Perspectives On BaucusCare And Political Bargaining

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Other Politics
Posted on Tue Sep 15, 2009 at 12:56:30 PM EST
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Matt Yglesias:

I’ve got a Daily Beast column noting that saving the public option wouldn’t resolve the biggest problem with Max Baucus’ health care plan—it just doesn’t offer enough financial help.

The problem with this analysis is not understanding the connection between the weak political bargaining on the pubic option urged by Yglesias and the weak political bargaining sure to follow on health care subsidies.

In other words, Yglesias demonstrates his sociopathic indifference on health care reform when he insists on better subsidies for health care. Why let the "better" be the enemy of the "not as better?" We can play this game right down to the end when all health care reform ends up being is mandates. How a smart person could not see this is beyond me.

Speaking for me only

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Perspectives On BaucusCare And Political Bargaining | 11 comments (11 topical)

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HuffPo is reporting that the Obama speech (5.00 / 3) (#2)
by inclusiveheart on Tue Sep 15, 2009 at 01:14:19 PM EST

is making getting reforms passed harder. The $900 million cap is cited as problematic. Rangel says that the subsidies will have to be greatly reduced.

I understand factoring political realities when making policy decisions, but this White House seems not to care a whit about what the realities are with respect to the challenges they face. Why they didn't go for single payer - even as a bare minimum coverage program open to all - is well beyond me given their obsession with the politics of cost.

I do not see this "pragmatism" that everyone says emanates from this White House. I see rather weak political bargaining, but little actual pragmatism.

: His speech is like (5.00 / 4) (#4)
by Left of the Left on Tue Sep 15, 2009 at 01:17:43 PM EST

this jobless recovery. Technically his numbers are better, but everyone else keeps sinking.

: At this (none / 0) (#6)
by Ga6thDem on Tue Sep 15, 2009 at 01:28:09 PM EST

point I dont think there's anything worth salvaging and it might as well get killed off. Like BTD above says, it looks like it's going to be little more than mandates.

Pelosi vowed not to pass (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by magster on Tue Sep 15, 2009 at 01:36:19 PM EST

Private Insurance Profit Perpetuation Act.

That's kind of encouraging after her seeming cave-in language last week. Maybe the progressives are holding together against Baucuscare?

Good for the Speaker (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by andgarden on Tue Sep 15, 2009 at 01:40:05 PM EST

Here's where I think we're going: we'll get a Co-op in name only that's really a public option.


: Don't think so (none / 0) (#9)
by MO Blue on Tue Sep 15, 2009 at 02:28:33 PM EST

Here is what President Snowe is demanding now:

The third Republican in the group, Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, is pushing another idea to make insurance readily available. She urged her colleagues to "allow private insurance companies to offer national plans, with uniform benefit packages that are offered across state lines." link

Gah (none / 0) (#1)
by lilburro on Tue Sep 15, 2009 at 01:13:08 PM EST

this attitude is also embodied by the support Yglesias and Ezra Klein have been willing to give to virtually anything Obama would sign - "no matter what happens, this bill is going to help millions of people!"

And Matt, how did we go from here to your new column anyway?

At this point, my only hope for healthcare lies with my belief that President Obama is smart enough not to follow a Senator from Montana who no-one has heard of into a huge deathtrap for the Democratic Party.

: The details that he put forward in his (5.00 / 3) (#3)
by inclusiveheart on Tue Sep 15, 2009 at 01:16:47 PM EST

speech seemed to indicate to me that he was going to follow the Senator from Montana's lead. Most of his outline was straight from the Senate Finance Committee's proposal - not the House proposal.

: The purple west is Obama's happy place (5.00 / 2) (#5)
by ruffian on Tue Sep 15, 2009 at 01:18:55 PM EST

He'll follow them anywhere, especially if they will replace the 'left of the left' in the deep blue states for him. He's a lot more comfortable in the purple.

It helps when you click links (none / 0) (#11)
by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Sep 15, 2009 at 03:11:28 PM EST

Try reading the post again AND clicking the links.

Some constructive criticism for you. Hope you take it the right way.

: If that's your goal: (none / 0) (#12)
by oculus on Tue Sep 15, 2009 at 03:27:10 PM EST

And that's how you'd become one of the go-to guys in this online debate, . . .