So, Harry Reid is trying to list build with progressives off the public option that he is now “fighting for.” Glad to hear it. Because as long as reconciliation is a possibility, I doubt either the AFL-CIO or us will accept him shrugging his shoulders and saying “what can I say, Joe made me do it” as a solid excuse for ditching it.

The HuffingtonPost has a fascinating look at the Goldman Sachs analysis of the effect of health care reform on the private insurances companies. Their basic conclusion is that any reform, even under the weaker Baucus bill, would be bad for the insurance companies. Of course, they concluded that the Baucus bill would be dramatically less [...]

Goldman says the “bear case” scenario — in which earnings per share for the top five insurers would decline an estimated one percent from 2010 through 2019 and the variance with current valuation is projected to be negative 36 percent. If nothing is done, they estimate stock prices will increase 47%.

Reid is looking at a Medicare tax on capital gains to pay for reform, unfortunately he is consulting Snowe about it. Reid wants us to leave Lieberman alone. Jane does not plan to. Guttmacher Institute is not happy with how its study is being misused. Stupak, like all blue dogs, is only emboldened by victory; his [...]

Three different constituents have reported to us that Rep. Michael Capuano (MA-08) will “definitely” oppose any bill with triggers or opt-outs.

There is some good news and bad news today on how Harry Reid plans to pay for health care reform. It looks like instead of increasing the Medicare tax for people making over $250,000 (as was reported earlier), Reid is thinking about applying the Medicare tax to those individual’s capital gains. This seems like a [...]

Bart Stupak successfully held his ground. Nancy Pelosi and President Obama agreed to give into his demands because they saw it as the path of least resistance. There were no pro-choice Democrats willing to go to the mat for their convictions. This why the Stupak amendment made it into the House bill, and why it [...]

This is not the health care reform battle. This only one important battle for health care reform. A well-designed, quality, universal health care system will not be passed with a single massive piece of legislation. If that is your goal in this fight, you will never win. Knowing that, it is important to focus on [...]

A new poll by Quinnipiac University is out, and it has less-than-stellar news for Joe Lieberman (not that he cares). Check out these bottom line numbers. 1. On the question, “Do you support or oppose giving people the option of being covered by a government health insurance plan that would compete with private plans?”, 56% [...]

Since Monday, activists from Firedoglake, CREDO, and Democracy for America helped put in hundreds of calls to progressive Members of Congress to find out where they stand on triggers and opt-outs in the final health care bill. Here’s some of what your call reports have shown so far.