Rockefeller rips apart Baucus' bill

[ProSense]

Rockefeller Explains What’s Wrong With The Baucus Health Care Bill

Yesterday, during a conference call with reporters, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (R-WV) expressed his strong opposition to the Senate Finance Committee’s health care bill. “I have sat by Max Baucus for 25 years on the Finance Committee, probably his best friend on the Finance Committtee…but I cannot agree with him on this bill,” Rockefeller explained.

“The public option is one factor, Medicaid is a huge factor. The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has been relegated to the Exchange, and affordability. So according to my current understanding, and it changes a lot, of the Finance bill, there is no way in its present form that I would vote for it.”

Along with Professor Jacob Hacker, Rockefeller laid out his criticism’s of Baucus’ legislation:

- Replacing The Public Option With Co-Ops That Won’t Work: “There are only about 4 to 7 (Co-ops) that exist (nationwide). And I’m very skeptical… of starting up a system that doesn’t work.”

more

[Oregone]

1. Another HUGE problem no one wants to focus on: Mandates

All the goodies in these bills could be passed without the controversial mandates, which will still leave 17 million uninsured (according to the CBO)

[kenfrequed]

2. Er..

Why are we posting critiques of blue dogs from the fiscal right wing? Sorry no, Public option is a good thing. Rockefeller's critique is to provide cover for Baucus to justify dropping it.

His criticism is an even bigger waste of time than Baucus' bill and is an attempt to reorient Baucus as being some kind of real democrat. Baucus is a sham and this bill is a shame because it gave Rockefeller's party almost everything it wanted.

[Mass]

3. ? I must be missing something.

[kenfrequed]

7. Ok lets simplify

Baucus is against the public option and so is Rockefeller.

Baucus' bill has nothing resembling a public option in it.

Why is Rockefeller making a big deal about a bill that may as well have been dreamed up by the republicans and the insurance lobby?

is it:

A: Because in invisibile ink it has universal single payer healthcare in it somewhere


or


B: Because the republicans are trying to keep the story simple and position Baucus as the chief player in the debate for healthcare. After all they mostly agree with Baucus already.

[ProSense]

8. "Baucus is against the public option and so is Rockefeller." Again, WTF?

Rockefeller is one of the strongest supporters of a public option. You are obviously uninformed.

[kenfrequed]

10. *Sigh*

It would help if the article would have identified him as 'Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)'

"Yesterday, during a conference call with reporters, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (R-WV) expressed his strong opposition to the Senate Finance Committee’s health care bill."


Since I knew that there are NO republican backers for the public option I merely assumed he was against it for other purposes.



My mistake.

[ProSense]

11. Wow,

I didn't even notice that. Understood.

[kenfrequed]

13. I should have looked more closely

I got sloppy and jumped to conclusions.

[Inuca]

17. Good catch :-)

OTOH it would have been even more newsworthy if indeed it was R-WV . In any case, Rockefeller has been a real D on this, kudos to him, and I hope that together with the few other good Ds in that committee they will be able to turn this into something way more acceptable.

[Mass]

16. I did not notice the error in the OP.

[ProSense]

4. Er...

[Inuca]

5. What on earth are you talking about ?!?!?! n/t

[Festivito]

6. This makes it look like something's being done, then nothing will come of it.

It's theater. Hey look! Rockefeller's on our side. Good. Whew!

Then, it passes quickly quietly WITH CO-OPS we know are worthless.

Roc just wants to look good since the Fed is being hounded for transparency.

[kenfrequed]

9. Self-delete

deleted

[Festivito]

15. Whoops, I got caught by that also. Oh well. /nt

[grantcart]

12. "I agree we shouldn't be giving to that 'Rock' a feller's birthday party"

"Oh you meant Senator Jay Rockefeller, in that case,"

[PVnRT]

18. Can YOU smell what the Rock has cooking?

[masuki bance]

14. Amazing what one letter can do. nt