So it seems the senate is too conservative to get this thing done with a nation PO.
Sad but true.
Saw this on TPM:
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/...
I mean I "get it" -- emotions are raw and no one who's pushed hard for public option is going to be happy to see it watered down more. But at this point you're just denying reality if you think all that the Dems need to do to get the waverers to come around is stand together in a show of unity. Lieberman is a no. Snowe is a no. Nelson, Landrieu and Lincoln are tepid at best. Whatever peer pressure could be brought to bear is heavily diluted when you're four votes short. If it were one lone holdout, maybe. But four?
I don't have any independent knowledge about whether Schumer's been trying to forge a compromise. But it sure wouldn't surprise me. I'd be more surprised, given what we now know about the lack of votes (or, more precisely, what we've pretty much known but have had confirmed today), if Schumer were not trying to find a compromise. Somebody's got to. This isn't one where you get to just pick up the ball and take it home with you. You still have to play, even if the outcome is guaranteed to disappoint.
Ok... not happy. But I'm not too surprised. If this does comes to pass:
- The exchange needs to be open to EVERYONE via the Wyden ammendment. And it should be NATIONAL. A National exchange would have some serious downward effect on pricing. And lets face it - the PO as is would COST MORE than other plans according to the CBO. It's not the perfect tied to medicare pie in the sky that we all dreamed about.
- The trigger better be a strong f'ing trigger that CAN be pulled. A trigger that they wont want to pull the PO would be so strong - which would hopefully drive down prices.
- We need some stronger regulations too. Better put that anti trust thing back in.
RECONCILIATION IS A PIPE DREAM.
It's as possible as passing a PO tied to medicare rates.
If Reid splits it up into two bills then they will vote against the normal part of the bill to protest us going the reconciliation route.
Then we'll be left in shambles with no exchange - which needs to be passed with 60. The exchange is the main part of the reform - and it's what Obama's always been pushing.