Baucus Could Lose Chairmanship Over Stalled Health Care Negotiations

[stevedeshazer]

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/30/baucus-no-chair/

Four House and Senate committees have produced bills to reform health care, and a deal with conservative Blue Dogs in the House suggests that the final House committee involved in negotiations will release a bill shortly. Only Sen. Max Baucus’ (D-MT) Senate Finance Committee has been unable to reach a deal, with two key Republican Senators announcing today that they plan to delay progress even further until after the August recess. In light of the Finance Committee’s inability to move forward, several senators have decided to play hardball with the Committee’s chair:

In an apparent warning to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), some liberal Democrats have suggested a secret-ballot vote every two years on whether or not to strip committee chairmen of their gavels. <...>

“Every two years the caucus could have a secret ballot on whether a chairman should continue, yes or no,” said Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “If the ‘no’s win, out. <...>

Liberals are also upset by reports that Baucus and other members of the Finance panel have tossed aside the proposal to create a robust government-run insurance program.

Some senators suggest privately that Baucus might be more open to persuasion if his chairmanship is subject to regular votes.

more @ link

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Anyone Want To Put Money On This Happening? n/t

[asjr]

10. No way will I bet on it. All I have is

the shirt on my back and the panties on my butt--can't afford to lose those.

[ellie]

2. Sometimes you have

to threaten people to get them to do the right thing. Baucus should lose his chairmanship.

[Windy]

3. Threaten away.. calls and emails from constituents and other citizens doesn't seem to effect him.

his phone number has been busy every time I've called so I've been sending emails.

This tool only cares about the lobbists that are lining his pockets.

[vi5]

4. Hahahahaha...yeah, right....

That would require that the Senate Dems have 1)Leadership, 2)Spines.

We all know they have neither so they'll continue to cater to him and let him get away with this.

[tridim]

8. There are Senate Dems with spines, just not in leadership positions.

That's the problem.

The solution seems pretty obvious, demote the spineless.

[snappyturtle]

5. Could? SHOULD. nt

[SoCalDem]

6. D O... I T... N O W ! n/t

[The empressof all]

7. Frankly I hold little hope this will have any meaning for him

In addition, he probably won't be running for re-election...and he's got life time Insurance through his retirement.

[Graybeard]

9. Vote on it today dammit.

Get him the hell out of there.

[OHdem10]

11. It is a little late. Reid does not even know if he supports Public Option

and put Baucus in place for a purpose.

Firing Baucus changes nothing if we get a Republican Lite Bill.

[MarjorieG]

12. Reid will be told what to do, eventually.

[cascadiance]

13. Let's make this new rule apply to Senate Majority Leader too!

Then perhaps Reid might know soon whether he "supports the public option" or not...

[DCKit]

14. Don't forget about Nancy Disaster.

She may appear less wishy-washy than Reid, but she's been just as ineffective.

It's time to take the blue dogs and the other corporatists "off the table" along with all the other Republicans.

[cascadiance]

15. Oh I haven't forgotten Nancy Pelosi...

From my photoshop halls from last year...



(Note: No disrespect meant to the original actress of this photo who passed away recently...)