House Democrats: National Health Care is 'off the table' this year

Bruce Dixon rips House Democratic leaders (and the White House) for reneging on campaign promises for health care reform. Particularly searing criticism is saved for House Democratic Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) who co-sponsored John Conyers's HR 676 (single-payer) last year, but is now the one toeing the White House line and contenting himself with putting off reform.

As Dixon points out, if not now then when?:

Democrats at this moment have a popular and newly elected president, along with the biggest majority in the House and Senate they have enjoyed in a generation. If Democratic leaders are reluctant even to try to put a national health care plan on the president's desk under these favorable circumstances, when will they ever try? Mid-term elections almost invariably shrink Congressional majorities as large as these.