It's not Max's deal anymore. Chuck Grassley took it over months ago by being implacably opposed to any kind of comprehensive, real reform, but by holding out the possibility that there was some magic bullet out there that would bring him over. Enough months of playing that game, and enough support from Obama to keep that process going, and Grassley took over.
That much is absolutely clear today as Grassley takes it upon himself to declare there won't be a deal in September.
Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa indicated Thursday he was no longer sure whether negotiators can reach a bipartisan deal in September, citing mounting public concern about excessive government spending and soaring federal deficits.
Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee which is attempting to draft a bipartisan health care measure, said in a telephone interview from Iowa with Kaiser Health News, that he was struck by the intensity of Iowans’ criticism of the health care proposals and "fear" of excessive federal spending during several weeks of town hall meetings throughout his state.
Asked whether he thought the six Democratic and Republican negotiators on the committee would be able to cut a deal when Congress returns from its summer recess next month, Grassley replied: "If you asked me that on Aug. 6, I would have said yes, I think so, September. But you’re asking me on Aug. 27 and you’ve got the impact of democracy in America. Everybody’s showing up at town meetings."
See how that worked? Delay, delay, delay to make August be the defining moment, knowing that the entirety of the right--underwritten by the insurance industry--would take over August, sending out their screamers and deather and birthers and rightwing performance artists to monopolize the airwaves and intimidate reformers. Then come back at the end of August and disingenuously claim that that "spontaneous" uprising of Americans at townhalls changed the debate.
It was smart gamesmanship on the part of Grassley, and he won this round. But he still doesn't have a majority, he doesn't have the White House, he doesn't have leadership, and he can't win in the House. In view of all that, the White House, Senate leadership, and Max Baucus have to change the game. If that means going it alone, so be it. But the threat has to be credible. To that end, it would be very helpful for Senate progressives to take a page from the House Progressive Block, and declare that it's the bill Ted Kennedy wanted, it's a strong public option, or nothing. That's the negotiating position to start anew from.