Healthcare

Is the Bill Killed if Coakley Loses?

Probably not. Jon Chait lays out the options:

1. Finish up the House-Senate negotiations quickly and hold a vote before Scott Brown is seated. Republicans will scream, but how could they scream any louder? It's a process argument of murky merits that will be long forgotten by November.

2. Get the House to pass the Senate bill, and maybe use a reconciliation bill (which only needs a Senate majority to pass) to implement as many House-Senate compromises as possible.

3. Go back to Olympia Snowe. I have not seen any persuasive reporting, or even conjecture, about what Snowe is actually thinking. Her substantive demands have been met.

Realistically, all of these options have an equal shot. I would say the reconciliation option being the least likely -- which is good. Reconciliation is a messy thing.