State and local health care reform runs into a brick wall called ERISA

This is an example of why it is so important for citizens to understand something of process, before we go bitching off about legislators who can't always do what we want them to do. Get down into the weeds (be a wonk!) and find things like this, as explained by Ben Arnoldy of the Christian Science Monitor.

The biggest name in healthcare reform isn't Hillary, or Mitt, or Arnold - it's ERISA. That's the name of a federal law that could invalidate many of the budding efforts by states and cities to expand access to healthcare.

ERISA, which stands for the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, shields businesses from state and local regulation of the benefits they offer workers, including health insurance.

Mind you, ERISA is a law that goes back to 1974. It was good liberal legislation, intended to protect employees.

Supremely ironic, no?