Congressional bargaining over the shape of financial reform isn't over, but it appears to have entered an endgame phase.

With Republicans saying Wednesday that they will no longer seek to block floor debate leading toward a vote on the Senate bill, the stage is set for final maneuvering over the reforms.

The goal, both sides say, is to prevent a repeat of the kind of crisis that rocked US financial markets in 2008 and ushered in a deep recession. Also, lawmakers of both parties are pledging to end taxpayer bailouts of big banks that fail.

But when it comes to the specific language of, say, Section 1012, plenty of disagreement remains. (That section spells out powers of a proposed new agency for consumer protection in the arena of financial products.) The floor debate could include a range of amendment proposals from Democrats as well as Republicans on what should be in or out of the mammoth bill.

The battles will reflect industry arm-twisting – based on the leverage of large campaign contributions to both parties – as well as differing political views. But public opinion polls suggest the public wants to see reforms pass.

"I don't want [lobbyists] writing the bill," President Obama said Wednesday in a warning to lawmakers, as a town-meeting crowd cheered in Quincy, Ill.  More here.