Blue Dogs Stand Firm as Dems Get Panicky

But Senate, House leaders not united on public option

(NEWSER) - Harry Reid declared "90% agreement" in the Senate on health care reform today after a meeting with President Obama. Reid and Nancy Pelosi expressed optimism that the president's address to Congress tomorrow will bolster support for reform, the Hill reports. The Senate Majority Leader is confident that the speech will at least defuse some of the “ridiculous falsehoods” that have so far dominated the debate. More»

Dems waffle on high-income tax; timetable cloudy

(NEWSER) - Democrats are growing queasy about their plan to tax the wealthy to help pay for health care reform, the New York Times reports. Nancy Pelosi yesterday suggested revising the contentious provision so that fewer households would have to pay the surtax. Under the current House draft, individuals earning more than $280,000, and couples earning more than $350,000 would have to pay. Pelosi wants those figures upped to $500,000 and $1 million. More»

Who to watch as debate rages on Capitol Hill

(NEWSER) - As health care talk heats up in Washington, Mark Halperin of Time lists the key players to watch:

• Sen. Max Baucus is trying to wring out as much GOP support as possible on his finance panel.
• White House health czar Nancy-Ann DeParle has been winning concessions from the health care industry to cut costs.
• Congressional Budget Office chief Douglas Elmendorf plays “referee” to spending in any bill. He's already hit Democrats' plans as too expensive.
• White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel at some point will tell President Obama that "now's the time" to make the big final push.

Kept up fight for comprehensive reform as other Dems wavered

(NEWSER) - President Obama may be the one history remembers for pulling off the biggest domestic policy reform in decades, but Nancy Pelosi "emerges from this battle as the real powerhouse in Washington," Julian Zelizer writes for CNN . Wielding both a "clear ideological agenda" and the "pragmatic political tactics" to round up votes, Pelosi is the clear heir to Ted Kennedy's legacy, Zelizer writes. More»

Pelosi 'delighted' Obama will be present for 'historic' passage

(NEWSER) - Democrats got ready for a health care rumble today, with Nancy Pelosi telling her troops to clear their schedules, be ready to stay in session, and expect a vote next week. Pelosi will move to pass the Senate's December bill as soon as Thursday or Friday, and though Politico reports that the speaker likely doesn't yet have the 216 votes she needs, most believe she's within reach. More»