Item #1: From what I can tell reading the rules of the Senate Finance Committee, Olympia Snowe's vote was not necessary to pass the Baucus bill out of committee. Her "aye" vote was symbolic and political.
Item #2: Here's what Snowe said about her vote: “Is this the bill that I would want? Far from it. But when history calls, history calls, and I happen to think that the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress taking every opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to solve the monumental issues of our time.”
This doesn't sound like a endorsement to me. Nor does it exude confidence in legislation that will have far-reaching effects for every American. This isn't some obscure bill about taxing sardines; they are tinkering with 1/6th of the economy here.
Hidden in her statement is an ego saying, "I want to be part of the Obama legacy, the day when we created healthcare as a right of every American."
If this one turns out like New Deal or Great Society, maybe she won't be so proud to have her name associated with it. Given the flaws and the political wind behind this one, I think a lousy law is more likely than not.
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