Chris tracks down more information on the Progressive Caucus whip count I wrote about earlier, and has good news.
It turns out that they never finished that whip count, and 46 was simply the number they were at when they dropped the effort. At the time they stopped, they were actually running above the 60 members who signed the letter opposing health care reform without a public option back in August. At least two other members had signed on.
The effort was dropped, however, in order to begin a new whip count of the entire Democratic Caucus on support for a public option with Medicare +5% rates (aka, the "robust" public option the Progressive Block had been demanding). This new whip count was begun at the request of Speaker Pelosi, who had challenged the Progressive Caucus to demonstrate sufficient support to pass such a public option.
As I wrote in the update to my earlier post on the Progressives, Greg Sargent has reported that there are "170 firm supporters" of the stronger Medicare plus 5 public option the Progressives are standing behind. And Chris says, "I hear from a different source that Sargent's numbers are low. The whip count isn't at 218, but it is higher than 170."
Help get those numbers up, and let the Progress Block know that we've got their backs. Sign the petition.