Progressives should embrace the term “Obamacare.” Rather than being a term of derision it is an excellent reminder that the only attempt to reform and improve American healthcare was successfully  undertaken by the Obama administration.

Was it all good? No, it didn’t go nearly far enough; but it was clearly a giant step in the right direction. All we hear from the advocates of “Boehnercare” is intransigent opposition to reform and the promise to fight it in every way possible.

How helpful is that? Meanwhile the rest of us wait to hear what the Republicans have to offer besides a return to the good old days when 30 million Americans had no health insurance.

So far we’ve heard nothing. Understandably, since it’s always easier to say “no” than to offer substantive proposals.

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And promises to do all it can do to institute “Boehnercare.”

Hot Diggity! We just can’t wait for the return of the donut hole and those good ol’ pre-existing conditions.

Joan Walsh, writing in Salon yesterday, asked if we can swear off the rhetoric of violence. She is clear that we ought to, but has to take a wait and see attitude. She writes:

Sadly, to my knowledge, no conservative leader has yet called for dialing back the rage on the right in the wake of the Giffords shooting. Sarah Palin sent condolences to Giffords’ family, but said nothing about her unconscionable SarahPAC map putting 20 House members, including Giffords, in actual crosshairs for supporting healthcare reform, or her infamous Tweet telling conservatives “don’t retreat, reload.” Giffords’ 2010 Tea Party challenger, Jesse Kelly, hasn’t apologized for inviting supporters to “shoot a fully automatic M16″ to “get on target for victory” and “remove Gabrielle Giffords from office.” Nevada GOP Senate candidate Sharron Angle hasn’t yet recanted her statement about the need to pursue “Second Amendment remedies” if political change lags behind the Tea Party’s dreams.

Although there’s no evidence Tea Party rhetoric had anything to do with Giffords’ shooting, it can be no surprise that her father, when asked if his daughter had enemies, told the New York Post tearfully, “Yeah, the whole Tea Party.”

Read the Walsh column here.