Your Daily Dose of Health Care Reform Stupidity

Well, verdicts are pouring in from all sides on the Baucus Bullshit Reform Bill, and I haven't seen anything this widely panned since Expelled: the Farce.

Sen. Rockefeller basically said that unless it was amended beyond recognition, he'd only vote for it over his dead body. I've had cause to dislike Rockefeller in the past, but I have to say that he's earning back my respect. Go, Jay!

Wendell Potter, former Cigna exec and current bane of the insurance industry's existence, slammed it as an "absolute gift to the insurance industry" and only got more harsh from there.

The more scrutiny the Baucus Bullshit bill gets, the more apparent it is that it's a total disaster.

And what about the Cons that Baucus created this steaming pile of dog sick for? They must love it, right? At least it'll get some bipartisan support?

Mitch McConnell, alas, is not impressed, and predicts that "not many Republicans" will vote for the damned thing.

Make that none, as not even Queen Olympia Snowe can lower herself to support it.

So, 6 months of selling health care reform down the river earned exactly 0 Con votes. Heckuva job, Max.

So, it's probably down to the budget reconciliation process, then. Reconciliation has been a great friend to Cons in the past, but now they are discovering a visceral hatred for it. It's so cute watching Rick "Man-on-Dog For Prez!" Santorum tie himself into tight little knots trying to explain why reconciliation was wonderful only if Bushies were using it.

Meanwhile, we learn that being a victim of domestic violence is a pre-existing condition, and Wendell Potter explains to Congress just what an evil mess recission is. Nancy Pelosi vowed to him that Congress shall not pass the "Private Insurance Profit Perpetuation Act," but actual reform, which must include a public option.

Elsewhere, Joe "No, Really, He's With Us On Everything Except Iraq!" Lieberman poo-poos the public option, a position backed by a whopping 21% of his constituents. And seven members of the House Progressive caucus have decided that Henry Waxman really needs to stop pushing for the government's right to dicker over prescription drug prices and just accept PhRMA's backroom deal with the White House. Is that progressive? I think not.

If you want to give them an earful, here they are:

1. Donald Payne: 202-225-3436
2. Bennie Thompson: 202-225-5876
3. Eric Massa: 202-225-3161
4. Andre Carson: 202-225-4011
5. William Lacy Clay: 202-225-2406
6. Corinne Brown: 202-225-0123
7. Albio Sires: 202-225-7919

In my favorite piece of news, David "Diapers" Vitter wants to scrap employer-based health insurance for private policies and privatize Medicaid. Something tells me this will not help his prospects for reelection amongst the broader electorate.

And, finally, NYT writer Kevin Sack sez Massachusetts is short on docs because so damned many people have insurance there now. Newsflash: those doctors were always needed, it's just that people couldn't afford to go. Shocker, right? Kevin certainly thinks so.

I wonder if, with health insurance reform, we could provide thinking-brain dogs for those so desperately in need of them?