The passage of Obamacare is a lesson in how to outmaneuver institutions and pass controversial policy legislation

Approved by Congress four years ago, the Affordable Care Act, or ‘Obamacare’ is the Obama administration’s signature policy, and is now coming into force, with an enrollment deadline at the end of March. While controversy over Obamacare continues, it is important to remember that its passage through Congress was anything but smooth. Erik J. Blutinger looks at how the Obama administration as able to learn from the mistakes of previous Democratic attempts at healthcare reform, and overcame the influence and opposition of institutions such as the media and Congress in order to get the reform passed.