Healthcare

The New Insufferables?

Reconciliation for the House fixes on healthcare reform will eliminate the need for Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln, Joe Lieberman, Evan Bayh and Mary Landrieu. The Insufferables. But several weeks ago, I worried that reconciliation might bring in a new batch of insufferables who might stand in the way of a decent reconciliation bill.

Nate Silver specifically mentions McCaskill, Warner and Bill Nelson. I would also add Kent Conrad, Max Baucus, Tom Carper and Mark Pryor to that mix -- especially if the reconciliation fixes include a straight-up public option or Medicare buy-in.

The bottom line here is that reconciliation isn't necessarily a magic bullet for passing everything we want. Nor is it a cakewalk. But it's the only real path. And so it has to happen.