Bob, why do you think a reconciliation vote will do more harm? It's not like the Democrats are going to get any Republican votes.

Gee, here's a thought - MAKE them f-ing filibuster! Make it physically painful for these a-holes to hold this up. I'm so sick of the Harry Reid approach of waving the white flag anytime someone mentions "filibuster." Make them do it!! Eventually 1 or 2 of them will break.

>>What would you do if you were the White House?

I would pledge a campaign promise to RINO Snowe and Collins. They are from fucking Maine! It is bordered by Canada for Christ's(Thor's) sake. Shit, I don't think Snowe or Collins even had challenges last election.

Also, I would remind everyone of the stimulus bill. The WH wanted strong bipartisan support, they pushed that the entire time, even as it became clear there would be zero. The vote came around, 3 Senators voted for the bill. And Obama still signed it. It's not like it this doesn't get 60 votes, he'll veto. Also, frankly, he's not just negotiating with Republicans--he's not even mainly negotiating with Republicans: Baucus is a Dem, after all.

@Leeman67: Unfortunately, I don't think you have to actually physically filibuster anymore, but I could be wrong.

I say go for reconcilliation. But, only take that route AFTER having forced the GOP to fillibuster. The mere threat of the philly has been enough for the Dems to back down time and time again.

I say it's time to call their bluff. Get the GOP on CSPAN hour after hour railing against the "death panels" and the mobile euthanasia squads and whatever crap they can come up with. When the American public have had a good, long look at the absurdity of GOP obstructionism, then go for reconciliation route.

It is possible that whenever the WH speaks publicly that they are not always speaking to us - the public. They do have to go back to the negotiating table with these people.

It's politics folks.

Am I the only person that's thinking the Repubs are purposely holding out in the hopes that Kennedy and/or Byrd will drop dead in the interim?

And also, could it be that Gibbs is still just saying that the WH wants to play nice with the Repubs to make them ultimately look like the assholes for taking the ball home?

"And by all accounts, a reconciliation vote will do much more harm than good."

By whose accounts? What harm? You just pulled that statement out from somewhere without any explanation. If "all accounts" claim that it would do more harm than good, I would think it would be pretty easy for me to find one example. But I haven't. I have learned, though, that Democrats used reconciliation in 1993.

So again I ask, what harm will it do, and who says?

Olympia Snowe did a walkabout in downtown Bangor yesterday, to listen to constituents about Health Care. It was covered by the Bangor Daily News today:

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/116908.html?utm_source=BDN+News+Updates&utm_campaign=1752bf90bf-RSS_MORNINGUPDATE_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email

If you read the comments section afterward, you'll see what we're up against here in Northern Maine. Pretty sad. Southern Maine has a more positive attitude though.