Let's look at the so-called "Independant" voter.
They are a concoction of Republicans too embarrassed to call themselves Republicans, a mix of a combination of people half-listening to the issue complexities along with Democrats who are more Libertarian than they'd admit and other Democrats who were possibly not for Obama in 2008.
They like handsome, camera-ready politicians who have gravitas, who are tough-talking and run along the lines of a neo-Huey Long populist that bark bumper-sticker power phrases that mean nothing but incur some perception of change.
If the Democrats pull back and wimp out on misunderstanding what the Massachusetts election meant, they look like chinless, soft-handed wankers who would rather want to keep their jobs and sell out instead of standing on a soapbox in the town square and chest-beat the words the "people" want in full-throated fashion.
Granted, it's a Frank Capra-styled Kabuki theater branded framefest that has to orchestrated and calculated in the power zones for ultimate effect.
So, if the Democrats decided to just pass the Senate version of the healthcare bill with a 51 vote majority over placating to Bluedogs and political cowards and tag the Public Option as part of it and go for a 51 vote majority, there would be the usual suspects who would say it was forced down people'e throats.
What the fuck would these same people say of nothing passed?
They would say that the Democrats failed to pass the legislation. They would say that the Obama administration is over. They would use that to try to tell the Independent voter in 2010 and 2012 that the Democrats are ineffective.
So fuck 'em.
Shove the damn stuff down their throats and DO THE CORRECT THING that history will say was a studly move. The Senate and Congress in 2010 could come across as LEADERS working FOR THE FUTURE, not limp-wristed phonies who would rather bend to the whims of the corporate power.
Last I checked, David pretty much looks cooler in the battle with Goliath from a battle standpoint. Imagine if David called his mom and listened to her when she said Goliath is too big to fight.
As for the perception of Independents and their votes in 2010, they would obviously vote for David. For them, Goliath is an asshole.
(Note: reposted due to previous post getting locked due to my comments about people who unrec threads without participating in dialogue)