The whip list was obtained by Joan McCarter, a DailyKos contributing editor. It names fifty members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) who have firmly pledged to oppose any bill that doesn’t meet the group’s standards. Without those fifty votes, Democrats would be unable to pass the reform effort without Republican support. (Once Judy Chu is sworn in, there will be 256 Democrats, and one “closet Democrat”; 218 are needed for passage, leaving Democrats 12 votes short.)…
The CPC laid out its requirements in a June statement, demanding a strong public health care option that is available immediately. See the statement here.
Progressives can now argue that the fate of reform depends upon including a strong public option. Or, alternatively, moving far enough in the GOP’s direction to pick up support from the other side.
