Does Conrad think we’re stupid? They only need 50 votes to pass healthcare “reform” using the budget reconciliation process and if they don’t want to pass it through that process, they have the 60 votes to stop a filibuster. It’s obvious the Democrats don’t want to be the only ones held accountable for wrecking out healthcare system. They’ve seen the polls, support for healthcare reform drops when those polled are asked if they would continue to support it if their healthcare coverage is affected. That’s exactly what’s going to happen and Conrad knows it. They also know this is going to cost a heck of a lot more than anyone is willing to admit.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Senator Conrad, let me bring it back to these bipartisan negotiations you talked about, because that really is the big game in town right now to the Senate Finance Committee. You’ve got three Democrats, three Republicans, but a Republican senator, Orrin Hatch, dropped out of the negotiations this week. And you’ve got a dilemma. Senator Chuck Grassley, the Republican ranking member in the committee says he’s going to need some guarantees that the deal you strike here is going to survive all the way to the president’s desk. You’ve got your own Democrat warning you not to give away the story. Chris Dodd in the “New York Times” this morning saying “If they overstep the line in these negotiations,” talking about his fellow Democrats, “to bring three or four Republicans along, there will be a reaction among Democrats unlike anything you’ll hear among Republicans.” So how do you solve that dilemma?
CONRAD: You know, you’ve got to keep putting one foot in front of the hour and try to have a plan to propose to our colleagues that can win their support, Republicans and Democrats. Look, there are not the votes for Democrats to do this just on our side of the aisle. This is going to require…
STEPHANOPOULOS: So it’s not possible to have a Democrat-only bill.
CONRAD: No, it is not possible and perhaps not desirable either. We’re probably going to get a better product if we go through the tough business of debate, consideration, analysis of what we’re proposing. It is so important we get this right and that it’s sustainable.

Amazing! Even with a super majority, they can’t do what they’ve always promised to do, reform healthcare. If they can’t make this happen then it should be clear to everyone that the nation is not interested in a big government solution to healthcare reform. No socialized medicine for us. Otherwise the Democrats have the votes to do what they’ve always said they wanted to do. (Much easier to be for something when you know you’ll never be accountable for it.)
You can watch the video of the interview here.