Sen. Olympia Snowe has joined Joe Lieberman in
vowing to support a filibuster to block a vote on a health
care bill that included the government-run plan announced
yesterday by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
This news alone would mean that Reid doesn't have the 60 votes he
needs to proceed.
But in other news today, Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln reiterated
that she does not think a government plan is the way to go.
While she didn't comment on whether or not she would go as far as
to filibuster the bill, the Associated Press reports:
"Creating another government-funded option is not where we're
going. We don't need to go there," Lincoln told members of the
Arkansas Farm Bureau during a video conference. "A
government-funded option is something that I think is not the
way to go."
The problem Reid faces is that if he pulls back support for the
government plan now, it will enrage liberals who will believe
he's sold them out to win the support of a few moderates. But if
he charges ahead with the government plan proposal, he risks
derailing the entire health care effort.
