Blue Dogs Still on Board

A month of rowdy town-hall protests and hysterical rumors might not have been enough to derail health care in the House when lawmakers return from their August recess. The New York Times reports that members of the Democrats' conservative Blue Dog caucus, who have been skeptical of proposed health-care legislation, have been largely unswayed by the August spectacle. "I can't tell you how comprehensive it will be, but I do believe something will get passed," Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-NY) told the Times. Another Blue Dog, Rep. David Scott (D-GA), said that disinformation campaigns by the opposition backfired and made him more likely to support a bill than before. "I think now more than ever we must get strong in our resolve to pass health care insurance reform legislation," Scott said. While encouraging for Democrats, wavering Senators are still holding up the bill and major issues such as whether to include a public insurance plan remain unresolved.