The Senate Finance Committee will vote this coming Tuesday on their version of a health care overhaul bill. The Baucus bill, named for the committee’s chair and primary author, was estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to cost $829 billion, but would help reduce the federal deficit. Unfortunately, the plan still fails to cover about 25 million Americans and lacks a “public option” that many Democrats have been pushing for. However, this more centrist piece of legislation may be the Democrats best shot of finally passing some sort of reform on an issue that has been controversial between and within the parties. Disagree? Let me know in the comments below.
Link to the article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33225290/ns/politics-health_care_reform/
I don’t understand why the process of reconciliation is suddenly off the table again. This country elected democrats for a reason; now it is the responsibility of those elected officials to produce meaningful results. While the Baucus bill is a step in the right direction, I do not think it’s acceptable to leave 25 million people without sufficient health care coverage. Congressional democrats have a responsibility to the majority of the country that elected them. We are in a unique time, with significant majorities in both chambers of Congress. If we do not get it right this time, it will be decades before this opportunity presents itself again.
I definitely hear what you’re saying. Unfortunately, with the way the Senate is set up I am having trouble seeing how the public option gets 60 votes. We should certainly continue to do our part in pushing its benefits here in WI, but I don’t think we have done enough to sell it to the American people. That is why we have Democrats who still won’t get on board – their constituents are totally opposed. I would rather have something get done than have the whole bill die in the Senate. If they manage to still get it in somehow I would be thrilled.