Next strategy: Pass the bill without abortion fix*

That cannot happen without some serious 'deal-making.' Only time will tell whether they can bribe and threaten their way to passage.

Yuval Levin:

It’s fair to say this ruling from the Senate parliamentarian today will put a serious damper on the Democrats’ “dual bill” approach to passing their health-care plan.

Democratic leaders should be asking themselves just how they have gotten to the point that their strategy is to amend a law that doesn’t exist yet by passing a bill without voting on it. Surely it’s time to start over.

Nah. It's time for more pork:

WASHINGTON – House leaders have concluded they cannot change a divisive abortion provision in President Barack Obama's health care bill and will try to pass the sweeping legislation without the support of ardent anti-abortion Democrats.

The approach would skirt a major obstacle for Democratic leaders in the final throes of a yearlong effort to change health care in the United States. But it sets up a risky strategy of trying to round up enough Democrats to overcome, not appease, a small but possibly decisive group of Democratic lawmakers in the House.

Democratic leaders are working to rally rank-and-file members around agreements on several complicated points, health insurance taxes and prescription drug coverage among them, and dozens of other sticky issues — all as Republicans stand ready to oppose the overhaul en masse.

"We will finish the job," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., wrote in a letter to his Republican counterpart describing the path ahead.

Said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa: "The stars are aligning for victory on comprehensive health reform. The end is in sight."

Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman of California, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said the leadership will press ahead without reworking the abortion provision adopted by the Senate. Abortion opponents say the provision falls short in restricting taxpayer dollars for abortion coverage.

h/t: Anne Leary

Rep. Paul Ryan:

"This is their do-or-die moment. They know can’t let their members go home for Easter with this hanging out there."

The cowards hope the public will never find out what inducements secured their votes. Click for Ryan's explanation of the process.

*I've amended original title, "Next strategy: Pass the bill without Stupak and company," which implied that Stupak and friends are above caving. We can't count on that.

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