Baucus Day

Well Max Baucus finally released his health care bill today, with it's official Chairman's Mark and everything. You remember the bill, don't you? It's the one that was crafted to specifically get Republican support and is notable for the fact that it got no Republican support and seems to have alienated several Democrats on Baucus' Financial Committee. It's the one that took several months to hammer out a bill that was remarkably similar to the compromise legislation Baucus originally introduced. The one with insufficient provisions. The one without a public option.

And how have people responded to this bill? Wendall Porter, a former health industry employee at Cigna and insurance whistleblower, decided in his Congressional testimony to dub the bill “an absolute gift to the industry”, that the co-ops the bill uses will be unable to effectively compete to reduce costs, and took time to rename the bill "The Insurance Industry Profit Protection And Enhancement Act”. That got Nancy Pelsoi to disagree, she wants to dub the bill the "Private Insurance Profit Perpetuation Act" and they both had a slapfight about who's renaming gave the biggest BURN~!/FACE~! to the insurance industry. Matt Taibbi might actually shit a ball of pure hate over what's going on. Everyone's in love with Max Baucus.

So there we are, our long national nightmare is over and our new long national nightmare begins: watching this thing get passed. And perhaps we shouldn't worry too much as Bacus' bill will have to be reconciled with other committee's bills, and then go through an amendment process, then actually be voted on, and then go through a House/Senate conference committees. So what we're seeing here won't likely be the final bill. I mean after all, everything that goes to the full Senate to be worked over always comes out better and smarter and more effective, right? *shudder* Yeah....this is the best bill we're going to see. Get ready to bite into the shit sandwich and tell everyone how great it is.