It never ceases to amaze those in the realm of political discourse how things can change so quickly in so little time. Less than a day after a memo from David L. Cavicke, Republican Chief of Staff for the Committee on Energy and Commerce, was leaked and obtained by Politico in which it was revealed that “Democratic Leadership” had “told Mr. Boehner’s staff that there will be no vote on Health on the Floor before recess and we will leave Friday,” an apparent breakthrough has been made on the Blue Dog Democrat front of the health care reform battle. What this last-minute deal means – a victory for ObamaCare and the Democratic leadership or simple a face-saving rouse – has yet to be seen.

Fox News is reporting that a deal was reached early this morning. The compromise, according to one member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition, “would cut the cost of the $1 trillion-plus package by $100 billion” and would “ensure that the proposed government-run insurance program would not be forced on anyone.” In exchange, the floor vote in the House will be put off until after Labor Day when legislators reconvene. Seven Blue Dog Democrats held up passage of the bill within the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the only panel within the House not to pass some form of the president’s health care reform legislation, over growing concerns for the high-cost of the program and the speed at which Democratic leadership was trying to force a vote. Four of those seven Blue Dogs on the committee – Representatives Mike Ross of Arkansas, Baron Hill of Indiana, Zack Space of Ohio, and Bart Gordon of Tennessee – relented and agreed on passage of the bill this morning. This gives Chairman Henry Waxman, representative from California, just enough votes to pass the bill through the committee. It is expected that the committee will meet up this afternoon for mark-up, or finalization, of the bill.

What will happen to President Obama’s health care reform legislation hereafter is anyone’s guess at this point. This is hardly a victory for the White House and the Democratic leadership in Congress, however. There is no physical bill for the president to sign – undoubtedly though he will go out among the masses at his town-hall revivals and proclaim, quite prematurely, “Mission: Accomplished” on ‘meeting’ his August deadline – and there will not be a floor vote on the bill until after Labor Day. At most this ‘deal’ was simply a face-saving maneuver for Obama and Nancy Pelosi going into recess. Still, the choice for the Democrats to take the fight over health care reform in this direction is a double-edged sword for them. Going into recess with nothing would have been hugely embarrassing for the Democrats. Congressional Republicans would have touted this as a victory for their cause and rightfully so. At least with this, they can proclaim that they accomplished something, even if what they eventually did produce lacked any real teeth. No doubt their friends in the mainstream media will gleefully help mask this rouse as a victory for the White House.

But, at the same time, opponents of the president’s legislation have gained a vital opportunity as well. They now have a fixed target date and, quite possibly by the time both houses of Congress break for recess, will have actual legislation to cite. This basically allots them weeks of free-range target practice in which to take pot shots at moderate ‘Blue Dog’ Democrats for not reading the bill. They’ll have plenty of ammo to use. For example, the fact that the $100 billion ‘cut’ from the program is a mere spit in the bucket compared to the overall $900 billion cost.

One has to also take note that while this not be a solid victory for the Democrats, neither is it defeat. The fight is just beginning. Nancy Pelosi still only needs thirteen or fourteen of the fifty-two Blue Dog Democrats to pass the bill on the floor on a razor-thin majority vote.