Senate Chairman (Baucus) Says Health Care Bill Is Coming

[Frank Booth]

Source: NYTimes

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee told colleagues on Friday that he would soon present them with a detailed proposal for overhauling the nation’s health care system in an effort to force either an agreement or an acknowledgment that further bipartisan negotiations would be futile.

The chairman, Senator Max Baucus, Democrat of Montana, signaled his intentions in a telephone conference call with five other committee members who have been struggling for months to forge a bipartisan bill and break a partisan stalemate in Congress, an official familiar with the call said.

The official said Mr. Baucus had told the group that he would circulate a detailed proposal as early as Saturday. In doing so, he would be taking a big step toward forcing a final decision by the group as to whether it sees any realistic prospect of a deal.

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Two members of the group of six, Senator Jeff Bingaman, Democrat of New Mexico, and Senator Olympia J. Snowe, Republican of Maine, have been pushing for a more generous package of benefits, with a higher “actuarial value.” The other Republicans have been pushing for a package that would be more affordable to consumers.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/05/health/policy/05health.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&src=ig

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It took some digging, but I managed to scrounge up a copy of Baucus's proposal:

[yurbud]

1. any decent bill would include a hard kick in the nuts to Max Baucus and his ilk

[The Magistrate]

5. Hear Hear, Sir!

[aquart]

6. And here I was merely considering breaking his knees.

Tell me quick, is torture legal or illegal? Because I think his nuts could be fried in butter with a nice sauce.

Suddenly my mind postulates a new show for the Food Channel: Cook a Politician. Prizes to the one who makes it tasty.

[Critters2]

8. Mmmm...Rocky Mountain oysters fresh from Montana...

who could object to that?

[madokie]

17. I think Will Rogers had it right when he said something to the effect

that there ought to be a politician hanging from every tree between here and Washington. To cook a politician would take a lot of garlic and onions just to cover up the stale musty smell they'd give off.

[BunkerHill24]

9. Hallelujah!

[undeterred]

15. Senator Schering-Plough looks like he needs his face ironed.

[WCGreen]

2. Jeez, and I didn't even know it was horny....

Sorry, couldn't resist...

[Proud Liberal Dem]

3. LOL

I loved the illustration!!! :spray: :rofl:

[msongs]

4. will the corporate lobbyists who wrote it have their signatures at the bottom? hmm nt

[Joe Bacon]

7. And here comes Trigger...

[No Elephants]

10. I hope the bill dies, just as so many people who could not afford health care died.

RIP David.

[fascisthunter]

11. lol... great illustration

[ClearPresentDanger]

12. k&R funny

[MessiahRp]

13. Is he saying it to warn us like Paul Revere and the British?

After all whatever comes out of his committee will likely be a worse threat to Americans than British Soldiers were back then.

Rp

[Bette Noir]

14. Nice diagram.

[dgibby]

16. Senate Chairman (Baucus) Says Health Care Bill Is Coming.

That's what they've been saying about Jesus for the last 2,000 years,too. I'm still waiting.

[seafan]

18. That title should be: "Senate Chairman Baucus Says Health Care Bull Is Coming".

:mad: