BREAKING: Gang Of Six Democrat Open To Reconciliation (BIG NEWS)

[berni_mccoy]

Just on Big Ed, Sen. Jeff Bingaman has stated he'll go with Reconciliation to push Healthcare with a Public Option through the Senate.

This is, in Big Ed's words, a HUGE BREAKTHROUGH.

[TheCoxwain]

1. that is one of the six

[rurallib]

3. one of three - republicans will do nothing but block

so that leaves Conrad (good luck - he loves HIS plan) and Baucus (???). What a system.

[DeepBlueC]

5. Baucus needs to lose his chair

Or at least have all four of the legs sawed down about 5 inches. I'd appreciate the laugh.

[Kingofalldems]

2. Republicans posing as blue dog Democrats are in a state of shock

[graywarrior]

4. Just heard that.

Very encouraging.

[Maru Kitteh]

6. This back and forth is going to do me in. My sister was admitted today w/ sudden onset dementia

Just found out she wasn't taking her heart medications because she couldn't afford them, her husband is disabled, her own body is broken down from 30 years of factory work and she's educationally and temperamentally unsuited to almost any other kind of work at all, "institutionalized" if you will. She was laid off for a few months because the factory is tied to the auto industry, injured her arm severely at work in July but wrote it up as an injury at home because she was afraid of losing her job. The factory, looking to lay off anyone for any reason, especially an older, more expensive worker told her she couldn't return unless until she was cleared for full duty. Consequently, she's had to endure excruciating pain without treatment because if she goes back to the doctor, she'll get pulled from work and lose her job which means losing her house, her land, her insurance - everything. And she's totally SCREWED herself by writing it up as a home injury - something I BEGGED her NOT to do.

The sudden onset dementia appears to be either a medication issue (less likely) or a good old fashioned psychotic break (more likely) as her WBC came back normal and her CAT scan was clear. Between this little bit of great news and the town hall I went to yesterday I am ready to pack my bags and get the fuck out of this country as soon as the paper is dry on my on my degree if things do not change.

They had better be serious.

[redqueen]

7. Well well well...

isn't this interesting.

I wonder what sort of discussions Bingaman's having with his fellow conservadems.

[gratuitous]

8. Wow, I guess that just happened

Because as we all know, the pressure put on by ordinary citizens for the public option is just counterproductive, won't lead to anything, and totally alienates elected officials in ways that screaming "We don't trust you" and packing heat to town hall meetings never dreamed of.

[usregimechange]

9. That should give us 50 assuming no new backbones get weak