully passed legislation in 2006 creating government-mandated health care coverage and subsidies -- a peaceful revolution that runs counter to the sentiments expressed yesterday. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican, signed the legislation into law.

And Aiken's new shots heard around the world? Every modern, industrialized nation has some form of government managed or funded health care insurance program -- and none of those countries are clamoring for a system like the one we have in the United States.