Healthcare Bill Update

National Review has an article looking at the state of the healthcare bill ("Condition Serious but not Hopeless").  Several points really stuck out to me:

1) Republicans are doing a fine job of airing the despicable nature of this bill, but they must strengthen the alternative they're offering.  They may be afraid to take away what so many of us are used to -- employer-provided insurance -- but it's time to put the choice about insurance back into the hands of the taxpayer.
2) The cop-out by Democrats saying that they simply voted for a bill to bring it to the floor, and that means nothing about voting for the final bill are pretty much saying that they just expect more earmarks inserted before they'll vote for it.  An overwhelming 97.6% of bills that win the motion-to-proceed vote gain final passage.
3) Democrats seem to be living by the slogan "Power is transient, but policy is forever."  Even though many of them have no hope of being reelected because of the unpopularity of this bill (no matter how much they say we're demanding it), if they can just get it passed, they see it as being worth it.
4) Republicans should highlight the differences Democrats have on the issues covered in this bill.
5) Contact your senator and no one else.  That's Rick Santorum's advice.  Especially if your senator is Lincoln, Landrieu, either Nelsons, Dorgan, Bayh, Lieberman, Webb, Bennett of Colorado, or Snowe, then by all means, contact them!
"What should you do? Call, email,write, organize not just rallies at the senator's state office but 24-hour vigils, attend his/her public meetings, and come to D.C. with as many friends as you can bring. Finally — contact your state's senator and no one else. No senator cares about what people in other states feel or say. In this hectic environment, your call to an out-of-state senator is probably blocking a call from someone in her state. Focus on your senator even if it is just to say thanks to a Republican who voted the right way and to encourage him or her to continue to do so."