Are Blue Dogs going to help or hurt, on health care?

Conservative House Democrats are complaining that they are not being included in the health care bill drafting process, whereas the Senate process is much more open and transparent.

It might be good to have them in the room. During the fiscal battles on Capitol Hill earlier this year, the House Democrats wrote some legislative language that swung way to the left, and they had to be talked back down to reality by the Senate and Obama. If the Blue Dogs are in the room for the health care debate on the House side, then perhaps some of the silliness can be kept under control. If, however, the aim of the Blue Dogs is to carry water for the health insurers and kill the public option, then it’s time for the Blue Dogs to get spayed.

Meanwhile we also need to keep an eye on Senate Democrats who are waffling on the public option because the insurers have bought them off.