Democrats Tire of Baucus Talks

[SpartanDem]

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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, 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, which also includes Democratic Sens. Kent Conrad (N.D.) and Jeff Bingaman (N.M.), Finance ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe (Maine) and Mike Enzi (Wyo.).

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.


http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_12/news/37137-1.html?type=printer_friendly

[havocmom]

1. One would hope the DEMS see a need of changing committee chairman for that one.

Baucus needs to be shunned. And I say that as a MT Dem. He isn't quite as bad as Burns was, but he is not doing much for anybody but Baucus and we know it.

[cutlassmama]

5. A reporter on TV said big insurance companies have Baucus in their back pockets.

[lumberjack_jeff]

2. Get a clue Baucus.

Stop playing Charlie Brown. If you make a deal with those assholes, they'll vote against you anyway. They're just pretending to negotiate in good faith simply to stall for time.

[HughMoran]

3. Kick that idiot off the committee

We'd be better off kicking him out of the party at this point as he's ruining the Democratic party's chances gong forward.

[Jennicut]

4. He is slowing this down to appeal to the Rethugs. Dumb move.

Forget the Rethugs except Snowe and Collins, the rest are a lost cause and changing the bill for them will not make it better, only worse.