God Bless you two!!! Get this done in Teddy's memory!!!

Saw Rockefeller on Olbermann just now. Fineman followed and opined that while Rockefeller might be a bit optimistic, the public option was gaining momentum and would be a real live issue for the conference.

Fineman seemed to think that no bill with a public option could get 60 votes for cloture and that is probably true but that said, how can they stop Senator Rockefeller or Shumer from offering a public option amendment once the bill is up for Floor consideration?????

The Republicans are looking increasingly desperate.

All of this leaves me feeling pretty good...

Is is just me or are these the guys with the cahones. Why is Reid still Majority leader? Why is Baucus still head of the finance committee? I hope that once they finish this work they revisit both of these positions

Schumer has been consistently firm and optimistic in the last two months. He should be majority leader. I like that kind of talk. Enough with the equivocation. Start kicking some ass and taking names of anyone who thinks they might filibuster.

I'm not convinced that all the pessimists and chicken littles are expressing their true feelings about getting a bill with a public option, or are just trying to create a reality in which no plan with a public option can pass. In other words if they keep saying that a public plan is dead, or cannot pass, then that will become thee reality. It's part of the fight against reform.

Bill or Hilary Clinton has not done anything to help pass the legislation.

Blue Dog opposition to the PO is crumbling in the House (even they are seeing the cost savings associated with the plan and how support for the PO has risen dramatically in their districts and nationally). NOT having a robust PO was not even in their top 4 priorities they listed yesterday. What WAS in there was mostly tied to keeping spending in check or moving faster than the Senate is moving on the Bills.

Pelosi has stated a robust PO WILL be in the House Bill, and a trigger is a simple excuse to do nothing.

The Progressive Caucus in the House is standing firm in NOT supporting reform, WITHOUT a robust PO.

Senate Progressives are beginning to get the word out about the PO. And press dem members to support any Senate Bill, whatever finally winds up in it, at least to the point of voting for cloture.

We have 60 dem Senators again.

So, bottom line, its looking better. However, I still believe the Senate will eventually have to pass something through reconciliation. That chamber is just too corrupt (even more so than the House) for me to believe otherwise. At least right now.

But still, the environment that would allow a robust PO to gain support and eventually be part of the legislation is MUCH better than it was; even a couple of weeks ago.

Good Job Progressives!!!

I think the bad tide may really be turning.

Republicans are getting way too much media coverage on this issue for a party that has no ideas, no principles, only serves to shill for homicidal insurance fiends, and has the most inarticulate and idiotic adherents. Yelling isn't everything.

I'm serious. I think Americans have listened. Maybe thought these guys had something to day, but have now given them every chance. And Republicans have come up very, very short.

If anything, Republicans have strongly helped educate voters as to the point that they absolutely have nothing to offer. Cantor and DeMint were asked what they'd propose; they bloviated with astonishing vapidness. After months of supposedly informing themselves on this. If they have nothing to say, why are they so shrill? If not acting merely for monied interests?