Snowe, Nelson, McCaskill, and Lieberman "Commend" Baucus for Health Care Bill

[Are_grits_groceries]

It's not ironclad, but it's the first strong sign that Sen. Max Baucus' health care reform bill might win the support of Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) when all's said and done.

She, along with Sens. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) have released a joint statement 'commending' Baucus' efforts and saying, basically, if consensus is to be found, it will be here.

"We commend Chairman Baucus for his efforts to forge a health care reform proposal that has the potential to gain broad bipartisan support," the statement reads. "While we each have outstanding concerns we wish to see addressed, Senator Baucus has taken an important and critical step forward with this legislation, which is budget neutral and reduces future health care costs according to CBO."

This isn't the same thing as a wholesale endorsement of the bill, but it's a step in that direction from Snowe, who just yesterday was emphasizing her concerns. You can read the entire statement below the fold.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/snowe-nelson-mccaskill-and-lieberman-commend-baucus-for-health-care-bill.php?ref=fpa

Talk about a fix being in.

[DesertFlower]

1. i'm surprised at McCaskill.

wasn't she an early supporter of obama?

[Are_grits_groceries]

2. She has really surprised me lately too.

I'm not sure at all about her anymore.

[Robbins]

3. Mccaskill

She will vote for Obama's final Health Care bill just as Snowe will vote against It.

[bkkyosemite]

7. I called her office and told her the majority voted for healthcare and change and she should become

a repulbican if she is so concerned about her conservative constituents.

[atreides1]

4. What a load of crap

That's why Baucus was in front of the press by himself yesterday, because his pals thought it was a great idea.

[booley]

5. I am thinking I will not vote for McCaskill

I had such high hopes for her and she only continues ot disapoint.

IF I had wanted a Republican corporate shill, I would have voted for one.

[S_E_Fudd]

6. Better to scrap the whole thing...

Than to solidify the insurance companies grip on our health care system even further!

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. +1 nt

[grantcart]

8. Bottom line not a single Republican vote

Grassley has said that even if he agreed with every word of the bill he would vote against it.


It will be interesting to see if the bill even makes it out of committee.


Snowe did not endorse it - this is just trying to gain favor the next time Snowe needs a vote for something.


Baucus bill is still dead.

[wtbymark]

9. Olympia Snowe

$756,140 - Health industry
$1,680,967 - Finance, Insurance, Real Estate
$558,848 - Lawyers and Lobbyists

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/industries.php?cycle=Career&cid=N00000480

[BlueDemKev]

10. Good Stalling Tactic....

Well, it's nice that these 3 key senators have "commended" Max Baucus for his efforts in trying to write a sensible, deficit-neutral health care bill that will get coverage for everyone while preserving the market-based health care system, but it would be better if they'd declare their support for it.

I have no doubt Snowe's office was flooded with calls yesterday and she's just trying to turn down the heat from health reform supporters until she gets the funding for whatever pork-barrel project some influential people in Maine want.

Truth is, we cannot rely on any Republican support. The party is against any kind of health care reform and they prefer the status quo.

Unfortunately however, that doesn't free up the liberals from passing a bill more to their liking, as the conservative Blue Dog Democrats still need to be won over. The Blue Dog coalition has made it very clear they will never support a public option (prefer co-ops instead) and won't vote for anything that could add one penny to the national debt.

Breaking down the vote numbers:

House: 256 Dems (Need 218 votes to pass bill, can only lose 38 votes. Blue Dogs have 52 members in the House).

Senate: 59 Dems (Need 51 to pass if using reconciliation), and at last count there's only 45 Democrats who support the public option. If the Senate does not use the nuclear option, they'll need unanimous support from all 59 Senate Democrats plus Senator Snowe to get to 60.



The writing is clearly on the wall. Whatever bill is ultimately approved by Congress will have to resemble Baucus' bill. A public option bill does not have majority support in either house (i.e.--51 in the Senate, 218 in the House).

[kenfrequed]

11. The Blue dogs...

Yeah they would be against adding a penny to the debt unless it is to fund an illegitmate war of choice based on lies and decetiption against an enemy that is not a threat.

Or if it is a massive tax cut that only really helps the richest 5% of the population.

Seriously these dogs have got to get in line or it should be primary challenges all the way.

[BlueDemKev]

12. *Wry Smile*

Well, that's a question I'd love to ask Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark), the Blue Dogs' chairman (spending on the Iraq war).

Nevertheless. trying to get rid of the blue dogs thru primary challenges is futile. Most of these center-right Democrats are from rural districts in southern and western states where pretty much everybody knows each other. Their families probably have lived there for several generations and thus their connections are very deep. And, even if a progressive Democrat did defeat an incumbent Blue Dog in the primary, he/she would lose to a Republican extremist in the general election as these areas equate liberalism with communism.

Blue Dogs are a big headache to deal with, but we have to realize they are a part of the Democratic Party without whom we'd be a minority party (we can't restrict ourselves only to urban areas). We have to work with them. Not all of them are totally unreasonable and many genuninely believe that, in the long run, our party is better for America.

Stay positive, and keep an open mind. We will get a good health care reform bill passed which we will be able to look back at and be proud of.

[kenfrequed]

15. Not factually accurate.

It is a myth that these blue dogs are from red districts. More than half of them are actually from Democrat safe districts or competative districts.

Primary challenges don't always remove a candidate but it can send a signal to a candidate that they should be thinking more about his base.

For the record conservatives rarely ever vote for a democrat, attempting to appeal to them is futile. The blue dogs that are voting off are usually not trying to appeal to a contingent of voters within their district they usually are attempting to placate a lobby that has flooded them with campaign contributions.

Baucus for instance has recieved 95% of his campaign contributions from out of state sources.

[BlueDemKev]

16. I don't believe that's true....

I believe most of the Blue Dogs are from conservative-leaning districts. Of course, living in the South as I do, I tend to focus mainly on the southern blue dogs. I know for a fact that Democrats like Heath Shuler (NC), Jim Marshall (GA), Allen Boyd (FL), Jim Cooper (TN), Charlie Melancon (LA) and Mike Ross (AR) are from very conservative rural districts, home to many pick-up trucks with is "God, Guns, & Guts Made America" bumper stickers. :)

I'll have to do some homework to see where the other 50-some Blue Dogs are from, but I don't believe that many of them are from liberal-leaning or urban districts.

[Gabi Hayes]

14. gaaaaa