United Liberty

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) criticized the government-run option in an interview on NPR, explaing that it would bankrupt the country if passed (audio is below):

Asked about polls showing public support for a government plan, Landrieu said the questions should be phrased differently.

“I think if you asked, do you want a public option but it would force the government to go bankrupt, people would say no,” she said.Landrieu suggested co-ops as a possible compromise.

Thirty Democratic Senators have pledged to only vote for a bill including a public option. Landrieu, obviously, is not one of them.

That is one less vote for the public option in the Senate. If all Republicans hold (looking at you, Senators Snowe and Collins), there is no way the “public option” can pass. However, that changes if Democrats elect to go with reconciliation as a way to get around a cloture vote.