It is scandalous that Landrieu would vote to support a filibuster down the road (see her speech yesterday); it is scandalous that Nelson implicitly threatens the same. I hope that there are consequences for this undemocratic -- yes, in both senses of the term -- betrayal that are exacted by the Senate leadership ... (I know: "dream on ...")

It's been clear to me that any kind of meaningful PO was killed in August, with useless triggers the only possible alternative. When enough Democratic Senators are willing to join a Republican filibuster of healthcare reform put forward by a Democratic President, you know the tea-baggers have made an impact. Reid may yet be forced to go the reconciliation route; I hope he's planned accordingly. Expect, too, some version of Stupak language to appear in the final bill.

This is what you get when both the policy and politics fall between stools, when the administration and Congress dither (yep, I agree with the use of that verb) away months by negotiating with themselves in public. Never have I seen such an epic failure of leadership in the Democratic party, from the top down.

Well...

Maybe the progressives should be more demanding in renegotiation.

If the trend is to strip away stuff from the bill, why not strip away the mandate to buy insurance and merely force insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions?

And what about adding criminal penalties to insurance companies that deny medical care in violation of contracts?

I can live with Lieberman being a holdout. He's a narcissist dickhead. I get that.

I don't have so much patience with Lincoln, Nelson, Bayh and Landrieu though.

Making substantial improvements in the health care system is more important than those four getting re-elected. They will all land on their feet if they lose re-election. None of them will go hungry, homeless or without health care.

If Harry Reid lets this bill die because he refused to let the majority of 56 or 57 Dems vote for it by using reconciliation, then he not only deserves to lose his leadership position and his re-election but we should also be able to sue him for gross negligence.

If Harry Reid lets this bill die because he refused to let the majority of 56 or 57 Dems vote for it by using reconciliation, then he not only deserves to lose his leadership position and his re-election but we should also be able to sue him for gross negligence.

There is absolutely no way that happens. A bill is getting passed. Either a) Reid will compromise enough so that the moderates accept it; b) the threat of going through reconciliation will be made credibly enough that Nelson, et al, will back down, and something similar to the current bill gets passed; or c) they pass something through reconciliation.

To repeat myself. If voting Democratic means you make Ben Nelson President, why bother? I am 60, and this is the third time (Carter, Clinton, Obama) a Democratic President has been crippled by his own party.
To me, that's not only a party that doesn't deserve to govern, I question why it exists.

Health care consumes 16-20% of our economy; i.e. trillions of dollars each year. With that kind of money there is enough to bribe everyone in government to maintain the status quo. And that is just what is happening.

The rich and powerful get the executive elevator. The rest of us get the shaft. . .

Nelson and the Blue Dogs are liberty's last, best, and only hope.

"Center right" --I spit out my coffee at that one. We have 58 Democrats and two Independents. These three are on the tail end of the train. They are about as close to the center as the caboose to the engine.

he already got his top priority when Reid removed the anti-trust exemption removal from the Senate bill to get even this far. UGH!

JMG and I are the same age and I agree 100% with that assessment.

Another point: there are several good cost control measures in the bill but the public option is the only one I see to make sure that insurance companies don't keep most of the savings as bigger profits.

THE CHARGE IS ON!!!!!!!!!

I can just see the renegade democrats lining up to get their piece of the pie, (ransom)I think that it is absolutely immoral that these lawmakers are willing to hold their party hostage!

I also agree with this reporter.......this is the
demand for ransom by both Nelson and Landrieu.

I wonder just how many more will follow suit, this behaviour by lawmakers is absolutely disgraceful!

"If there's no public option, then maybe some of the abortion problem goes away"...????

What is this, the Senate or the Sopranos? "So Vinnie, ya know, you take care of my friends in the insurance industry, and I'll help you out wid dat little problem you have with your knocked up girlfriend...."

Can this get any more disgusting?

Any one who still has blinders on an believe these Demacrate Senators are not owned by the Insurance companys is just fooling themselfs. Nebraskans are hurting bad. Moms raiseing kids are getting sick, no ins. & loseing jobs. Republican Senators, just as bad!