THE HILL
 

McConnell slams Baucus bill as partisan, nonsensical

By Michael O'Brien - 09/16/09 10:05 AM ET

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) slammed the healthcare reform bill released by the Finance Committee on Wednesday, signaling early GOP opposition to the plan.

McConnell asserted that the plan released by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) was partisan and makes no sense.

"This partisan proposal cuts Medicare by nearly a half-trillion dollars, and puts massive new tax burdens on families and small businesses, to create yet another thousand-page, trillion-dollar government program," McConnell said in a statement. "Only in Washington would anyone think that makes sense, especially in this economy.”

The Baucus bill had been seen as the best effort toward winning bipartisan support for healthcare reform this year, bowing to some Republican demands on abortion funding and coverage for illegal immigrants, in addition to the decision to drop the public (or "government-run") option.

McConnell's statement is an early sign that many Republicans may be unlikely to sign onto the Baucus proposal beyond a handful of centrists who have remained locked in negotiations with members of the Finance Committee and other centrist Democrats.

Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/58995-mcconnell-slams-baucus-bill-as-partisan-nonsensical

Comments (8)

This new plan, proposal cuts medicare by nearly a half trillion dollars and puts massive new taxeburdens on families and small businesses to create yet another thousand page trillions dollar government program. HAVE all of you who support this government program lost your minds. Your willing to trust your health to a government that has made in solvent Social Security, Medicare, medicaid, the post office will be in the red 17 BILLION dollars at the end of the year. It is now losing 1 million dollars a week paying employees who sit around doing nothing, an your willing to trust your health to these people. Get real.BY Kirk Moses on 09/16/2009 at 11:45
McConnel's "slam"is a sham. McConnel, the Senator from Humana, wants no changes at all. His paymasters arn't spending millions for their puppets go against their wishes. In reality the GOP would be more than happy to see the public option excluded from Baucus's bill. Baucus himself is shill for the insurance companies.BY jobangles on 09/16/2009 at 11:56
And just who thought that the Senator from Ky. would say anything different? Our healthcare reform has been watered down so badly by concessions to the republicans, that we can hardly call it reform anymore.The time for bipartisianship has ended, (if any attempt was ever made by the republicans), let the democrats take over and pass reform. I'm so fed up with the right trying to keep the status quo, they are never going to pass any legistration that will benefit the people. As for Senator Waxman, this is a man who knows who he works for…the citizens of this country. Too bad there are not many like him…BY Dusty Mills on 09/16/2009 at 11:57
Reform? How about reforming biggest costs, like…tort reform - frivolous lawsuits cost $100 bill per year.state restricitions and mandates- allowing cross state line selling of insurance would allow competition. There are 1,300 insurance co's., yet only 1 operating in Louisiana. State mandates are killers.pre-existing conditions - I'm going to try to get this on my car insurance and home insurance. When I get in an accident in my car, then I'll buy insurance, and when my house starts on fire, then I'll buy home insurance. Pre-existing conditions, no? Think of how much money I'll save.Democrats are dopes. In bed with trial lawyers, unions, teachers and community organizers.BY Mike B. on 09/16/2009 at 13:41
Well leets look at it.But Mike B is right - where is the Tort Reform ? Why not cross State lines ?Also, Sen Baucas wants to keep Medicaid - why ? If the Sen is concerned about "delivery", let the free mrkt provide ever changing delivery options. Give the needy Healthcare Savings Accounts to purchase insur for ex.BY Louis L on 09/16/2009 at 14:32
Let's see. This thing started out as a need to make sure everyone had access to healthcare. That's those, somewhere between 47 and 10 million. Then it morphed into access to health insurance. Then it was decided that the entire health care industry needed overhauling, top to bottom, in spite of the fact that most are satisfied with their existing arrangements. Let's concentrate on getting healthcare or insurance to those that don't presently have access. 'Got to cost less than a trillion $. Do tort reform, saving us all $. Going across state lines destroys state regulation of insurance, and gives it over to the feds. Ugh!. Better to lobby each state's legislature to remove/reduce the crazy mandated required minimum provisions of health insurance policies. With our currect economy and deficit/debt situation, this is not the time to be taking on a revamping of 1/6th of the economy, at great cost. 'Think closing down all those health insurers will bring down unemployment? Lotsa ways to solve this "problem" without creating another giant government mess.BY Claude C on 09/16/2009 at 15:26
why not dispute the bill by starting off something like this: the bill is partisan because they left out the following:a] xxxb] xxxc]xxxthis way we do not look like the party of "no" - we show what we had on the table.BY Linda on 09/16/2009 at 15:49
The biggest solution is tort reform. PERIOD. If Dr's didn't have to worry about some poor medicaid patient suing him so they could live high off the hog on someone elses money, they could do away with unecesary tests. But, as it was stated earlier, the dems are in bed with trial attorneys, and will never go that route. Maybe after 2010 when they lose control of the house, we can look at that.BY Don A on 09/22/2009 at 01:14

Add Comment

Name (required)

E-Mail (will not be published) (required)

Your Comments

Key Blogs

What they are saying today …
Drudge Report
"Punch will stun West," reads the headline above the fold on Drudge this Tuesday. The line refers to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent, vague promise this week to somehow "punch the arrogance" of the West on February 11. Also above the fold: A slew of weather-related links, including a report from the National Weather Service that predicts more snow for the already buried Capitol.… Read More »
The Huffington Post
"Healthcare theatrics" reads the banner atop The Huffington Post, which links to an AP story on the White House's struggle to bring GOP leaders to the table for a televised healthcare summit. The AP questions whether the event may have any utility outside of immediate personal politics. Below, reporter Sam Stein reports Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) plans to vote against the White House's nominee for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Craig Becker.… Read More »
Red State
Moe Lane this morning summarizes the latest back-and-forth between the White House and congressional GOP leaders over healthcare. The White House wants Republicans to join Democrats for a televised healthcare summit in the coming days, but GOP leaders do not want Democrats' bill to be the basis for those talks. Meanwhile, Brian Darling takes on NYT columnist Paul Krugman's latest piece, in which he rails on the filibuster (and the GOP's use of it). "He is clearly way outside of his area of expertise when talking about Senate procedure, because his analysis is laughable," Darling writes.… Read More »
The Washington Independent
Spencer Ackerman leads The Washington Independent this morning with a post about William Lietzau, a top Obama White House appointee first installed during President George W. Bush's tenure. Lietzau handled the military commissions the Supreme Court later found unconstitutional, and Ackerman reports that he will soon become Deputy Assistant Secretary for Detainee Affairs.Earlier, David Weigel shared Defense Secretary Robert Gates' thoughts on the passing of Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha (D). Noted Gates: "In our dealings over the years, Jack and I did not always agree, but I always respected his candor, and knew that he cared deeply about the men and women of America’s military and intelligence community." … Read More »
AMERICAblog
John Aravosis points out that Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) has dropped most of his unprecedented blanket hold on most of the White House's nominees -- except a few defense posts, which remain tied up as Shelby seeks two lucrative military contracts for his home state. Later, Aravosis reports that the Department of Health and Human Services has opened an investigation into the California Blue Cross health insurance program, following reports that premiums there have increased 39 percent recently.… Read More »
The Corner
News that Iran may have started enriching uranium has prompted The Corner's Mike Potemra to issue the Middle Eastern state a warnining: "It’s not too late for Iran to turn back from such a disastrous course: Even evil regimes — regimes that systematically violate the rights of their own people — have the use of intellect." Also, gues blogger Ralph Reed offers his thoughts on former Gov. Sarah Palin's national political aspirations. Ultimately, he calls her a "bridge" between Tea Party activists and the GOP establishment.… Read More »
Blog Summaries Archive »

Briefing Room Blog Roll

The Hill
ABC News: The Note
AMERICAblog
Barack Obama
Beat The Press
Bill Press
BuzzFlash
Capitol Briefing
Capitol Games
The Caucus (NYT)
Clive Crook
Comments From Left Field
CNN Political Ticker
The Corner (NRO)
Crooks and Liars
The Daily Beast
Daily Caller
Daily Kos
DCCC: The Stakeholder
DNC: Kicking Ass
DSCC: From The Roots
Drudge Report
Eschaton
Extreme Mortman
Ezra Klein
firedoglake
FishbowlDC
The Fix (WashPost)
The Foundry
Gkenn Greenwald
Hendrik Hertzberg
Hillary Clinton
Hot Air
Hotline on Call
Huffington Post
Human Events
Instapundit
James Fallows
John McCain
Judicial Watch: Corruption Chronicles
Kaus Files
Left Coaster
Lefty Blogs
Majority AP
Marc Ambinder
Matt Lewis
Matthew Yglesias
Megan McArdle
Michelle Malkin
Minority Report
The Moderate Voice
MSNBC First Read
MyDD
The Nation
National Review
The New Republic
NewsBusters
Newsmax
The NRCC Blog
NRSC Blog
Open Left
Page (Mark Halperin)
The Plank (TNR)
Political Animal
Political Wire
Politicker
Politico's Ben Smith
Politico's Jonathan Martin
Politico's The Crypt
Power Line
Reason
RedState
Right Wing News
RNC Blog
Ross Douthat
Rush Limbaugh
SCOTUSblog
Senate Guru
The Stump (TNR)
The Swamp (Tribune)
Swampland
Swing State Project
Talk Left
TalkingPointsMemo
TAPPED
Tech Policy Summit
techPresident
TechRepublican
The Right Angle
Think Progress
Top of the Ticket (LA Times)
Townhall
TPMCafe
TPMMuckraker
The Trail (WashPost)
Truthdig
USA Today On Politics
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blog
VF Daily
Washington Wire (WSJ)
Weekly Standard
Wonkette
Yeas and Nays

Briefing Room Blog Topics

 Blog Summaries »   Technology »
 Day's End Round-Up »   Telecom and IT »
 Energy & Environment »   Trade and Agriculture »
 Midday Blog Roundup »  Lobbying »
 Morning Read »   Administration »
 News »   Campaigns »
  Campaigns »   Civil Rights »
   Administration »   Corporate Governance »
   Civil Rights »   Defense »
   Congressional Campaigns »   Economy & Budget »
   Corporate Governance »   Energy & Environment »
   Defense »   Foreign Policy »
   Economy & Budget »   Healthcare »
   Foreign Policy »   Homeland Security »
   Healthcare »   Immigration »
   Homeland Security »   Labor »
   Immigration »   Lobbyists »
   Labor »   Technology »
   Law and Courts »   Telecom and IT »
   Lobbyists »   Trade and Agriculture »
   Presidential Campaigns »  Other »
   Technology »   Administration »
   Telecom and IT »   Campaigns »
   Trade and Agriculture »   Civil Rights »
  Energy & Environment »   Congressional Campaigns »
  Lawmaker News »   Corporate Governance »
   Administration »   Defense »
   Campaigns »   Economy & Budget »
   Civil Rights »   Energy & Environment »
   Corporate Governance »   Foreign Policy »
   Defense »   Healthcare »
   Economy & Budget »   Homeland Security »
   Energy & Environment »   Immigration »
   Foreign Policy »   Labor »
   Healthcare »   Lobbyists »
   Homeland Security »   Presidential Campaigns »
   Immigration »   Technology »
   Labor »   Telecom and IT »
   Lobbyists »   Trade and Agriculture »
   Technology »  Oversight »
   Telecom and IT »   Administration »
   Trade and Agriculture »   Campaigns »
  Legislation »   Civil Rights »
   Administration »   Corporate Governance »
   Campaigns »   Defense »
   Civil Rights »   Economy & Budget »
   Corporate Governance »   Energy & Environment »
   Defense »   Foreign Policy »
   Economy & Budget »   Healthcare »
   Energy & Environment »   Homeland Security »
   Foreign Policy »   Immigration »
   Healthcare »   Labor »
   Homeland Security »   Lobbyists »
   Immigration »   Technology »
   Labor »   Telecom and IT »
   Lobbyists »   Trade and Agriculture »
You need Flash Player 8 (or higher) and JavaScript enabled to view this content

Get latest news from The Hill direct to your inbox, RSS reader and mobile devices.