If you want to know why the Senate HELP Committee–the more liberal of the two Senate committees with jurisdiction over health reform–hasn’t been able to unveil a public option, you need look no further than freshman Kay Hagan (D-NC).
Her opposition was revealed last week, but now, she’s speaking publicly about it.
This might not be a huge problem for supporters of the provision, but it becomes one because, with a narrow Democratic majority on the committee and its chairman, Ted Kennedy, in poor health, her vote is crucial to moving the bill forward–something the panel’s been working toward for days now without success.
