Jury-Rigged Reform

For those of you who haven't figured it out, the Democratic Party's leadership sucks at this game.
I understand the temptation to sneak the college funding reform bill into the health care reconcilliation bill. The Republicans are good at keeping legislation locked down, and the opportunity to milk as big a policy gain out of this.
But when you're trying to corral moderate Democrats, and Democrats that are only in their position because the last election was so skewed, the last thing you want to do is tack on more legislation that plays right into the "Big Guv'mint" frame.
Besides -- even if they can pass the bill with this legislation included, it's only more ammunition for Republicans to use in 2010. The Republicans will use the argument -- indeed have already used the argument -- that the Dems crammed this down the nation's throat via reconcilliation. And, the more they pass by those means, the more potent that argument will be.