Research Briefing

As House Dems Take Their Turn Trashing Senate Finance Chairman’s Bill, Baucus Caucus Is Shrinking To Just Max

 “He Showed Up As A Gang Of One.” (Mike Madden, “The Loneliness Of Max Baucus,” Salon, 9/16/09)

HOUSE DEMS TRASH BAUCUS’ PLAN

“The Fact Of The Matter Is That Democrats Hate The Baucus Plan. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Is Going To Demand That The Public Option Be Included.” (John Feehery, “The Trouble With The Baucus Plan,” The Hill’s “Pundits” Blog, 9/17/09)

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) Says Baucus Plan Will Be “Dead On Arrival” In House. “Weiner, an outspoken defender of the public option, said the Baucus bill would be ‘dead on arrival’ in the House - a far stronger claim than of his party’s leaders in that chamber. … ‘It has been said that the Senate is the cooling saucer of our democracy,’ Weiner said. ‘At this point, it is more akin to the meat locker...The Senate proposal will not pass muster in the House.’” (Patrick O’Connor, “The Search For The Unicorn,” Politico’s “Live Pulse” Blog, 9/16/09)

• Weiner: “We All Heard Of The Long Good-Bye, The Baucus Plan Was The Long Hello, Followed By A Very Quick Good-Bye. Now We’re Getting Back To Focusing On The Big Issues Many Of Us Care About.” (Rep. Anthony Weiner, MSNBC’s “Morning Meeting,” 9/17/09)

“In Other Words, The Only Thing [Rep. Steny] Hoyer’s [D-MD] Praising About The Bill Is Its Existence.” (Eric Zimmermann, “What’s Missing From This Press Release?” The Hill’s “Briefing Room” Blog, 9/16/09)

Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) Says Baucus Plan Will Reduce Coverage For Poor And Working People. “Representative Charles B. Rangel of New York, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, said Mr. Baucus, by paring the cost of the bill, had also cut the subsidies that would help people buy insurance. ‘This is reducing coverage for poor and working people,’ Mr. Rangel said, adding that such cuts ‘could destroy the bill.’” (Robert Pear and David Herszenhorn, “Senate Health Bill Draws Fire On Both Sides,” The New York Times, 9/15/09)
 
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) Concerned Insurance Companies Will Pass Tax On Benefits To Consumers. “On ABCNews.com’s ‘Top Line’ today, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Democrats’ chief deputy whip, said she has a number of concerns about Baucus’ proposal -- including whether it would lead employers to drop their health plans, and on how it would impact Americans’ taxes. ‘They tax the sort of wealthiest benefit packages, and you’ve got some health insurance, you know -- quite a bit of health insurance policies in America that during the next couple of years will top the $16,000 and $21,000 mark that exists in their bill that triggers taxation,’ said Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla. ‘Those will be passed on to the policy holders and cause their insurance to go up.’” (Rick Klein, “Leading House Dem: Baucus Bill Means Tax Hike,” ABC News’ “The Note” Blog, 9/16/09)

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA): “No Healthcare Reform Out Of This Caucus Without A Public Option.” “Democrats in the House of Representatives pushed for a government-run ‘public’ healthcare option during a meeting with White House senior adviser David Axelrod… ‘The caucus was saying there will be no healthcare reform out of this caucus without a public option,’ Democrat Lynn Woolsey told reporters.” (John Whitesides and Donna Smith, “Democrats Push For ‘Public’ Healthcare Option,” The National Post, 9/15/09)

DEAN AND LABOR UNIONS PILE ON BAUCUS’ BILL TOO

Howard Dean Says Baucus Plan “Worst Piece Of Health Care Legislation He’s Seen In 30 Years.” “Blasting the (public option-less) Baucus bill as ‘the worst piece of health care legislation I’ve seen in 30 years,’ Dean pronounced that ‘if there isn’t a public option, then there is no real reform. We’re completely wasting our money if we put $900 billion into the health insurance industry.’” (Suzy Khimm, “What Howard Dean Would Do If He Were Harry Reid,” The New Republic’s “The Treatment” Blog, 9/17/09)

• Dean: “What We’re Going To Pass Is A Bill That Includes A Public Option – The Democrats Just Don’t Know It Yet!” (Suzy Khimm, “What Howard Dean Would Do If He Were Harry Reid,” The New Republic’s “The Treatment” Blog, 9/17/09)

AFL-CIO Says Baucus Plan “Absolutely Fails” And Is Counting On Dems To Fix It. “‘Despite months of painful negotiations, the Senate Finance Committee proposal released today absolutely fails to meet the most basic health care needs of working families and it fails to meet the expectations we have set for our nation,’ outgoing AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said in a blistering statement. … ‘We are counting on finance committee Democrats to fix the bill and side with working families, not insurance companies,’ Sweeney said.” (Michael O’Brien, “AFL-CIO: Baucus Bill ‘Absolutely Fails,’” The Hill’s “Briefing Room” Blog, 9/16/09)

SEIU Says Baucus Bill Has “ Serious Flaws The Committee Must Address …” (SEIU, “Senate Finance Committee Must Take Up the Challenge to Guarantee Every American Affordable Healthcare,” Press Release, 9/16/09)

Teamsters Union Disappointed With Baucus’ Tax On Middle Class, Pledges To Fight Against It. “‘We’re pleased that Sen. Baucus stopped short of taxing American workers directly, but we fear that ultimately they will pay the price in higher-cost insurance,’ Hoffa said. ‘Middle-class wage earners cannot afford to pay more for health insurance than they already do. We much prefer the House plan, which would pay for expanded coverage by imposing a surcharge on those who can afford it - the wealthiest Americans.’ ‘We will fight to convince the conference committee to drop this excise tax,’ he said.” (Teamsters, “Teamsters Oppose Baucus Plan To Tax Health Insurance Companies,” Press Release, 9/16/09)