There is a lot of room to negotiate a health care bill, and Democrats are holding all the cards.

[ProSense]

The majority of Democrats, 47, are going to vote for the HELP bill with its public option. The media is trying to sell the notion that fight and negotiate only when it becomes absolutely necessary (Kennedy's way) equal capitulating to the Republicans' desire to remove a public option from the bill, but there are any number of options, some undefined, that could be involved in compromise, and none of them involve dropping a public option. In finalizing the bill, Democrats can:

• negotiate a tax on insurance companies;
  
  
• negotiate a tax on the top one percent;
  
  
• include co-ops in the mix; or
  
  
• negotiate a bill allowing all Americans -- regardless of age -- to purchase their health insurance from Medicare instead of being legally mandated to purchase insurance in the private sector. (Use tort reform to hook Republicans or portray them as obstructionists)

Besides, there are 10 more Senators in the Democratic caucus than required to pass any health care bill. The reality is that there is no reason for negotiations to lead to dropping a public option. None, and definitely not in compromise with Republicans.

[eleny]

1. And yesterday, surely Obama gathered even more strength to get it done

Kennedy left everyone a strong message and one heck of a bunch of good mojo to carry on and succeed.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

2. "...there is no reason for negotiations to lead to dropping a public option."

And if Obama allows the unthinkable to occur, will you hold him to task?

[ProSense]

3. "And if Obama allows the unthinkable to occur, will you hold him to task?"

What's the point of your question?

[Oregone]

4. Holding all the cards means they are responsible for what is produced

For better or worse

[MH1]

5. I think I like "include co-ops in the mix" if it doesn't mean ditching the public option

That way you give the republicans an option for their kind of competition, while not losing anything. I haven't looked into the details of co-ops but who knows, it might work for some people. The key is that different things will work better for different people. So put as much in the mix as you can.

[eridani]

6. Thet fourth option is the one to go for, IMO

No hassles about setting up a separate program for the public option, no waiting until 2013.