President Barack Obama called on Congress to schedule a final up-or-down vote on health reform in the next few weeks, saying the time for talking is done and making clear that’s he’s prepared to pass reform on a party-line vote.

“Now is the time to make a decision about how to finally reform health care so that it works, not just for the insurance companies, but for America’s families and businesses,” Obama said at the White House, kicking off what he promised would be a full-on campaign to pass reform.

And without saying the word “reconciliation,” Obama signaled that he’ll pass reform with Democratic votes only if necessary – all but daring the Republican to get on board or watch Congress go ahead without them, using the parliamentary tactics that would require just 51 votes in the Senate.

He laid down a timetable – which would wrap up the bill before the Easter break in Congress – and a Democratic line of attack: we’re not passing this in a backroom deal, we’ve already passed it in both the House and the Senate under the traditional rules. All that’s left now is the clean-up.

“No matter which approach you favor, I believe the United States Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform. We have debated this issue thoroughly, not just for a year, but for decades,” Obama said.

The White House announced that Obama would travel to Philadelphia Monday and St. Louis on Wednesday to stump for reform – his most hands-on pitch for health care since last summer, when Obama was doing events daily to make the case for his plan.

Obama signaled that part of his pro-reform push would be an attack on Washington ways, the theme he rode to the presidency.

“I know there’s a fascination, bordering on obsession, in the media and in this town about what passing health insurance reform would mean for the next election and the one after that. Well, I’ll leave others to sift through the politics. Because that’s not what this is about. That’s not why we’re here,” Obama said.

Republicans have already given Obama their answer – a resounding no – to his offer to add GOP ideas to his bill in hopes of getting their votes. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said after the speech that the president is calling on members of Congress “to ignore the wishes of the American people” and said November midterms could turn into a referendum on health care reform.

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For a president who Democrats grumbled didn’t do enough early on to guide them, Obama couldn’t have been more clear in the 15-minute address, giving Democrats a calendar, a campaign plan and talking points to sell reform to skeptical voters. And he pledged his own involvement as well.

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See Updated: Obama’s final march for health reform (and more good news), Daily Kos, March 3, 2009 ,by Blackwaterdog.