Well, that was very quick turn around. In 24 hours, Democrats went from not asking for budget reconciliation instructions to planning to include them. This is potentially very good news for progressives. Reconciliation at least gives Democrats the option of possibly achieving some progressive legislative victories this year. From The Hill: The budget resolution being [...]

I’m very disappointed that Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) has decided to make an extremely disingenuous argument against the pending individual mandate lawsuit based on his waiver for state innovation provision. I’ve always been a big supporter of this provision, but what Wyden is saying is just dishonest. From Huffington Post: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has [...]

The Washington Times has a story about Mark Warner addressing one of the biggest unspoken problems in the health care reform debate. “I wish the president would have started the debate by explaining to the American people that our current health care system is not financially sustainable, for even another decade,” Mr. Warner said. “Driving [...]

Senator Ron Wyden’s annoying insistence that Democrats not lie to the American people about health care reform is causing trouble for the party leadership again. His office was not happy with a new talking point sent out by the leadership, falsely claiming that if you don’t like your current health insurance you would be offered [...]

The vote on the Senate Finance Committee health care bill is scheduled for Tuesday. The committee has 13 Democrats and 10 Republicans. The big vote to watch for is Republican senator Olympia Snowe. She is seen by many as the only possible Republican vote for any health care reform legislation. If Snowe does vote for [...]

This seems very strange to me and shows the depth of ill will there must be on the Senate Finance Committee these days. Baucus publicly screwed over Wyden on his free choice amendment a few days ago, but Baucus’s slight of Rockefeller was longer and maybe more serious. Rockefeller chairs the Senate Finance Committee subcommittee [...]

The Washington Post is reporting that Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) may have finally reached his breaking point. It is possible that Wyden will vote against Baucus’s bill in committee. This is news that shouldn’t shock anyone who has been following the health care debate. Sen. Wyden is a health care policy wonk. He spent two [...]

As I get more information about Cantwell’s “basic health plan” amendment the more I like it. (The modified amendment is available here.) I really wish Cantwell would stop calling it a public option. It is not a public option. I think it is an idea which should be debated on its own merits and not [...]

The Hill is reporting that a new bipartisan group of seven senators has been formed to try to pass “bipartisan” health care reform. The new Senate group includes GOP Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Democratic Sens. Ben Nelson (Neb.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Landrieu and Ron Wyden (Ore.). [...]