There were two historic political events in 2010. The first was the vote by Congress, on Sunday, March 21st, to approve a health reform bill that only 41% of the voters agreed with and was entirely partisan in nature.

This health reform bill was passed after nearly a year of unprecedented political opposition. After a year that saw the birth of an ongoing grassroots political movement (the Tea Party) that was born just months after Obama's inauguration in response to government spending and institutionalizing moral hazard, but which exploded over the summer of 2009 as the result of an audacious power grab of 1/6th of the U.S. Economy.

It was passed after continuing worsening of popular approval... the more people learned about the bill, the less they liked it.

It happened after kickbacks and political payoffs to convince wavering politicians to buy into the unpopular plan... payoffs so unpopular that even the politicians receiving the political payoffs disowned them because people in their own states detested them.

It happened after Democrats had basically been told, "You're toast whether you vote for this bill or not, so you might as well vote for it."

It happened even after it was concluded that the plan would raise health care premiums rather than reduce them.

It happened after President Obama's absurd and hypocritical "bipartisan summit" on health care after which none of the Republican ideas or concerns were addressed in the legislation past today.

It happened after the House seriously considered passing the health care legislation without a vote, and with ongoing consideration that the Senate might take up modification of the bill under a rule that wasn't designed for this kind of legislation.

It happened after a special election in Massachusetts converted the "Kennedy seat" into a Republican message; the message to Democrats and the president was crystal clear.

It happened even though neither conservatives, moderates, or liberals like it. The liberals don't think it goes far enough, conservatives think it goes way too far, and the moderates have been trending conservative.

It happened even though there are serious questions as to whether it's even constitutional for the federal government to require individuals to purchase a product or service, and even though 30+ states are ready to sue the federal government on this issue alone.

In short, this grab of 1/6th of the U.S. economy is one of the most baffling votes and pieces of legislation in decades... possibly ever. For that reason alone it is historic.

Of course, I mentioned there were two historic political events in 2010. So what's the other?

The elections of November 2010.