Tony Blair used to say that “The job of being Labour leader is to save the Labour party from itself.” Right now, I suspect that’s how the Democratic Leadership in the House of Representatives feels about trying to rustle-up 216 votes for health care reform*.
Defections from Blue Dogs in Red States are one thing; threats from safely-ensconsed left-wingers for whom the bill doesn’t go far enough are quite another. Verily, there will be much lamentation if the left kills the bill and thoughts will quickly turn to vengeance.
So will the damn thing pass or not? Jonathan Bernstein says he thinks it will, Karlyn Bowman says it would be remarkable if it does, given the ferocity of the opposition to the bill, leading Megan McArdle to act as umpire:
They’re both right! Where does that leave us? At a defining moment in American legislative history .
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