A key House liberal, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, says that a vast majority of House liberals aren’t about to agree to another compromise on the public option.
“The vast majority of CPC is not prepared to wave a white flag on public option,” Grijalva told Greg Sargent. “A trigger would be a surrender.”
As Greg notes, a vast majority of the 60-or-so members who vowed to oppose a bill without a public option would still be enough to ensure that the bill did not pass.
By way of contrast, House Majority leader Steny Hoyer says the public option might have to go. And a knowledgeable House aide tells me that many progressives are looking at other ways to achieve “real reform.”
As before, House leaders can only lose 38 votes within the Democratic caucus if a bill is going to pass.