Senate Bill Passes - What Now?

Conventional wisdom states that the House has to roll over during reconcilliation.  Because, hey look - the Senate only just barely managed their supermajority cloture vote at 60-39 - and even the slightest little thing can cause Lieberman or Nelson to shut it all down.

Just a reminder, the House bill passed 220-215 with two D's voting Nay because the bill wasn't progressive enough.  Maybe the Senate bill will find some support amongst the Blue Dogs, but a united Progressive caucus ought to be able to bring some pressure to the table.  A progressive stand from the Administration could make the difference.  Then again, a corporatist stand from the Administration - which is all we've seen so far - tips the scales the other way.

So then, what now?  The "we got your back" approach to strengthen the resolve of progressives ain't gonna help - Kucinich doesn't need that kind of reassurance.  Okay maybe if you're in NY-29 you can let Eric Massa know that you support him saying F.U. to the Senate.  Polling shows that the public agrees that the Senate bill is garbage.

No, what's needed isn't a good defense, but a strong offense.  That's why I still like what Jane Hamsher is doing, despite how distastefully foul it seems.

In the weeks ahead, there'll be all sorts of players pushing the bill back and forth and while the good side may seem like the underdogs, the final bill isn't written yet and every little bit to sap at the folks pushing for the insurance industry will help.

P.S.  Here's my dream scenario - progressives manage to get the House Public Option into the Conference Report, a handful of senators proclaim that they are now supporting the filibuster because of it, and Harry Reid finally grows a pair and tells them that procedural filibuster is off the table, and they're going to have to actually fucking read phone books or whatever until they give up.  Yeah, I know - not going to happen, but that there is my Christmas wish.