Dennis Kucinich has called a press conference for tomorrow.  Howard Fineman is reporting that Kucinich will vote “yes” on health care. Kucinich told Obama that he wants a full ERISA waver and a public option in exchange for his vote.  And if he actually gets an ERISA waver, it will be the biggest victory of [...]

The current Senate health care bill has a provision (Section 1332. Waiver for State Innovation (PDF)) that will allow states to opt out of the current reform structure if they can provide the same level of care for the same amount or cheaper with a different plan. Given how poorly designed the Senate bill is, [...]

As much as I hate everything Bart Stupak (D-MI) is trying to do as it relates to abortion and health care reform–on policy, personal, and moral grounds–there is one, very small silver lining to his actions. He has made perfectly clear the difference between politely asking for something and fighting for something in Congress. Bart [...]

Lynn Woolsey writes today in Roll Call: “The day after the health care legislation is passed, I will introduce a bill calling for the public option.”

Anyone who would write those words should not be the head of the Progressive Caucus.

A coalition of Democrats (Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Asian and Pacific Islander Caucus) in the House have began a caucus-wide whip count on the robust public option. The "whip count," started last night, seeks to prove that there are a majority 218 votes in the House for what liberals [...]

“Oh I will vote against anything that does not include … and it’s got to be real. I mean, you can call it anything you want … I believe there are enough of us, among the 120 in the tri-caucus and the progressive caucus, that can stop any votes…. Any health care reform that does not include a strong, robust public option for all Americans will not be health care reform.”