Health Care Reform Bill Passes Senate Finance Committee

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

First, let me explain that I am opposed to the "Baucus Caucus" health care reform bill that Sen. "Mad Max" Baucus (D-MT) has dithered and delayed putting together with Republicans in his Senate Finance Committee. It contains many provisions that are simply DOA when the Senate conference committee begins work on blending his bill with the Senate HELP Committee bill. It's provisions are also DOA when the Senate and House sit down together to craft a conformed bill.

The Senate Finance Committee health care reform bill is simply a procedural hurdle to be overcome to get to the conference committee. Today's vote is the only vote to occur on the "Baucus Caucus" health care reform bill. That being said, health care reform has now passed all five congressional committees having jurisdiction over the subject matter. This is further than any health care reform has advanced in Congress since the enactment of Medicare in 1965.

The "Baucus Caucus" health care reform bill was approved on a committee vote of 14-9, with Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) joining the Finance Committee's 13 Democrats. Senate Panel Clears Health Bill With One G.O.P. Vote

Ms. Snowe was a main author of the bill but she had never committed to voting for it.

But shortly after 1 p.m., she announced that she was on board, in a speech that silenced the packed committee room and riveted colleagues on both sides of the dais.

“Is this bill all that I would want?” Ms. Snowe asked. “Far from it. Is it all that it can be? No. But when history calls, history calls. And I happen to think that the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress to take every opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to solve the monumental issues of our time.”

In her speech, she said she still shared many of her Republican colleagues’ reservations about the legislation, and she pointedly warned Democrats that they could easily lose her support at any of the many legislative steps that still lie ahead.

“My vote today is my vote today,” she said. “It doesn’t forecast what my vote will be tomorrow.”

Yes, "Queen Olympia," I have seen your "mythical moderate" from Maine game many times before, and I am well aware that I cannot count on your vote on the final bill. You have done as much damage as you can do for your Republican allies.

It is time for Democrats to focus on crafting robust health care reforms that Democrats can pass on their votes alone, and put an end to this quixotic quest for bipartisanship from a political party that has committed itself to oppose and to obstruct whatever Democrats do. Republicans do not want reforms to succeed, they want Democrats to fail. So much for the "loyal opposition."