How Is This Hardball?

Somebody want to explain to me how the Democrats' last resort in reconciliation, a process that would almost certainly result in a dramatically weaker bill with a guaranteed five-year sunset clause, when everyone pretty much is agreeing that this is the least desirable path, qualifies as the Dems playing "hardball"?

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) sounds like he's getting ready to play hardball this fall on health care, even if it means forgoing a Finance Committee deal and bypassing a filibuster by using "reconciliation" to push the bill through.

Wouldn't hardball really be President Obama telling the Senate Democrats to back him up or reap the whirlwind, and for him to tell the GOP to get your ideas in now or hold your peace? Wouldn't hardball be the White House saying "Elections have consequences, we have sixty votes and we're going to use them"? Wouldn't hardball be President Obama going on TV live from the Oval Office and explaining the plan in detail that he will have Congress pass?

In other words, wouldn't hardball really be the Democrats passing a robust public option health care bill in the house and through the Senate with all Democrats on board, and any GOP folks who see the inevitable and will join to be on the right side of history?

How is saying "Well, we'll resort to our last and weakest option" turn out to be "hardball?"

If you're a Villager, I guess it is.

I like my version of hardball better.