Legal Commentary

The Public Option: It's Up To The Progressive Block

By Big Tent Democrat

Beltway insider Mike Lux:

[T]here is still one counterweight that might save the day, the same counterweight that progressives have been hoping will stand strong since this debate started: progressives in the House. . . . What progressives in the House have to do is hold strong and hold together. Negotiating as a block of 60 members makes you a thousand times stronger then letting yourself get picked off one by one by one. If progressives hold strong and hold together, we can still get comprehensive reform with a decent public option. If they don't, the all-important details of this legislation will get worse and worse.

This is what it was always going to come down to: how much courage and moxie House progressives would have in the final negotiations on this bill. The end game has arrived. It is time to stand and deliver.

If they do not hold strong, the Progressive Caucus may as well shut down. No one will ever listen to them again.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on September 14, 2009 (boomark / email).