Conservatives: A Win on Public Option is One Battle on Road to Victory

Leftist Joe Sudbay is whining about how the White House, in "dropping" the public option, will "sacrifice good policy and principles for politics any day." Basically, another netroots radical takes issue with the administation for "blowing off" the party's socialist base.

Actually, I doubt the public option is indeed "off the table." The Politico has a report, "White House Backs Away From Public Health Care Option." But check Gaius at Blue Crab Boulevard, who nails what's really happening at this stage in Democratic-socialist healthcare reform:

To my fellow bloggers on the right,

This is NOT a victory ....

At best, we have won a skirmish - IF this is not smoke being blown by the Democrats smoke-blower-in-chief. (I am not convinced we have won even that much just yet.) Yes we have made a serious dent in their schemes, but we are not even close to being out of the woods on this yet.

We have a long way to go on this. Remember that Pelosi has already required that reconciliation be used - meaning that only 51 votes are needed in the Senate. Remember that there is a lot more to hate in these various bills being touted by the Democrats than just the public option.

If they get anything at all, they are looking at this as the camel’s nose under the tent. They will increment and “improve” anything they can get passed until it is socialized medicine. That is the ultimate goal. That is what Clinton pushed and that, very, very clearly, is the message of this article.

This is not a victory. We have to keep focused and keep fighting. We have to.

More at the link.