The Thing Most People Don't Understand About Max Baucus

[Vinnie From Indy]

Ol' Max doesn't give a shit about you or the folks in his home state. It's all about the Benjamins with him. There is absolutely NO DOUBT in my mind that Baucus has already been promised a cushy multi-million dollar job with some entity in the healthcare insurance business. I will wager that he will immediately go to work as a lobbyist for some healthcare group within days of leaving office. The fix is in!

[abumbyanyothername]

1. Might not be the best longterm career move.

Nothing's certain, but as the President said a while back "The arc of history is long but it bends toward justice."

[Cha]

3. Nice quote to be

reminded of ..thank you.

[havocmom]

6. Max is no spring chicken, likely he doesn't give on whit about long term

This term is his last money dance, and he knows it.

[fujiyama]

7. Unless health insurance companies go out of business

and/or we actually pass really strict lobbying rules (politicians cannot become lobbyists after leaving congress), he'll be fine. Either way, he has the contacts so he'll be hired by the industry. He's their boy.

I like the quote too, but I'm so cynical I'm not sure it reflects reality.

[eppur_se_muova]

9. Well, he was quoting MLKJ, but yeah. ;^) nt

[WCGreen]

2. You might have something there except ol'Max just got hisself re-elected

in 2008 so he doesn't have to worry bout gettin' re-elected until 2014.

Sonce Max is 68, I don't really think he'd be looking for another job anyway...

[Hippo_Tron]

4. It's a little more complicated than that, but I agree to a large extent

I think Tester's view is a little more in line with the people of Montana, he says he will support the bill with or without a public option and the most important thing is that they get a reform bill.

But in Baucus' defense he is trying to put together a bill (with White House encouragement most likely) that could attract bipartisan support and such a bill is inherently going to be favorable to big pharma and big insurance. No doubt he plans on taking a job with them after congress, though.

[rhett o rick]

11. You claim he is trying to put together a bill to attract bipartisan support.

That is impossible. the repukes will not support ANY THING from the Democrats. He has not gotten support of a single repuke. He is compromising with no one.

[madamesilverspurs]

13. The only thing that will attract

republican support is a bill that meets all of their demands while containing none of our requirements. They don't give a damn about the people of this country, it's time we stopped wasting our time pretending otherwise.

[populistdriven]

5. FUCK YOU MAX BAUCUS FUCK YOU

[aquart]

8. Yes, that's much closer to how I feel about the Baucus bill.

Only I might, perhaps, be much more specific.

[MrMickeysMom]

10. Cross post, just cause...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[alittlelark]

12. I posted the same sentiments months ago.

The writing is on the wall.


ALL Congresscritters should be required to retire (w/ a nice stipend) upon leaving office.

NO lobbying.
No Private Industry.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. They get that stipend

for house members if they work six years they start acruing a percentage of their pay and medical

For senators one term and that happens.

If Byrd leaves the Senate, he's served long enough he will get full pay for the rest of his life, however long or short it may be

[amborin]

15. the revolving door is sickening

[postulater]

16. Maybe Baucus did us a favor. (Think Darmok and Gilad at Tenagra)

He was our front man for giving the Republicans their in-road into the process. It can be claimed that he gave them every chance to get on board and to influence the bill and they refused.

And the bill he came up with is still crap, even after trying hard to allow them in. This is the best the Repubs can do when they and we try to be bipartisan.

So now, rather than have a bill with Republican support that would encourage the moderate Dems to rally toward, there is a bill that has no real attraction for the moderates since it won't allow them to claim their bipartisanship.

With some framing this could help the moderate Dems justify backing, at minimum, a single payor option by saying "well, we tried to be bipartisan and the Repubs didn't want it."

Anyhow, I can wish it was this way.

(Shaka when the walls fell.)