Sen Max Baucus is under growing fire with his own colleagues over his months long effort to secure a watery healthcare bill. His fellow senators-at least some-say he is destroying hope for reform because they cannot go home to their sattes without a sale to make on a real proposal.
Rollcall has details here of a Dem caucus distrusting of Baucus-and for good reason. His essential help to Bush in getting those tax cuts passed along with that great Pharma medicare bill still stings Dems in Congress.
Sources report he is basically out of time and that the WH knows this well. That these fin. cmte mtgs are all a show to placate the GOP. You will be thrilled to know the GOP is getting daily detailed briefs from Baucus. The dems-not much except-"oh tommorrow maybe a deal."
Another gripe is that Baucus is working mostly with rural Senators and is not talking enough to other members of the caucus. Read more below and at the link.
I will also say I feel very depressed on this issue of healthcare for all. I didnt think single payer would get pushed. But I suppose I miss even more the passionate voices out there. Kennedy, Clinton and Dean are sidelined. Dean isnt HHS. Kennedy is ill. Clinton is abroad often. Oh well...
Democrats Tire of Baucus Talks
July 23, 2009
By Emily Pierce and David M. Drucker
Roll Call Staff
Senate Democrats are increasingly frustrated by the secrecy and duration of Finance Chairman Max Baucus’ (D-Mont.) bipartisan talks on health care reform, with some saying it could undermine Democratic support for the bill.
Democrats both on and off the Finance Committee said the briefings they get about the six negotiators’ progress are too vague. Plus, they say, without a bill in hand, they cannot defend or sell the package to a wary media and public.
"At some point, [Baucus is] going to have to worry about getting Democratic votes," said one Democratic Senator, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "If they think that we’ll take whatever it is that comes out because we want to get something passed, they’re wrong." Another Democratic Senator said the updates Democrats are getting from Baucus contain few specifics on the policy changes being explored by his bipartisan group, ...
"The report that we get is the same one we get week after week after week: ‘We’re close. We’re close. We’re close,’" said the Democratic Senator. ... However, the level of consultation with Democrats stands in contrast with how Republican negotiators are briefing their Members. Senators said Enzi, who is the ranking member on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, briefs leaders every day on the talks.
http://www.rollcall.com/...