WHAT MAJORITIES?:

Democrats Seem Set to Go It Alone on a Health Bill (CARL HULSE and JEFF ZELENY, 8/19/09, NY Times)

“The Republican leadership,” Mr. Emanuel said, “has made a strategic decision that defeating President Obama’s health care proposal is more important for their political goals than solving the health insurance problems that Americans face every day.”

The Democratic shift may not make producing a final bill much easier. The party must still reconcile the views of moderate and conservative Democrats worried about the cost and scope of the legislation with those of more liberal lawmakers determined to win a government-run insurance option to compete with private insurers.

On the other hand, such a change could alter the dynamic of talks surrounding health care legislation, and even change the substance of a final bill. With no need to negotiate with Republicans, Democrats might be better able to move more quickly, relying on their large majorities in both houses.

So they'll go back to letting the Left of the Party write the bill even though the Right of the Party won't vote for it? That will actually make the vote bipartisan anyway, just against any final bill...

Posted by Orrin Judd at August 19, 2009 5:57 AM