The politics of health reform: Picking the strategies

In the political fight surrounding the health law, The Washington Post reports that "individual stories" have emerged as a weapon of choice for Democrats and supporters of the measure. Meanwhile, Northeast Democrats are this week using thank you notes to make a point. It's the fifth anniversary of Massachusetts state health overhaul and these partisans are streaming their appreciation to GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney as a reminder that this measure is one of the models for the federal law.

The Washington Post: Individual Stories Are Weapon Of Choice In Fight Over Health Care Law
With Republicans determined to disrupt implementation of the new health care law and promote their own fixes to Medicaid and Medicare, and Democrats hopeful of swaying a stubbornly divided public to embrace the law as it takes effect between now and 2014, no one expects the fight to let up anytime soon. And for Democrats and supporters of the law, the weapon of choice is the compelling individual story, a tool honed by former President Ronald Reagan that has been archived and analyzed, computerized and systematized to new levels for this battle (Aizenman, 4/9).

The Boston Globe: Fifth Anniversary Health Care Fodder For Romney
Northeast Democrats will be at their most creative today and tomorrow, as they aim to tweak Republican Mitt Romney in conjunction with the fifth anniversary of the Massachusetts universal health care law. New Hampshire Democrats are sending out an email at 9 a.m. today, urging their supporters to flood Romney's official Twitter handle, @MittRomney, with thanks and congratulations for a piece of legislation that is anathema to many of his fellow conservatives across the country (Johnson, 4/11).

The Hill: NH Dems 'Thank' Romney For Health Care Reform
New Hampshire Democrats are signing a giant "Thank You" card for likely Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney for being the "founding father of modern health reform," the state's Union Leader reports. Democrats next week will mark the five-year anniversary of Massachusetts's health care reform law with a ceremony that reminds everyone that the state's overhaul - backed by Romney, GOP governor of the state at the time - was the model for the federal reform enacted last year (Millman, 4/8).