The pressure is on.
Howard Dean is part of a effort intended to pass a health care bill-- by whatever means -- that includes a public option. The New York Times' David Herzsenhorn reports:
To save their big health care legislation, the White House and Democratic leaders in Congress are considering a hardball procedural maneuver known as budget reconciliation to adopt a health measure, despite losing their 60-seat super majority in the Senate.
Party leaders hope they can use the reconciliation process to pass a compromise measure, especially with many rank-and-file Democrats worried about their political prospects after the Republican victory in last week’s special Senate election in Massachusetts.
But in a sign of the mounting internal rancor among Democrats as the health care bill teeters on the edge of collapse, some liberal groups are urging Congressional Democrats to use reconciliation to create a government-run health plan, or public option...
...The advocacy groups said their poll results showed that House Democrats in centrist to right-leaning districts would fare better politically in November by pushing for a more expansive health care bill, including the public option. ...more
