As this report neatly sums up: “Democratic leaders scrambled Sunday to pull together enough support in the House for a make-or-break decision on health-care reform later this week, expressing optimism that a package will soon be signed into law by President Obama despite a lack of firm votes for passage.” Republicans are vowing to do all they can, but the problem is the Democrats, who are being asked to vote against their own principles and self-interest. (“Democratic leaders are struggling to assemble support amid opposition to the Senate legislation from conservative Democrats, who object to abortion-related language in the bill, and from liberals, who are disappointed about the lack of a public insurance option and other measures.”)

The White House is filled with bluster, ready to make health care the centerpiece of the 2010 race. That, I imagine, sends shivers up the spines of at-risk Democrats, who are going to have to not only run against Republicans but also defend themselves against votes for the “Cornhusker Kickback” and its ilk, as well as for the Medicare cuts, tax hikes, and small-business mandates and fines. And let’s be clear: the bill does virtually nothing positive for those who have insurance through their employers or through Medicare. Those would be the people most likely to turn out to vote.

The only way for Democrats to end a debate that’s dragging their president and them under is to vote no. If not, this week will be only the beginning, not the end, of an argument many of them don’t want to have, one that will spell the end of their political careers. That’s why getting those votes is proving to be so difficult.

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