some time back Digby held forth on the immaturity of the current progressive movement and I didn’t want to accept that even if it was Digby – the diary you linked holds an abundance of evidence

found myself chuckling in that some of the nay-sayers were clearly unaware their own vanity is drivin’ the bus

the sexism is kinda difficult to ignore as well

or how ’bout how naive and gullible some folks still are when it comes to so-called progressive critters – dear gaia, just because it’s Waxman holding the football doesn’t mean he wont yank it away –

oh and p.s., it’s not enough Jane, Eve, and Slinky are fighting the WH, Big Cash, TradMed, and entrenched Dem Leadership on this vital issue, they are doing it with WATB, ill informed progressives on their backs !

The reason is that many of the Californians on the list are really great liberals, and particularly among those from northern CA, they are close to Pelosi, and they want to help her push things over the top, when the final shove is required. For now, they’re keeping their powder dry.

None of us knows what the final House bill will look like, and many of us may not like it; indeed, definitely won’t like it if it lacks PO. The N.CA libs I’m talking about above will be part of that final push, and we can/will denounce them all loudly, if it comes to that, including primary challenge support, etc.

However, if by chance, the PO winds up in the bill at the final, the push will still be needed. However the game goes, those closest to Pelosi are keeping their options open to permit the best possible outcome to emerge. Believe me, people like George Miller, Zoe Lofgren, Berman, Waxman, etc., will push a PO right over the top, if given the opportunity.

But all that said, I think he is persuadable. And people up here (I’m in Bangor) are really hurting with the current health care. Some pressure could make the difference, IMHO. When I call his (DC) office, the staffer who answers is quite up on these issues, and is glad to hear from someone pushing for a robust PO. I don’t see Mike as a died-in-the-wool Blue Dog.

*** I support a public insurance option, but I also believe that it is important that it be affordable and properly structured to address the needs of rural states like Maine. One such very serious concern with the current draft of the bill is that using Medicare-like rates for a public option would have a grave effect on Maine.

The formula now used to reimburse physicians and hospitals through Medicare puts rural states at a disadvantage by undercutting payments to our health care providers and contributing to higher health care premiums in Maine. Making matters worse, there is a severe shortage of health care providers in our state, and this number will continue to decrease unless we can develop a reimbursement system that will not drive our providers out of business and, ultimately, out of Maine altogether.

In the end, we must fix what is broken to create a competitive public insurance option that providers can participate in and that Mainers can access. ****

i think it is the influence of the hospitals and providers and his fear of a Republican challenge.