Then they can also say Mission Accomplished. This is my biggest fear: That the "compromise" proposal will be a mishmash of plans and mandates that amounts to something that the GOP can successfully demonize by demagogueing the program by pitting those who pay for it against those who receive it.
For reform to be both successful and lasting--and for democrats to get positive reward--this program must be a benefit to society that will be paid for through progressive taxation and cover everybody. In my dream world, how those taxes are levied would be the only real bone of contention at this point.
There is no doubt that there is always a strong market for resentment amongst many in the middle class, especially when my nightmare vision would do nothing to curtail their health care costs and worries, yet add to their tax burden and our national debt.
As to the method of payment: We already have a large start with the fact that this will get rid of MediCare. It will also relieve the federal government and states of their ever-growing health insurance payments for current and past employees. The VA could be effectively phased out. I'd start with a flat-rate tax for the first part of income (so everybody contributes) that goes up progressively, perhaps starting at around $100,000.
We need Universal Health Care. Anything else will be a failure for the democrats.