Reforming this country’s broken health care system is an urgent and essential task. Given all of the fabrications and distortions from Republican critics, and the squabbling among Democratic supporters, it is no surprise that many Americans still have doubts. President Obama and Democratic leaders have a strong case. They need to make it now. Here are compelling reasons for all Americans to root for the reform effort to succeed and urge Congress to complete the job:

NEW HAVEN — A group of nurses and health care reform advocates from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees rallied outside Yale-New Haven Hospital Saturday morning, calling on Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, I-Conn., to lift his opposition to a government-run health care plan.

Local physician Hershey Garner voiced his support for reformed health care in Arkansas on Saturday during a news conference outside of the Fayetteville Town Center. “As someone who works in Northwest Arkansas, I see first-hand how broken the system is,” he said. “It’s embarrassing that we are the only industrialized country that doesn’t have universal coverage. As a result, patients aren’t getting the care they need.” (Full text available at University Union Voice)