http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/13/dean-there-will-be-primar_n_258813.html The public option is not dead at all. If those cowardly blue dog Dems try to kill it they will find themselves out on the street!
I actually thought the BlueDogs were folding to the Rahm pressure, the opposite your thread implies. If they vote FOR the bill, the conservative Dems will out them. Many of the constituients are Reagan Dems, moderates and fiscally coservative. I count Lindsey Ghramnesty as a BluDog Dem, he just forgot to switch parties Will be interesting for sure, as this plan can sail thru with ZERO repos on board. It appears to me, aside from Olympia Snow and Susan Collins, that the ball in this game is in the hands of the left. There is also the Nuclear option as you mentioned in another thread. If the Dems are willing to " own " this bill, it will pass.
To me (and Howard Dean) that public option is the thing. Without it the bill is just stupid and useless. we need a public option in there to keep the ins companies somewhat honest.
You do have to lend a bit of thought to Dean, he is afterall an MD.... Hey Dan, there is a townhall style meeting in Phoenix Monday from 8-10 am, I'll meet you there if you can make it. That would be great and we could both post our independant thought from opposites here on PRWE. That would be a riot !! Otherwise, see you next Saturday ( 22nd) at the Glendale coin show.
Dean won the house and senate and the presidency for the dems, he is the single most important political figure on the scene today (50 state strategy ring a bell?)