Research

This morning on CNN’s “State Of The Union,” retiring Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) outlined what he would have liked to see in the health reform process. Baird said we should “start with what we can agree on” and work to build a less complex, bipartisan bill.

I would have approached it perhaps differently. I would like to see us start with what we can agree on. I think most Americans agree you should not discriminate against preexisting conditions. I think it makes a lot of sense to be able to buy policies across state lines so you have competition you can carry your policy with you if you move or lose your job…

The complexity, I think, worries a lot people, and when you read these bills they are very long and complicated … That worries a lot of people and frankly worries me …

I opposed the House procedure. When the bill came up before the house, I felt we should have allowed the Republicans to offer amendments. We did not. I think that was a mistake. That’s part of why I voted no on the rule.

Baird’s comments this morning reminded us of someone else who made similar comments recently. In fact, this is exactly the same message House GOP Leader John Boehner communicated to President Obama and Democrat leadership at the health care summit nearly two weeks ago:

Mr. President, what we have been saying for a long time is let’s scrap the bill. Let's start with a clean sheet of paper on those things that we can agree on. Let’s take a step-by-step approach that will bring down the cost of health insurance in America. If we bring down the cost of health insurance we can expand access ... I have been patient. I have listened to the debate that’s gone on here, but why can’t we agree on those insurance reforms that we have talked about? Why can’t we come to agreement on purchasing across state lines? Why can’t we do something about the biggest cost driver which is medical malpractice and the defensive medicine that doctors practice? Let’s start with a clean sheet of paper, and get it into law in the next several months.

Republicans want to start over because we’re doing what the American people want us to do, because only 1 in four Americans think we should pass the existing bill. The remaining three-quarters want us to start over or stop outright.