Negotiating as Necessary to Bring a Health Care Deal

Critics of Barack Obama’s Washington, who often prefer not to challenge the popular president directly, tend instead to aim at Congress. Specifically, they blame lawmakers for undermining his agenda. Liberals blame senators for dithering in search of bipartisan consensus; conservatives accuse House leaders of hijacking centrist proposals and careening to the ideological left.That formulation collides squarely with the work of Mr. Obama’s top legislative ally: Representative Henry A. Waxman of Ca