When Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) in mid-July projected that the Republican Party would "break" President Obama by making health care "his Waterloo," it marked a turning point in the political debate. The South Carolinian's remark became notorious both for its stridency as well as its unabashed partisanship. It also, to a certain extent, changed the way that Democrats approached the process of reform, making them a bit more doubtful that the Republicans were negotiating in good faith. Almost three months have passed since then.