When you wake up in the morning and read that the Reconciliation fix has been sent to the House and two minor provisions will be struck, before freaking out consider the following:
• This article from Marc Ambinder
• The fact that five days ago 220 Democrats voted for virtually identical language
• That HCR got a huge jump in the polls over that time span
• That HCR is already law
Now, if that hasn't calmed you down, consider the following argument on the flip.
I know we're all used to the GOP playing chess while the Dems play checkers, or the Dems brining knives to gun fights. But for the first time since the Clinton-era, and for the first time in my life on something of major substance, the Dems are actually doing the right thing and the Republicans are screwing up.
Consider the third point above. The HCR passing the House and being signed into law was a smashing success for the President and everyone knows it. It doesn't even matter—per point 4 above—if this doesn't get a vote. HCR is law and the politics of that are fixed.
As David Frum pointed out in his now famous Waterloo post (no linky for him) the GOP is trapped by the conservative entertainment complex. Rush Limbaugh now is the head of the Republican Party. And for talk radio, it's great entertainment to score a meaningless procedural "win" like this.
Think of the endgame.
Another inevitable Dem victory, another signing ceremony, another laurel on Obama's head just a few more days closer to the election! If the GOP's brain trust doesn't see that happening, then they aren't the chessmasters of bygone days, not at all.
So, relax. HCR is already law. It can only get better at this point. The Dems will laugh this off and finish. They finally learned finishing matters now and they got a good taste of winning and they knocked down about 30 GOP amendments by sticking to what they promised the House tonight. Finally.
Anyway, about the public option. I will eat some crow here. I made numerous comments saying that it can't be done because they don't want to make any more changes. We'll see what the whip count says, but chances are they just return it to the House with a few 'i's crossed and 't's dotted.