Given the very narrow margins that the House passed their version of the health care bill, it appears that one of the key Senate changes could end up meaning doom for the legislation:

One thing is clear: Unless Sen. Harry Reid and President Barack Obama back down on the excise tax in the health reform bills being merged in a secret conference committee, Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter will not vote for the final bill.

And that’s not the only feature of the final bill Shea-Porter is likely to oppose.

Usually in cases like this it takes one to open the flood gates. Now that Shea-Porter has publically said she won’t support the bill if the Cadillac tax is included, I am sure we can expect more to follow suit this week.

Also don’t forget that we are looking at other’s who may oppose the bill over the abortion language, namely people like Stupak, who want much harsher abortion language in the bill. The next few weeks are going to be very interesting to watch. Well not watch, since transparency is dead, but listen to the leaks on.