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I'm deeply confused. Insofar as Obama said anything concrete when he was running for president, he said he was going to reform the US healthcare system. So, he has a mandate to do it and a large majority. So, why doesn't he just do it? Why does he even care that he doesn't have cross-party support? Seriously, I am totally lost here.
There are now exactly 60 Dem Senators, since Al Franken was finally sworn in and after Arlen Specter defected from the GOP. But some of them are, as gonzo21 says, in the pocket of the big Pharma companies, or at least get some big payments from them. I get the impression that there are 60 votes or more for some sort of healthcare package (possibly including the ever-diminishing band of moderate GOPs, apparently now at most Olympia Snowe and one other), but not for a package including the 'public option', that is a government-run insurance scheme for those who want it. There might be a majority for it, but not the 60.
The position in the House is slightly better, as they don't have the filibuster problem in the same way. There's still the "Blue Dogs" group of conservative Dems, but it seems that Obama still has a big enough majority that they've passed a bill including the public option. But the Senate's the problem.
I do think the quest for bipartisanship is a wild goose chase given the fanatical right-wing nature of the current GOP. As for the Blue Dogs in both houses, I think Obama's campaigning organization (the one that followed on from his election campaign) needs to start seriously targeting them and putting together potential rival primary candidates for any of them that don't vote for Obama's proposals. Of course some of the Senators won't face election for another five plus years...
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