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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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564 Amendments Await Baucus Bill Next Week

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(Newser) – Well, this should zip right along: Members of both parties on the Senate Finance Committee have drafted no fewer than 564 amendments to be considered when the panel takes up chairman Max Baucus' health care bill next week, reports Bloomberg. Expect to hear the phrases "public option"—Democrat Jay Rockefeller is still pushing for it—and "Cadillac plans" a lot.

The latter refers to generous insurance plans—those valued at least $8,000 for individuals and $21,000 for families. Baucus wants to impose a 35% tax on them to bring in $215 billion. That idea isn't popular with labor unions, whose members tend to have such policies, and John Kerry wants to scale it back, notes the Wall Street Journal. Among the big objections on the GOP side: Chuck Grassley hopes to get rid of $13 billion in new fees on the insurance and medical industries.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus speaks to reporters Wednesday.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus speaks to reporters Wednesday.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., speaks with the press following a meeting on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, in Washington.
Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., speaks with the press following a meeting on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, in Washington.   (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
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SilenceDogood
Sep 19, 09 2:49 PM CDT
Business as usual, party line shenanigans. Baccus is a stooge for the Dems looking for an opening. Let me get my popcorn and lawn chair so I can watch the fun. The eye gouging, fighting, back stabbing and occasional true statesmanship will be fun to watch while America’s future hangs in the balance (along with Obama’s) Reply
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-1
IN RESPONSE:
JonmarkP
Sep 19, 09 7:54 PM CDT
Wow, what a patriot you are. A patriot-asshole.
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+4
Cat-Lover
Sep 19, 09 2:59 PM CDT
Since the Democrats have an overwhelming majority in both houses of congress, isn't there any way they can vote to throw out each Republican and refuse to seat any newly named appointees unless they comform to what the majority of Americans want rather what the right-wing talking head loonies tell them? Reply
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-1
IN RESPONSE:
SilenceDogood
Sep 19, 09 3:25 PM CDT
I’ll take this one guys. I wonder if there is any truth to Republican being dog lovers and Democrats are cat lovers. Oh well. Cat-Lover, that was a personality revealing comment. So to understand your bully attitude, you would want our legislators to ignore public outcry against health care reform; ignore all forms of polls showing Americans are very resistant to massive legislation regarding health care reform; ignore the trillion dollar price tag of health care reform in this recessionary period; ignore Obama’s plummeting poll numbers showing America is disenchanted with his executive prowess; ignore Obama’s promise for bi-partisan government; and just simply shove it thru legislation. I believe the answer would be that the polical fallout would be massive. If Obama’s numbers are dropping like the titanic now, what do you think the political backlash would be if they attempted a move as you suggest. Hopefully the Republicans and the conservative Democrats will control the event and reason will rule.
Vote up! Vote down!
-4
IN RESPONSE:
rkossik
Sep 19, 09 4:22 PM CDT
The Democrats do NOT "have an overwhelming majority" in the Senate. They don't have quite enough votes to break a Republican filibuster, so the party of "NO" can still obstruct these important reforms.
Vote up! Vote down!
+6

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