Ezra talks about the importance to healthcare reform overall by having the strongest possible House bill in conference.

The part of Pelosi's approach that people haven't really picked up on is that she's paired the stronger public option with more generous subsidies and benefit packages, rather than leaving it on its own to dramatize the potential savings. There's a reason for that: If the Senate wants to weaken the public option, this gives her leverage to demand that they put money on the table to maintain the benefit levels that the strong public option made possible. In other words, the strong public option also gives her leverage to bargain for more affordability and better subsidies.

We've talked about that a little bit here, what robust public option in the bill gives to Pelosi to keep all the stronger aspects of House bill that makes healthcare reform work for the consumer. But it can't be stressed enough, and makes a good argument for when you call your member of Congress to ask her or him to give their support to the robust public option.

One thing that's emerged over the last day or two is that there's been some flux on the whip counts. It always happens on key votes--people hold out on stating their position, or may change their position, to strengthen their own ability to negotiate something for their vote. So we don't have exact counts right now.

But, we do know that they'll be making the decision on which version of the bill to take into conference early next week, probably on Monday. So that gives you the weekend to fill up some voicemail inboxes in the offices of those members who are the leaning yes votes.

Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-8): 202-225-2542, 520-459-3115, 520-881-3588

Dennis Cardoza (CA-18): 202-225-6131; 209-383-4455, 209-527-1914

Joe Donnelly (IN-2): 202-225-3915, 574-288-2780

Curt Schraeder (OR-05): 202-225-5711, 503-588-9100

Lincoln Davis (TN-04): 202-225-6831, 931-490-8699, 931-473-7251

Glenn Nye (VA-2): 202-225-4215 757-326-6201

Jim Costa (CA-20): 202-225-3341, 661-869-1620, 559-495-1620

Rick Boucher (VA-9): 202-225-3861, 276-628-1145

The House needs to pass the strongest bill possible going into negotiations with the Senate. All of the things that House members have fought to have included in this bill, not just the public option, will be best preserved with the strongest possible bill being passed by the House.

As usual, leadership needs to hear from us, too. Here they are.