It’s really hard to imagine how Washington D.C. makes you stupid enough to think that any sort of alternative goes anywhere without having the Senate bill form the basic framework. We can fix all sorts of things through reconciliation or other vehicles, but splitting bills up won’t work — it simply increases the number of moving parts– and starting over puts Democrats in the position as looking like incompetent boobs.  Which they would be.  Pass the bill, fix what you can, and slam it down on Republicans who opposed it and use i to build for the next election.

Ultimately, 10 percent unemployment is the problem and more time spent whining about what you didn’t get on health care does no one any good who isn’t a Republican political operative.