Count me among those skeptical that a new deficit summit/commission/gang will produce bipartisan consensus – and not just political theater. It’s no big secret what needs to be done to reduce the nation’s debt – raise taxes, cut spending or do both. While the details of what gets cut and who gets taxed are open to negotiation, it’s obvious which political party favors which approach. The political divide in Washington is deep and bridging it in 2011 seems like a Herculean task.

But there are a few lessons that can be drawn from Washington’s last intractable debate: health care reform.