The week before Christmas was certainly filled with important news developments, and not just the significant snowstorm over this weekend.

After round the clock sessions, the Senate at this writing was on its way toward approval on a party line vote of a massive new health care bill, despite heavy opposition from the right and some from the left. The decisive vote to limit debate on the measure was delivered by Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson, who accepted watered down antiabortion language in the bill and got special provisions favorable to his state. Once the bill is passed in the Senate, it will go on to reconciled in committee with the version of the bill earlier passed by the House.

Critics of the bill are unsparing in their denunciations. Washington Post economic columnist Robert Samuelson, usually more of a centrist than a conservative, set forth on Monday his withering analysis of the bill. “It will not cover everyone. It will not control costs. It will worsen the budget outlook. It will lead to higher taxes. It will disrupt how, or whether, companies provide insurance for their workers. As the real-life (as opposed to rhetorical) consequences unfold, they will rebut [President] Obama’s claim that he has ‘solved’ the health-care problem. His reputation will suffer.”

As National Review’s Rich Lowry points out, it is still possible that the bill will not receive final passage. Public opinion on the bill remains negative, there are important differences between the House and Senate bills (for example, the public option, tax and financing as well as abortion) and some opposition from the left. Still, the odds now favor enactment of legislation and a vastly expanded governmental role in, if not takeover of, one-sixth of the economy, and the creation of another entitlement program. Like it or not, voters in 2008 chose Barack Obama and returned large Democratic majorities to Congress; elections have consequences.

Not content with being embroiled in one highly controversial topic, health care reform, Mr. Obama placed himself at the center of another highly volatile issue, climate change (formerly known as global warming), by attending the international conference in Copenhagen. The conference, which was marked by friction between the United States and China, ended up with a nonbinding deal that made a commitment to lower carbon emissions but did not specify particular caps. It is no doubt the nature of politicians to hype accomplishments, but Mr. Obama’s statement that the conference accord was an “unprecedented breakthrough” surely stretches credulity. It remains to be seen what followup will occur after the accord or, on the domestic front, whether Mr. Obama and his Democratic leadership in Congress will be able to pass the “cap and trade” bill, which is probably even less popular than the health care legislation.

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But beyond the political wrangling (and irrespective of whether any of the views expressed above are right or wrong), we come together during the holidays, at both Christmas and Hanukkah, to celebrate our lives, our friendships, or families and our common humanity. We all have much to be thankful for, and the holidays bring us together to share the fellowship of the season. For all the overcommercialization, hype and stress at this time of year, it is good that we mark the time together. Best wishes for a happy holiday season, and for a healthy and successful New Year.