The Baucus Bill Will Pass out of Committee (The Dems Kobayashi Maru Test)

[berni_mccoy]

I know this because the media is already spinning why. They are spinning that the Democrats will look really bad if they don't. That's only partly true. Yes, absolutely the Dems are going to look bad, they already do, but there is a real reason why they will not be able to recover politically if this bill doesn't pass. The reality is, for procedural reasons and for the very fact that any chance at a Public Option will die if this bill does not pass out of committee.

It sucks, but that is the reality of the Senate. The Baucus bill is terrible, but it will not be the final bill. The final bill will have a public option, but only if the Baucus bill leaves the Finance Committee.

Tweety is on the Morning Meeting today, and it's obvious why. This is a big news day. But Joe Scaraborough is on as well and the analysts are saying that not passing the bill will look terrible for the Dems politically. They are saying the Dems are only saving face, and worse need Olympia Snow to help them save face.

The Dems are faced with a Kobayashi Maru scenario with two choices:

1. Kill the Baucus bill in committee and the entire process is effectively shut down... no HCR bill this year and since next year is an election, not likely at all. AHIP wins.
2. Pass the Baucus bill as is and trust that it will be heavily modified in Senate Conference, remembering that it must be merged with the House bill. Not the best option, but it's better than option 1.

I believe that Schumer and Rockefeller realize this and the bill will likely pass out of committee. So don't be surprised or fuming when it does. They (and we) don't have much of a choice in this. It is the only choice in which AHIP does not win.

[bluestateguy]

1. Should be cause for celebration

Why? Because this process will finally be out of Backus's hands!

[KharmaTrain]

2. Amen...Much Ado About Little

Seems people forget there are 4 other healthcare bills out there...including the HELP committee in the Senate...ALL with public options.

The Baucus bill was an outlier...a test to see what it would take to get the rushpublicans and the insurance companies to go along with true reform. They showed they had no interest and the Baucus bill, as we're seeing, satisfies no one. It's DOA and only small parts of it will be part of any final legislation.

So let it pass...many bad bills pass out of committee and then die on the Senate floor or in conference. Baucus' bill proved that there was no such thing as bipartisan and what type of bill could happen if you let the lobbyists write one...a total fail.

[thunder rising]

3. This thing has gone on longer than the primary ... when do we get a slam-dunk?

[HughMoran]

7. Yes, as soon as it's away from that right-wing troll Baucus we can start to move in

a positive direction. As much as I hate Baucus and his terrible bill, we need to get his shit out of committee where he loses control over it.

[Pab Sungenis]

10. Problem is, then it enters the control of

Harry Reid, who is as bad.

[derby378]

4. Kill the Baucus bill and take HELP off the backburner

Do it for Teddy. AHIP will soil themselves in disbelief.

[berni_mccoy]

5. HELP has no finance elements to it. The Full Senate will need to debate how HELP gets paid for

if the Baucus Bill doesn't pass. That is the rule of the Senate. And if you think the Finance Committee took too long, imagine how long it would take for the entire Senate. It simply won't happen if the Finance Committee blocks the bill.

[derby378]

6. Well, that's why our taxes pay the salaries of the Finance Committee

It's their job. And we can gently remind the anti-PO Dems in the Senate that a lot of them are up for re-election in 2010. If you thought the August teabaggers were a nuisance - well, yeah, they were, but we can be respectful but very vocal during all the campaign whistle-stops.

[berni_mccoy]

8. There is only one member of the Finance Committee up for reelection in 2010

Senators serve 6 year terms.

By the time most of these committee members elections roll around, this issue will be long gone, either because we have a public option, or because there won't be health care reform. Dems are fighting an uphill battle. If a PO is passed, Repubs aren't going to lose seats. If a Health Care Reform fails, many Dems will lose seats. But few will be on the Finance Committee.

[Pab Sungenis]

9. Better it die than we allow any chance of any of this bill becoming law.

Remember the Hippocratic Oath. First DO NO HARM. This bill DOES HARM and will make the situation WORSE here in America.

We can't allow any of the aspects of this bill to influence the final Senate bill. If we're to have any hope of EVER getting real reform we have to kill this bill TODAY.

[berni_mccoy]

11. Dibs on calling it.