Very good post. There are many destructive things in this bill that need to be stopped and not just the public option.
I’m more optimistic than most here. There are too many moderates on the Dem side: Bayh, Dorgan, Warner, Webb, Pryor, Nelson, Lincoln, McCaskill—most from conservative states. Even Feinstein, a liberal, has expressed reservations about putting new mandates on her state which is already drowning in red ink. And Ben Nelson of Nebraska insists on a pro-life amendment. And although Bill Nelson of Florida has said some positive things about the bill, he publicly expressed worry about the Medicare cuts. He should—it hits seniors hard—and they’re letting him know about it. So this is not a done deal by any means.
Remember the Doc Fix bill Reid tried to pass? A half dozen dems joined the Republicans to knock it down. That could have been a precursor. Remember, if the GOP holds steady, all we need is ONE vote. My guess is we’ll have more—more like five or six.