In two words, not good. The title of a recently released Yahoo! article is "ALL eyes on Reid". The big question is: WILL HE DELIVER?

"As health (care) reform shifts back to the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid is facing dissent FROM FELLOW DEMOCRATS, WORRIED that he has NO FINAL BILL, NO Democratic concensus on the way ahead and NO guarantee (that) he'll finish by year's end" or, looking at the way things are going, even by next February or March. This, coupled with 3 appearances of "No", is NOT good.

"Even before Saturday's House vote, lawmakers began to question why Reid SUDDENLY shifted course TWO WEEKS AGO and threw his weight behind a public option plan, LAYING BARE THE DEEP DIVISIONS in his caucus between liberals and moderates". First, we "threw his weight behind a public option plan". Next, Reid "suddenly shifted course two weeks ago" to do this?, implying that the Senate Majority Leader DID NOT support a public option before? "laying bare the deep divisions between liberals and moderates" is simply politics. Also, "liberals and moderates" isn't accurate either because we have liberals who want A ROBUST PUBLIC OPTION and then, we have "Blue Dog" Democrats who act like Republicans and will vote against the health care overhaul if it indeed includes a public option. Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln is in this group as is Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu. Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson takes this idea to the extreme (he says that HE WILL NOT VOTE FOR THIS PROPOSAL UNLESS AT LEAST ONE REPUBLICAN VOTES FOR IT), which is DEFINITELY politics.

"In the process, Senate progress on health care has stopped dead, raising the possibility (that) THE SENATE WON'T EVEN BEGIN FLOOR DEBATE UNTIL AFTER THANKSGIVING. Reid said he's confident (that) the Senate will pass health care legislation, BUT left open THE CHANCE (that) the final bill COULD SLIP into early next year". This is exactly why no one should be overconfident. There is always A CHANCE for overestimation/overconfidence.

"That remark earned him a visit from White House chief of staff, who showed up in the senate majority leader's office the next day TO PRESS HIM ON THE URGENCY of a Christmas deadline..." OK, the White House is basically handcuffed now because Congress MAKES the laws while the president CARRIES OUT these laws, but can RECOMMEND Congress to pass laws that he favors. The White House has already sent the health care overhaul proposal to Congress. Now, they can only wait. So, it's impossible to assess how effective ..."earned a visit"... and "...to press on the urgency..." really are, AT THIS TIME.

"In a private meeting last week with Finance Committee Max Baucus (D-Mont.), a half-dozen Democrats AIRED A LONG LIST OF CONCERNS about the differences between the two approaches. They cited the $1.2 TRILLION House bill, it's reliance on a "millionaire's tax" to fund the overhaul (they can afford to pay more) and the House's REFUSAL to include a tax on so-called Cadillac health plans because the bill is opposed by Democrats' allies in organized labor", yet another special interest group.

Obama continued to try and motivate: "Now it FALLS ON the United States Senate to TAKE THIS BATON AND BRING THIS EFFORT TO THE FINISH LINE on behalf of the American people. And I'M ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL". Really? There seem to be a lot of question marks, uncertainty and doubt.

According to Richard Kirsch, campaign manager for Health Care for America Now, obviously a group supporting the health care reform package, "Passage by the House turns the spotlight fully on the Senate to enact a bill early in December that will cover as many people, deliver coverage that is as afforable, includes a NATIONAL PUBLIC OPTION (this is what's desired, but will this happen? Well, that's another matter altogether. This is indeed THE BIGGEST challenge) and is progressively financed (this is obviously politics)". Besides the specifics that will HOPEFULLY get done, getting ALL of this done "early in December" is almost impossible if things and people continue to be bogged down and in gridlock like they are now.

According to Reid spokesman Jim Manley, "Clearly it's going to give us momentum. BUT IT DOES NOT SIGNIFY ANY BREAK IN THE LOGJAM". These two statements contradict each other. "It was always going to be close in the Senate and NOTHING HAS CHANGED". Well, it doesn't seem like this guy is pushing very hard for the person he is supposedly working/speaking for.

"AMONG SENATE DEMOCRATS, the second-guessing began weeks ago" and with almost zero Republican support, health care reform is living dangerously right now. This is not the time for party in-fighting. It is time to stand united and do what's right. The only problem: DOING WHAT'S RIGHT MAY NOT BE UNITED AND STANDING UNITED OFTEN MEANS NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING (just look at all the people opposing this bill).

Baucus held a meeting with some "Blue Dog" Democrats to inform them that there was going to be a public option that would allow STATES to "opt out" and this was Sen. Nelson's reaction: "People were concerned, felt that it was the wrong approach. But you know, we've elected the leader as our leader. If that's what he chooses to do, then we'll obviously be, we'll face it and it MAY make the difference in whether we support (it)". So Nelson wasn't happy about the public option, but he's not happy about the "opt out" option either. What does he want? It looks like Nelson is 'a rat' just like Joe Lieberman.

Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe denounced the latest happenings as "a prescription for CONFUSION and DISASTER". Snowe has been described as "the one possible Republican vote", which means that Sen. Susan Collins, in all likelihood, WILL NOT support this proposal and Snowe's rhetoric isn't pleasant either. Snowe goes on to say: "IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FAR DIFFERENT than the way in which it's been handled". Snowe has gone back to the classic GOP recipe of identifying the problem WITHOUT COMING UP WITH ANY FEASIBLE SOLUTIONS. "NO ONE has ever understood this merger process. Now we are facing the prospect of A UNIFIED BILL THAT DIDN'T COME OUT OF EITHER COMMITTEE (neither Finance nor Health) that frankly has been designed IN THE CLOAK OF SECRECY AND DARKNESS", which implies that this "bill" in fact isn't "unified" at all and "designed in the cloak of secrecy and darkness" is ugly. This is typical GOP negativity and Snowe is supposedly moderate.

According to Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln, "I think it (i.e.the Finance version of the healthcare overhaul) met all the criteria. It was DEFICIT-NEUTRAL, which the president has been adamant about" and something that Republicans and "Blue Dog" Democrats have been obsessed about. "We actually reduced the deficit in that bill. We created the exchange pools. We CREATED DIFFERENT OPTIONS - MORE OPTIONS FOR THE PUBLIC". Now, there's really something to talk about. Why is Sen. Lincon so enthusiastic about the Finance Committee version of the health care overhaul? She is "a key swing vote who faces a tough reelection next year". This is THE most critical reason. She is also a member of the Finance Committee (this is obviously a minor reason).

According to Sen. Baucus, "It's a double-edged sword. PEOPLE HAVE TO BECOME COMFORTABLE WITH IT", but the fact of the matter is that many people are not "comfortable with it". "and we also can't take too much (time) because frankly, IT EMPOWERS THOSE WHO ARE TRYING TO KILL IT". This is the most critical fact. There are some people "who are trying to kill it (i.e. healthcare reform)" and WE MUST NOT LET/ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. Baucus told POLITICO that Reid made a "judgment call" to go in a different direction. "Baucus is supportive of Reed and the direction he chose, BUT suggests the delay in floor action HAS GIVEN AMMUNITION to the GOP opposition" and all those opposing healthcare reform on main street as well.

"IF the Senate can complete work by Christmas (which is NEXT MONTH), THERE IS TALK of keeping the House-Senate conferees in Washington to negotiate the conference report", but this is one of those 'IF and ONLY IF' scenarios which is no guarantee of anything. And we can be sure that whoever has to stay in Washington over Xmas to work (ON ANYTHING) will be grumbling.

"Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said concerns about the delay SHOULD BE DIRECTED AT THE CBO, NOT REID". This is politics again. Durbin seems to be 'sticking up for' Reid here.

Durbin was later "Asked if making less drastic changes to the bill would be enough to bring it to the floor" and he replied, quite plainly in fact that "THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH saying we can get it through (the) CBO IN A HURRY, BUT CAN'T GET IT PASSED ON THE FLOOR". That would be pointless. WE NEED A BILL PASSED, but THE RIGHT STUFF HAS TO BE IN THERE.

According to Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, "I think A SHOWDOWN is going to happen NO MATTER WHAT. I'll let the leader decide how best to have that showdown". These "showdowns" may be regarded as what is preventing some critical work from being done and some critical issues from being considered and discussed and Cantwell doesn't seem to mind/care.

"In other words, the feat is nearly impossible - BY CONGRESSIONAL STANDARDS". Hey, these guys are politicians after all.

Reid is now reportedly siding with New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, who said that "this was ALWAYS going to be complicated", no matter what leadership skills and conflict management techniques were employed. Schumer goes on to say that "NO ONE was going to be PERFECTLY HAPPY with ANYTHING DONE - stronger public option, no public option, NO ONE was going to be COMPLETELY happy. I think Leader Reid made the best decision, given all the diverse opinions of our caucus". Oh and by the way, hopefully, the fines for people refusing to get insurance for crazy reasons will be there when this bill passes and not until 2013. "This is how it all HAS TO work", but chances are,, it won't be.

Reid was also commended by Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office on Health Care Reform: "The leader did in 10 days" some things which usually take MUCH longer.

Finally, according to Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, "IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A STARTING POINT for a lot of us who have not been on the Committee long enough to really weigh in". Could this be possible (i.e. that Sen. Warner has NO OPINION)? EVERYONE ELSE seems to be zeroed in on either FIGHTING FOR this bill or railing/ranting against it.

In conclusion, a hell of a lot of people on Capitol Hill are either flip-flopping or just playing more political games: Nelson(with more political theatrics/demands), Baucus, Lincoln, Cantwell and now, even Senate Majority Leader Reid who originally SUPPORTED the public option only to GO AGAINST it recently to SUPPORTING IT AGAIN. Gosh, this SOUNDS LIKE DICK CHENEY going after John Edwards and John Kerry in favor of GEORGE W BUSH all over again. These guys are clearly more interested in their own political futures than on helping others (i.e. the folks who need coverage quickly and need it NOW) which, again, is disappointing. The game "Flip Flop" is interesting only on The Price is Right AND NOT WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOMETHING DONE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS AND GIVE THEM AT LEAST SOME PEACE OF MIND.