COMPROMISE

Pelosi Goes With Lighter Public Option

Liberal plan met too much opposition.

Watered down or reasonable? House Speaker Nancy Pelosi finally presents a health-reform bill to the House on Thursday. Rather than a Medicare-like plan, which many liberal Democrats pushed for, in this version doctors will be able to negotiate their rates with the government. Pelosi was unable to stir up the 218 votes necessary for the more aggressive government-sponsored option, which many believe would have been shot down by the Senate. Despite liberal Democrats' hard-line stance on the public option, reality may have forced a compromise after a nearly yearlong battle with Blue Dog Democrats. “They did everything possible,” said New York Representative Jerrold Nadler. “There’s no sense pushing back for something that can’t be done.”