It's Kent Conrad's way or the highway for him on healthcare reform, at least as far as he's concerned, anyway.
CARRINGTON, N.D. — Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D. presented his cooperative health care proposal here Thursday and told an audience of 100 that he would not vote for a government-run health care program....
President Barack Obama had originally set an August deadline for the House and Senate to pass health care reform. That target is too rushed, Conrad said.
“I don’t think an arbitrary timetable fits with an issue of this complexity,” he said.
Conrad said he would not vote for any health care reform that funded abortions, care for illegal immigrants or a plan that mandates end-of-life counseling.
Who needs Republicans when we've got Conrad and Baucus? This is the problem with allowing the Senate to work on critical, must pass legislation. They all end up tripping over their own egos, trying to be the one to have their name on the bill.
What Conrad hasn't said is whether he'd support a filibuster of a bill with a public option, with is a whole 'nuther kettle of fish. Or whether he'll stand in the way of passing the bill through reconciliation.