Here's Harry Reid telling us it's time to get serious on health care. Well, WhenTF is he going to get SERIOUS?

Harry Reid is caving to the pressure from the do no nothing Max Baucus caucus and says that he's fine with no bill being voted on before the August recess.

WASHINGTON – Senate Democratic leaders on Thursday abandoned plans for a vote on health care before Congress' August recess, dealing a blow to President Barack Obama's ambitious timetable to revamp the nation's $2.4 trillion system of medical care.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., delivered the official pronouncement on what had been expected for weeks, saying, "It's better to have a product based on quality and thoughtfulness rather than try to jam something through." His words were a near-echo of Republicans who have criticized the rush to act on complex legislation that affects every American.

Reid told reporters the Senate Finance Committee will act on its portion of the bill before lawmakers' month-long break. Reid then will merge that bill with separate legislation passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee earlier this month.

The process will be difficult since Finance, led by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., is seeking a bipartisan deal while the health committee bill was passed by Democrats on a party-line vote.

We need to call his office (202 224 3542) repeatedly to demand that they get a bill done and voted on by the August recess or they should forfeit their vacations because they have an obligation to Americans across this country to get it done. Here's what's at cost if we delay while these House of Lords take their royal time off:

Some in Congress are talking about delaying health care reform for another three weeks through the August Congressional recess. Just to put a fine point on it, over three weeks in America:

• 143,250 people will lose their health insurance coverage [pdf]

• 53,507 people will file for bankruptcy because they can't pay their medical bills
• 1,265 people will die [pdf] because they lack coverage

There is a real human cost of even a few weeks in America without health reform. And there is no logical reason for the delay

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Does Harry Reid want Americans to suffer while they go water skying and play in their sandboxes? Please contact his office and tell the leader of the Royal House to stay at work. (202 224 3542) Nancy Pelosi has taken my advice and will cancel the August recess and now President Obama has come out and said that he wants them to work.

a senior administration official said Reid's announcement does not change Obama's timetable, with the president still wanting House and Senate votes before the upcoming recess.

Who is really the president here, Chuck Grassley?

As Digby says:

The article makes it sound like Republicans asked for a delay, and Reid AGREED to it.

Should we just let Mitch McConnell be Majority Leader at this point?

...I should mention that I haven't seen reports of that Baucus/Finance Committee/public option deal anywhere else. Things are very fluid and I still feel that most stakeholders in the debate are resigned to something called "public option" in the final bill. Whether it's good or not remains to be seen. But conceding the recess and allowing the Finance Committee to delay and dictate the terms is unconscionable.

And don't forget to sign the petition by Midnight to make sure the House does their jobs too.