The health care balancing act: Be afraid, be very afraid

It looks like Senate Democrats might be close to dropping an idea to expand Medicare for those between 55 and 64. It would be dropped in order to bring Senators like Joe Lieberman on board, but one has to wonder how progressive Democrats will react to this decision.

You would think that progressives would vehemently oppose any changes to Medicare expansion. The scary part will happen if progressives are fine with the decision to drop the expansion. If they go along with the idea, then read carefully: The bill will be guaranteed to contain even bigger costs and give-aways.

The expansion of Medicare is an expansion of a single-payer system that is already in existence, which is the goal of progressives. In order for them to even consider giving up this option, moderates will have to make costly concessions. Keep your eyes open.