Considering Howard Dean is saying the bill is worse than passing nothing and calling for Senators to vote no, what are the chances his fellow Vermontian, a Socialist, will vote for a bill that mandates Americans buy insurance on the private market?
I cannot see Bernie Sanders going along with this. Especially because on July 9th, he was quoted as saying, "I think that it is fair to say that there are a number of us who would not be voting for anything resembling a Baucus-type plan as we understand it right now," and in criticism of a public plan with triggers, "Emanuel is dead wrong. The triggers are meaningless. The American people have shown in poll after poll their contempt for private health insurance companies. They don't trust them and for good reason."
If Obama pressures him to go along with this, it will be extremely telling. He's not willing to pressure the Independent to the Right, but he's counting on the support of the Independent to the Left?
Sanders now has the same power to wield as Lieberman. If he rejects the Lieberman Bill, the only way to resolve this thing is through reconciliation.