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Baucus: I'll Move Forward on Health Care Without Republicans if Necessary
Brian Beutler | September 9, 2009, 1:05PM
Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT)
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Senate Finance Committee chariman Max Baucus (D-MT) told reporters today that he's moving forward on his health care proposal with or without Republicans. He said that the trigger concept hasn't really been discussed in his panel's negotiation, and that he's increasingly of the belief that a public option can not pass the Senate.
"I will move forward anyway," Baucus said. "We have to move forward. I told Chuck Grassley that."
Grassley is the Finance Committee's ranking member, and the Republican leader on health care negotiations in the committee's so-called "Gang of Six"
Baucus said the proposal he unveils next week will be similar to the draft he released yesterday, which mandates subsidized coverage and expands Medicaid, but only provides for the creation of private co-ops--not for a public option.
"It is similar to the proposal I issued on Sunday night. I think that is close to a measure that will pass both the committee and Senate," Baucus said.
"I know that my Republican colleagues very much want to be part of this," Baucus said.
Interestingly, Baucus noted that while triggers are on the lips of reporters and anonymous White House sources, it's not something that's been discussed much on the committee level.
"It is funny, I keep on reading about that trigger, but there have been no discussion about that," he said.
But whether it's triggers, or co-ops, he's not optimistic about the prospects for a genuine public option. "I think frankly, with increasing conviction, that a public option can not pass the Senate."
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Indie Pro
September 9, 2009 1:11 PM
Whatever it takes to make sure there is no competition for your masters in the Insurance Industry.
Whatever it takes to deliver tax money and customers to your masters in the Insurance Industry.
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Indie Pro
September 9, 2009 1:52 PM in reply to Indie Pro
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/john-conyers-wont-vote-bill-without-public
Conyers: Well, we should be doing single payer, but we've compromised on that and what we're doing now is that we're stepping back. But this cannot be called reform of health care if a public option isn't on it and so this is down to the crunch time...
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Docb
September 9, 2009 3:48 PM in reply to Indie Pro
Too little --too late--little man..you are history...The funds are already coming in and the opponents are lining up! No rewards for do nothings! Tell the other 5 the same is in store for them'!
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Obama1st
September 9, 2009 4:39 PM in reply to Indie Pro
When Max Baucus circulated his draft plan earlier this week, the PDF documentation page (image) indicates that the "author" was ex-Wellpoint VP Liz Fowler.
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oleeb
September 9, 2009 1:15 PM
Well that should make everyone feel better huh?
Who cares what Max "The Insurance Industry Whore" Baucus has to say? He is the one who held things up and allowed the industry to kill every feature of reform worth having. I pledge to give the legal limit to anyone who will oppose him in the next primary he faces.
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The Grand Panjandrum
September 9, 2009 1:24 PM
I had a Lab Retriever named Max when I was a kid. He was boisterous and pain in the neck sometimes, but once you got him on his leash he was quite obedient.
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creo13
September 9, 2009 2:00 PM in reply to The Grand Panjandrum
Sounds like what the insurance lobby says about that Senator named Max.
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agio
September 9, 2009 1:25 PM
Great plan, Max. No public option, no employer mandate. And, oh yeah: gut state level regulation of insurance companies while you're at it.
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BossDrop
September 9, 2009 1:44 PM in reply to agio
So its smart politics to get all or nothing?. If Obama can't get 60 votes for the public option, what then, Reconciliation?
Reconciliation will sink Obama. that's like waving the white flag of "its either my way or the highway". Politics is about Compromise. And sure you can say Bush had the repugs in step to pass their legislation, but healthcare is too large and important to look at it that way.
Obama is doing the right thing. The man wants to win in 2012. And I guarantee, he won't win if he goes the reconciliation route. The country will take it out on the Dems, especially the blue dogs in 2010, then Obama in 2012. None of this takes effect until 2013. So its not like the plan will work then the public will forget it was done through Reconciliation.
As I see it, Obama has no choice if he wants to keep the congress in the hands of Dems, and have a good shot to win in 2012. The man is not stupid.
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dcdanny
September 9, 2009 1:51 PM in reply to BossDrop
Just like using reconciliation for his 01 tax cuts doomed George Bush to a crushing defeat in 04. Oh, wait.
Reconciliation is about process, and voters don't care about process.
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agio
September 9, 2009 1:55 PM in reply to BossDrop
There is, I hope, still some distance between reconciliation and the piece of shit that Baucus is hawking.
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Indie Pro
September 9, 2009 2:02 PM in reply to BossDrop
I think the Democrats and Obama, so familiar with "walking back legislation" and incrementalism, just need to walk a little farther back, off of the mandates (if the pubic option fails), and go for Insurance Reform.
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oleeb
September 9, 2009 2:05 PM in reply to BossDrop
Politics is about compromise huh?
Did you happen to pay any attention at all during the Bush years? Did you happen to notice when the GOP controlled Congress they used reconciliation without a second thought? Did you notice they never compromised on anything but instead passed their agenda?
How naive can you be? Wake up and smell the coffee.
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agio
September 9, 2009 2:20 PM in reply to oleeb
Fair enough, but that is part (only part, mind you) of the reason why the GOP is now in the political crapper.
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Schmed
September 9, 2009 3:01 PM in reply to agio
1)The general public didn't know about the arcane process of reconciliation when the GOP got it's comeuppance. If people are now aware of reconciliation, it's because the GOP are masters at manipulating the MSM and getting them to ignore the GOP's hypocrisy.
2) If the GOP is in the crapper, then someone better call Rotorooter pdq because they're still floating around the bowl and about to spill out onto the floor again.
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BossDrop
September 9, 2009 3:12 PM in reply to Schmed
heheheh.
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FreeRider
September 9, 2009 3:13 PM in reply to agio
BS! The GOP was in the crapper because Bush was an idiot and the party proved it could not govern! Reconciliation had NOTHING to do with it. They used reconciliation in 2001 and gained seats in 2002. They used it in 2003 and gained seats and reelected a moron in 2004.
The GOP is in the crapper because of Iraq, Rumsfeld, Katrina, Foley, Cunningham and KATRINA!!
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Schmed
September 9, 2009 3:19 PM in reply to FreeRider
OMG! I agree!
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FreeRider
September 9, 2009 3:10 PM in reply to BossDrop
Oh, please! The general public doesn't have a clue about reconciliation or any other arcane process. Nobody gives a shit about that!
Bush rammed through the tax cuts through reconciliation and most people didn't know or care.
Try another scare tactic. That dog don't hunt.
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mans_best_friend
September 9, 2009 3:36 PM in reply to FreeRider
All discussion of filibusters and reconciliation is moot. They don't have 50 votes in the Senate. They appear to have about 47. It isn't going to pass unless they can swing a number of votes and that means compromise. People are going to have to get over this all-or-nothing nonsense, because nothing is not an option. It's no longer a matter of if they're going to have to compromise - it's a matter of what.
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Obama1st
September 9, 2009 4:01 PM in reply to mans_best_friend
Nothing is better than driving people to a health insurance mandate w/ fines! Let the blue dogs and GOP defend their position in 2010 while real democrats campaign on reform and stopping the the money and control of the lobbyists.
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FreeRider
September 9, 2009 4:06 PM in reply to Obama1st
Nothing is only better than NOTHING! Even if there are mandates, there will be subsidies.
People who already have insurance are saying "we don't want anything if we can't have everything." Well, fuck that!
Being able to get coverage if you've got a pre-exisiting condition, phasing out lifetime caps and ending rescission is better than what we have now.
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mans_best_friend
September 9, 2009 1:26 PM
Is it just me or does Baucus look like Claude Raines in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"?
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agio
September 9, 2009 1:39 PM in reply to mans_best_friend
More like Mr Raines as Capt. Louis "I go where the wind blows me" Renault in Casablanca.
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oleeb
September 9, 2009 2:07 PM in reply to mans_best_friend
He looks more like Letterman than anyone else if you ask me.
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CT Voter
September 9, 2009 2:09 PM in reply to mans_best_friend
Oh man. That's insulting to Claude.
I'm shocked, shocked, I tell you, to discover you think that way.
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CommunityOrganizer
September 9, 2009 1:37 PM
Max was instrumental in pushing the Bush tax cuts through back in 2001. I remember thinking what a bum he was back then, but I had no idea.
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glogrrl
September 9, 2009 1:47 PM
Well, Max, how do you feel about going forward without any DEMOCRATIC votes?
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LuxVeritas
September 9, 2009 1:48 PM
Wow, you are SO BRAVE Max Baucus! I'm impressed that you have the courage to move forward with a Republican bill with or without Republican support! Way to stick to your guns!
Oh, and congrats about stabbing real reform in the back in return for absolutely no GOP support. That was fantastic!
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twirling fartknocker
September 9, 2009 2:01 PM
So this ass from a state with less than one million people is going to tell the other 300-plus million of us how it's gonna be?!?
I seriously hope not
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ttarleton
September 9, 2009 2:01 PM
'Bout fucking time, Max! Now finish your piece, and get the hell out of the way!
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brendancalling
September 9, 2009 2:09 PM
Max baucus is a dick. And if the progressive caucus keeps backtracking, they're a bunch of pussies.
so i came up with some definitions: http://brendancalling.com/2009/09/08/definitions/
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haipothetical
September 9, 2009 2:14 PM
How about without Democratic support? Will Baucus move with or without that support? What a stupid thing to say.
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VictorLH
September 9, 2009 3:38 PM
Someone - Anyone please primary this creep.
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fkaZk0sm0
September 9, 2009 4:51 PM
NO MANDATES WITHOUT A PUBLIC OPTION.
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obamaman
September 9, 2009 5:05 PM
who cares what this filthy whore says or does? He's completely worthless, severely damaged progress on this issue due to his purposeful delaying tactics with his bullshit gang of six, and not even necessary to pass GOOD legislation.
LBJ wouldn't put up with this shit for two seconds, he wasn't gonna let fucking "bipartisanship"(give the minority whatever they want until we're left with nothing) get in the way of passing REAL civil rights and medicare laws.
Obama needs to demonstrate a real shift in his attitude, he's shown enough good will for another year and gotten absolutely nothing in return. Lay down the markers and tell anyone who doesn't like it to offer a reasonable alternative or go fuck yourselves, you're not needed.
Reconciliation or not, we can pass REAL REFORM with a majority of the people's elected representatives. End of story.
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xixi333333
September 9, 2009 5:49 PM
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