Turn to Greenwald for full details. The nickel version:
A former BushCo staffer becomes a top flack for big bad insurer Wellpoint. She then becomes chief of staff to "Democratic" Senator Mod Max Baucus. She's now going to oversee Obamacare implementation issues. Folks, this is more neoliberal shit. Don't defend him so much.
Showing posts with label Baucus (Max). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baucus (Max). Show all posts
July 16, 2010
September 15, 2009
Baucus healthcare bill ain’t pretty
Especially if cost control is supposed to be a goal, the bill that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mod Max Baucus is wrapping up is NOT reform.
In light of that, other committee Dems are already poised to amend the bill.
In light of that, other committee Dems are already poised to amend the bill.
August 06, 2009
Mod Max Baucus strangles health ins public option
Mod Max Baucus and his Senate Finance Committee Gang of Six have put the finishing touches on gutting the public option on health insurance. And, if you expect a federal government alternatingly lead by neolib Dems and yahoo GOPers to actually regulate health insurance companies tightly enough to save us all money, I have some palm trees in Baucus' Montana to sell you, complete with lobbyist funding to buy them.
Beyond no public option, here’s what else is missing:
• Details of how the government will more tightly regulate health insurers, when the federal government doesn’t even have an office for that right now, and only the semi-toothless Federal Trade Commission to oversee advertising claims.
• Any plan to address fee-for-service doctor payments, which almost everybody agrees is a significant part of the problem.
• Guarantees that big insurers won’t be able to “game” the health-insurance coops that are being proposed as a VERY poor person’s substitute for the public option.
Meanwhile, at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, Team Obama continues its sellout to Big Pharma.
So relax, folks. You are going to get screwed; the astroturfers could have saved their Tea Party money; the lobbyist money worked just fine by itself.
Beyond no public option, here’s what else is missing:
• Details of how the government will more tightly regulate health insurers, when the federal government doesn’t even have an office for that right now, and only the semi-toothless Federal Trade Commission to oversee advertising claims.
• Any plan to address fee-for-service doctor payments, which almost everybody agrees is a significant part of the problem.
• Guarantees that big insurers won’t be able to “game” the health-insurance coops that are being proposed as a VERY poor person’s substitute for the public option.
Meanwhile, at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, Team Obama continues its sellout to Big Pharma.
So relax, folks. You are going to get screwed; the astroturfers could have saved their Tea Party money; the lobbyist money worked just fine by itself.
Obama-Baucus healthcare sellout continues - why the astroturfing?
Texas Sen. John Cornyn claims President Barack Obama is assembling an “enemies list” about people behind disruptions of Congressional town halls and such.
Byron York joins Cornyn on the conspiracy theory of a secret presidential database being compiled.
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele refuses to denounce any violence, intimidation or threats associated with these groups.
Why are they even worried?
Mod Max Baucus and his Senate Finance Committee Gang of Six have put the finishing touches on gutting the public option on health insurance. And, if you expect a federal government alternatingly lead by neolib Dems and yahoo GOPers to actually regulate health insurance companies tightly enough to save us all money, I have some palm trees in Baucus' Montana to sell you, complete with lobbyist funding to buy them.
Meanwhile, at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, Team Obama continues its sellout to Big Pharma.
So relax, folks. You are going to get screwed; the astroturfers could have saved their Tea Party money; the lobbyist money worked just fine by itself.
Byron York joins Cornyn on the conspiracy theory of a secret presidential database being compiled.
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele refuses to denounce any violence, intimidation or threats associated with these groups.
Why are they even worried?
Mod Max Baucus and his Senate Finance Committee Gang of Six have put the finishing touches on gutting the public option on health insurance. And, if you expect a federal government alternatingly lead by neolib Dems and yahoo GOPers to actually regulate health insurance companies tightly enough to save us all money, I have some palm trees in Baucus' Montana to sell you, complete with lobbyist funding to buy them.
Meanwhile, at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, Team Obama continues its sellout to Big Pharma.
So relax, folks. You are going to get screwed; the astroturfers could have saved their Tea Party money; the lobbyist money worked just fine by itself.
July 30, 2009
Are insurers paying Baucus to monkey-wrench healthcare?
How else can you explain the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, “Mod Max” Baucus, now saying his committee won’t report out a healthcare bill before September?
Well, actually, it’s No. 2 GOP on the committee, Mike Enzi, actually saying that. Why is be even getting that much airtime?
Well, actually, it’s No. 2 GOP on the committee, Mike Enzi, actually saying that. Why is be even getting that much airtime?
July 27, 2009
Pull the plug on Sellout Max Baucus on healthcare
Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, says it’s time for Mod Max and Senate Finance Committee “bipartisanship” to have the plug pulled on the shenanigans.
Here comes the Baucus-Conrad sellout on heathcare
Reportedly, the Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Max Baucus, has insiders drying the ink on a healthcare “reform” bill, unlike that passed out of the Health, Education, Labor, Pensions Committee, will NOT have a public option. And, shock me that Kent Conrad is also part of the sellout.
More on the bipartisan Sellout Six within Finance, and what all they are throwing overboard, here. There ain't much of ANYTHING left, all in the name of “bipartisanship.”
More on the bipartisan Sellout Six within Finance, and what all they are throwing overboard, here. There ain't much of ANYTHING left, all in the name of “bipartisanship.”
July 21, 2009
Max Baucus feeds away at Big Medicine hog trough
And, no, folks, it’s not a pretty sight, especially not when the future of your healthcare is being bought and sold with Baucus getting 20 percent of the total cut. Yep, from 2003-08, Baucus, senator for a state of less than 1 million people, hauled in 20 percent of all healthcare-related political donations in the Senate.
That said, those lobbyists know their man — and their Senate:
Naturally, Mod Max declined to be interviewed.
That said, those lobbyists know their man — and their Senate:
“This is not an overwhelmingly liberal Congress, and it's certainly not a liberal Senate," said John Jonas, a Patton Boggs health-care lobbyist who has attended a Baucus fly-fishing event and other fundraisers. and whose clients include Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer and Northwestern Mutual. “I think Max is uniquely situated to try to accomplish that, because he’s more of a centrist and moderate Democrat than others are.”
Naturally, Mod Max declined to be interviewed.
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