The Senate Finance Committee's mark-up has been quite an interesting show so far. Conservadems whom we were afraid would vote against good amendments for the bill have not been as awful as we predicted.
Follow my musings below the fold.
Baucus may be at the end of his rope with the Rethuglicans and bipartisanship after that dreadful "Gang of Six" where Conrad, Baucus, and Bingaman reached out a hand to the likes of Enzi and Grassley only to come back with a finger missing. Enzi and Grassley, despite the fact that they were supposedly working to make this a "bipartisan" bill sent out mailers, ran town halls, or spoke to radio hosts about the role they are playing in stopping "Obamacare." It was so blatant that even softball people like David Axelrod stated conclusively that it was obvious that Grassley and Enzi were not negotiating in good faith. The only person who was negotiating in somewhat good faith was Olympia Snowe. Senator Snowe may have been the one to promote the false compromise of a "trigger," but she did not turn to her constituents to defame the prospect of "Obamacare" as so many of her colleagues have been wont to do. This is why Senator Snowe is still in play, despite the fact that she has been as counterproductive as she has been helpful.
Senator Rockefeller, roughly a week ago, stated that Senator Snowe is one of the bravest senators he has ever known, even more so than a number of his Democratic colleagues ( cough Landrieu, Lieberman, Lincoln, etc. cough ). He added that the Republicans are really bringing the hammer down on her (although he declined to say how, I speculate that the RNC and the NRSC are threatening to pull her funding when re-election season comes around) and the fact that she is still working with them in good faith is encouraging.
It is becoming quite clear to me that it is possible that Senator Snowe could pull a Specter and defect when worst comes to worst and the conservatards of her party (e.g. the Club for Growth) primary her. She is growing disillusioned from the party that embraces Neocons and conspiracy theorists, and, like Linc Chafee before her, she doesn't identify with the Republicans anymore as they continue to move further right while she stays at the center. Watch her saying this here:
Senator Snowe, feel free to join us at any time. Unlike your party, we don't have gay-bashing militia men who carry AR-15's to Obama rallies.
Next up on my list of key people in the Finance Committee is Senator Baucus. Senator Baucus of Montana, a moderate Democrat, and corporate shill, is turning out not to be as awful as we feared once mark-up began. For instance, he voted against the Bunning Amendment to delay mark-up for 72 hours so that health care providers (and lobbyists) could analyze and know the amendments that will be voted on. My jaw-dropped when both Baucus AND Conrad voted "no" on that motion and I began to realize that maybe they were not so awful. Senator Baucus also got angry when he learned that Humana was using taxpayer dollars to send out anti-reform mailers to medicare beneficiaries and asked the HHS Secretary to institute a gag order against (in)Humana and their lies. Don't get me wrong, Senators Baucus and Conrad are still corporate shills, but not to the extent that the Republicans are.
Baucus also fought down the Kyl Amendment, which would allow medicare providers to fearmonger all they like. He even fought back against Kyl's filibustering of an amendment instead of letting him talk until the cows came home.
Next up is Senator Kerry, who has not done much at all so far during mark-up. He has not been an active member of the debate and comes off as something of a sidelines spectator. I'll leave judgment of Senator Kerry for when it comes time to vote for the amendments to add the public option to the Finance Committee's bill.
Then there is Senator Wyden, a pretty ambiguous character. For months, it was hard to tell whether he was for the public option like the one in the HELP bill or still on the fence because of his bill that he worked on with Senator Bob Bennett. Last week, he spoke out in favor of the public option and submitted an amendment that would let anyone buy into the public option despite what their employers provide. Although unions dislike this amendment because it does away with employer-based insurance, I am actually for it because it increases the individual's right to choose.
Last Thursday, however, Wyden pulled a WTF move by saying that he would vote for an amendment by Senator Cornyn that would strike subsidies for people who are 400% above the poverty line. For a moment, I was afraid that this amendment would be approved...until Senator Baucus spoke out against it. When the amendment came to a vote, it failed 10-13, with Senator Wyden voting with the Republicans and Senator Snowe voting with the Democrats. Long story short, I think the jury is still out on Senator Wyden's stance on reform.
Next up we have Senator Lincoln (CD-AR). Despite the fact that she said she would vote for a bill with the public option in it during the summer, she walked it back in September, stating that she can't vote for "government-run healthcare" (despite the fact that it is not government-run, just government-administered and regulated). In the Finance Committee's mark-up, she was the only Democrat to vote in favor of delaying mark-up by 72 hours, yet that was the only time she made a stand against her party during the process. In most other amendment votes, she has voted with the party or has passed on voting until she could see whether the amendment would pass or fail before changing her vote accordingly. From all of this, I can conclude that she is pretty wishy-washy and doesn't even know what she wants to come out of this, but that is just an opinion.
Next, we have Senator Carper, a fairly well-known corporate shill that likes the idea of triggers. He is against allowing medicare to negotiate with the drug companies and is a little too sympathetic with the drug companys' interests. However, he has voted against the 72 hour delay and Kyl's amendment to undo the gag order, but he voted against the Nelson/Rockefeller amendment. That amendment would have worked to close the medicare "donut hole" and would have benefited seniors quite well. Senator Nelson has stated that he plans to reintroduce the amendment on the Senate floor, where it stands a better chance of receiving the majority vote it needs to pass.
Finally, we have Senator Nelson to consider. Senator Nelson has frustrated Florida Democrats by showing no support for real reform and has merely flirted with the idea of supporting a public option, let alone single payer. Senator Nelson, however, has taken a baby step towards supporting the public option, but we must not lose sight of him, lest he walks it all back.
In conclusion, all it takes to pass one of the public option amendments is a vote of 12-11, so we can either afford to only lose 1 Democrat or acquire Snowe's vote and lose 2 Democrats. Progressive groups are working tirelessly to whip the vote and so should we. Contact your Senators and congresscritter in any form you like and let them know how much reform means to you.
I leave you now with Olbermann's famous special comment regarding who our Congress may be working for:
Part 1
Part 2
ACTION: DFA and PCCC are raising money through Actblue to air commercials targeting Senator Snowe in Maine and in D.C. HERE! Feel free to donate. Also, the FDL Action PAC has been raising money to air commercials targeting Representative Mike Ross and Senator Lincoln in Arkansas here, but they have surpassed their goal of $78,000. =D
Change Congress is working on a campaign to light a fire under the feet of Blue Dogs and Conservadems. You can join their fight HERE! I highly recommend it.
Remember to contact Congress!
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BONUS: A big morale booster: