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Baucus: Dems May Have To Go It Alone On Health Care Reform
Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus might have gotten an earful from President Obama yesterday at a White House health care meeting. Why? Because now he's publicly acknowledging that bipartisan negotiations could collapse forcing Democrats to advance a bill on a party-line basis.
"If Republicans aren't there, it could get to the point where sometime after the recess... Democrats may have to go in a different direction," Baucus said. "I hope not, but we have to face facts."
Baucus has been one of the chief boosters of the idea of passing a consensus bill. That commitment has vexed liberals, but that's part of what makes his statement today significant.
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Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Gee Max do ya think?
Buffalo chips for brains
August 7, 2009 6:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Still, it has to get by the filibuster.
August 7, 2009 6:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Or go through reconciliation.
August 7, 2009 11:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Somehow I think a plan will be hammered out before it comes to that. But then again, I thought Senator Franken would be sworn in on-time and the legal shenanigans would be over quickly. I shouldn't overestimate progress, but I often do.
August 8, 2009 2:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Who are actually the Senate Democrats who are seriously thinking about scuttling the entire health reform endeavor?
I mean, I know Baucus gets a lot of shit, and he by and large brings it upon himself and deserves it. But if these negotiations fall through, I don't see him being the deciding vote that filibusters health reform. Nor do I see Pryor, Landrieu, or Lincoln voting to filibuster it.
So, if we do have to go it alone, who's the problem? Nelson? Joe "he's hawkish on foreign policy but a perfect Democrat in every other way, you crazy lefty whacko" Liberman?
August 7, 2009 7:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I really don't think any Democrat will have the cajones to join in a Republican filibuster, especially when Ted Kennedy gets off his sick bed to vote.
Lincoln, Pryor, Nelson might not vote for the final bill but they know that if they filibuster the vote, they can't count on the unions spending a dime to help them ever again.
August 7, 2009 8:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Even worse, the union folks won't be walking the neighborhoods and manning the phone banks. And, believe me, these folks have political organization down to a science.
August 7, 2009 10:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, Baucus, newsflash:
NO GODDAMN REPUBLICANS WILL VOTE FOR THIS!!!!!
You might want to print this out and paste it on your office wall.
Next time you start to use the 'b' word, just refer to the note.
August 7, 2009 7:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
This gets rid of your excuses about not having a public option.
Sicne no GOP will actually vote for any HCR, no excuse for watering down.
August 7, 2009 7:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
"You might want to print this out and paste it on your office wall."
Heeeheee!!! Good one, my amphibian comrade! Cosign on Max's need for visual reminders. Maybe stick a post-it note on there too: "Grassley and Enzi - not really my friends!"
August 7, 2009 8:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sheesh. Once upon a time, cats ruled this place. Now it's fillin' up with amphibians.
August 7, 2009 9:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Seriously. Little green effers.
August 8, 2009 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Throwing off the yoke of feline oppression, tadpole by tadpole!
August 8, 2009 12:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sometimes you think they are your friends, but you would be wrong. Nice to have the little reminder.
August 7, 2009 10:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I *thought* there was a good chance BigO's meeting with the Gang of Six might have some positive effect. He can be very good at cutting through the bullshit and bamboozlement when he wants to be.
August 7, 2009 11:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ahem - if Republicans aren't going to vote for it anyway, couldn't we please pull their amendments out? We shouldn't bribe them if they won't stay bought.
August 7, 2009 11:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
So obvious -- and so important. When the next bill comes down the road, maybe republicans will realize they don't get their amendments in if they all vote no. What concessions did they EVER give to Democrats when they had the majority? And what did Dems do? Voted for Republican wars and tax cuts anyway!
Dems need to learn simple lessons, and your idea is just one place to start.
August 8, 2009 8:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Cosign. Any amendments that we don't care for, out please. We can even leave some white bread stuff in there in order to crow how we still had a bipartisan bill even though they sent the mad rabble to savage basic rule of law all over the country.
August 8, 2009 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think it is Baucus himself who is going it alone on healthcare.
August 8, 2009 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
I saw this at the end our President's schedule yesterday,
5:00 PM
The President meets with Senator Chuck Schumer
The President knew it was gonna be a real pitcher's battle in the evening between Yankees and Redsox, and that could have been the basis. Might have been something else, though.
August 8, 2009 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink