Durbin Admits Liberals Are Losing the Health Care Argument

Sen. Dick Durbin (Wacky Liberal-IL) is admitting that the public option, the left's biggest goal in health care reform, is in trouble:

The No. 2 Senate Democrat said Sunday that he's "open" to health care reform that doesn't include a government-run "public option," the latest indication that the Democrats' package could be scaled back as Senate negotiators try to hammer out a bipartisan compromise and constituents flood town halls to express discontent with the current legislation.

The so-called public option is a hot topic of debate at town hall meetings across the country. Supporters say it's needed to keep private insurance companies in check and extend affordable coverage to all. Critics warn that the government should not have so much control over health care and that a public option could eventually eliminate private insurance.

The Senate Finance Committee, the last of five committees to consider health care legislation, is trying to hammer out a bipartisan compromise by mid-September -- such a compromise might leave the public option behind.

Asked whether Democrats could support such a bill, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin said he's personally willing to consider it.

"It doesn't have to be a perfect bill," the Illinois Democrat said. "I support a public option, but, yes, I am open."

He said that assuming the Senate passes a bill, there will be another opportunity to revise it in the conference committee, where the House and Senate would try to smooth out the differences between their bills.

"So we'll see how this ends, but I don't want the process to be filibustered to failure, which unfortunately, many senators are trying to do. I want to make sure that we do something positive for the American people," Durbin said.

This is what I referred to Saturday as "do something-itus", a disease that afflicts everyone in Washington regardless of party. They think Americans are demanding they "do something", so they'll jury-rig a bill together that wastes much money and accomplishes little - all in the name of bipartisanship, and then they'll hold a press conference for the bill signing, slap each other on the back and try to claim they've "fixed health care". It's all a shell game.

Should the Senate kill the public option the liberals in the House will go nuts and a compromise in the conference committee will be tough. Bad for liberals but good for America.

With the anger of the American people coming down on congressmen all over the country, I wonder how many of them will still have the stomach for a big fight?