Last Call

Jon Chait at TNR argues that the Dems have finally, finally gotten the message that they must pass a bill, with or without the Republicans.

Yesterday’s Roll Call has some details. Here’s what I think is the key passage:

As a fallback, Senate Democratic leaders have stepped up their pressure on centrists to stick with the party on procedural votes. At a minimum, leaders have asked all 60 Democrats to allow them to bring a health care bill to the floor in order to make sure Republicans cannot filibuster it.

Democratic Senate aides familiar with the thinking of Conference moderates said centrists want to vote for a health care reform bill — even one that is politically problematic — because it appeals emotionally to their inner Democrat.

A month ago I wrote that it’s nearly impossible to see health care reform failing because it would entail a Democrat voting to filibuster the central progressive goal of the last sixty years. That proposition was looking shaky for a while because there were some Democratic Senators who acted as if they actually wanted to kill health care reform. (Hi, Senator Conrad.) But they’re all now pretty clearly acting like they really want to pass something.

Even ConservaDems like Kent Conrad, Evan Bayh and Joe F'ckin Lieberman don't want to be the ones to kill Obamacare. The base will revolt, and 2010 really will become 1994 again.

On the other hand, if they feel Obama is forcing them, it's the Senators who will revolt, and it will all blow up. The massive teabagger uprising that the GOP keeps predicting just hasn't happened, because Americans really are sick of getting screwed by their insurers.

However, we're past the kicking and screaming part, and to the "Well, we really have to do this and do this right" part. The GOP is not in charge anymore. The American people have not abandoned the President or the notion of real health care reform. They just want Congress to act already, and finally, the Democrats are ready to do so.