Multiple obstacles to Senate bill

Well, that's not quite accurate, because there is no Senate bill.

In spite of what will undoubtedly be a favorable report from the CBO on the hypothetical Senate healthcare bill, Sen. Harry Reid faces a plethora of problems. This article from The Hill lists some of them:

• Reid needs every single Dem vote, including that of the ailing Robert Byrd and those of several lukewarm if not actually opposed senators: Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln, Joseph Lieberman, Mary Landrieu, and Evan Bayh.
• The Senate needs to resolve the as-yet unresolvable hot-button issues of the public option, abortion coverage, and the enormous cost of the bill.
• Lieberman has threatened to join a filibuster and Sen. Coburn has floated the idea of reading the bill into the record.
• And once more, for emphasis: There is no bill.

There seems to be some internal fighting over the possible use of reconciliation, the last-ditch nuclear option proposed to ram an unpopular bill through with just a bare majority:

A Senate aide said there were plans to discuss passing the health care bill through a procedural maneuver known as reconciliation – which favored by progressive activists because it would allow Democrats to circumvent the 60-vote filibuster threshold. A majority of the Democratic caucus supports the public option, and only 51 senators would be needed to approve the legislation under reconciliation.

But following the hour-long meeting, senators declined to say whether reconciliation was discussed.

“You need to talk with the majority leader,” Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said.

More background on reconciliation here. James Pethokoukis writes that "that ship has sailed," which to me indicates that those legislators in possession of their senses fear the tsunami-like backlash that would result from this tactic.

George Stephanopoulos updates. Reid says the CBO report will arrive today. There's little doubt that it will be pleasing to the Dems, since the delay in the "analysis" of this non-bill was caused by Reid stopping the presses in order to tweak the numbers when he saw that the initial report was going to be unfavorable. More from Mr. Stephanopoulos:

Meantime, Republicans reading the latest Washington Post-ABC poll say: bring it on.

The poll shows that public skepticism is hardening. Most Americans believe that reform will make their own health care worse -- especially on the key issue of cost -- with 54 percent fearing their own costs will rise, and 56 percent believing the costs to the country will increase.

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