September 15, 2009

9/15: This Ain't Gonna Fly, Max

In what is perhaps a sign of their recognition that the prospects for a public option are fading, some liberal bloggers are now focusing their efforts on another aspect of health care reform: subsidies. These bloggers are complaining that the bill proposed by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) provides unacceptably low subsidies for low-income Americans. The netroots warn that passing the bill as it currently stands would be "a political disaster of epic proportions" for Dems, since (in their view) it wouldn't provide enough financial help for uninsured families and would consequently backfire. Publius explains: "Don't get me wrong -- the public option is important, but I see it as a longer-term protection. If the Dems pass a bill that mandates coverage but provides skimpy subsidies and anemic coverage, it could be a full-blown policy disaster immediately."

Not every liberal blogger is focused on making the Baucus bill more generous, however. Some are arguing that "real reform is going to require reconciliation" -- not a compromise bill forged by the Finance Committee.

What else is happening in the blogosphere?

• Liberal bloggers (Klein, Dworkin, Cole, Scarecrow, Benen) are promoting a new poll which found that a large majority of doctors support a public health insurance option. Other lefty bloggers (McCarter, Sudbay, Hamsher) are promoting a new Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll which found that a majority of AR citizens support a public option, even though AR's Dem congressmen oppose it.
• Conservative bloggers (Erickson, Bandes) are urging House GOPers to vote against the "resolution of disapproval" that Dems are introducing to rebuke Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) for shouting "You lie!" during Pres. Obama's speech to Congress.
• Conservative bloggers (Malkin, Lane, Vadum, Lowry, Morrissey) are delighted that the Senate voted to block federal housing grants for the antipoverty group ACORN. One righty blogger is urging Rep. Wilson to sponsor a similar amendment in the House.

BAUCUS: More Generous Subsidies, Please!

Liberal bloggers are complaining that Baucus's health care proposal doesn't provide adequate subsidies for uninsured families:

• The Washington Monthly Benen: "The problem, at this point, is with the proposal itself. Putting aside the public option for a moment -- Baucus' plan doesn't have one -- most reform advocates agree that the subsidy cap for uninsured families should be set at 400% of the federal poverty level. Last week, Baucus signaled his intention to support a 300% cap, and there was some scuttlebutt about a 350% compromise. [...] I realize that it's not exactly a catchy rallying slogan to chant, 'A subsidy cap at 300% of the federal poverty level is unacceptable!' but the truth is, it's a provision that really needs to be changed."
• Think Progress' Matthew Yglesias: "A public option would help, in other words, but ultimately when it comes to affordability in the short-term there's just no substitute for spending more money. By shaving the price tag of the bill from $1.3 trillion over ten years to $900 billion over ten years now down to something more like $800 billion over ten years, Baucus and [ME Sen.] Olympia Snowe are guaranteeing that the program won't really have the resources to deliver on its promises. The bill would still give a lot of help to some people, and some help to a lot of people, and this (more so than the public option) seems like the kind of thing that further congresses are certain to tweak one way or the other. But it's still a major instance of Centrists Behaving Badly and the President's decision to endorse the $900 billion price tag in his joint address strikes me as a bit of a blunder since it set the stage for Snowe taking a further ax to things."
• The Washington Post's Ezra Klein: "I don't want to underplay the fact that this plan really does make life better for people up to 300 percent of poverty, and even a bit better for people up to 400 percent of poverty. Being socked with a bill for $11,600 is better than facing one for $45,000, or $100,000. But it's worth comparing this with a national system like that in Canada or Britain or France, or even the national system that our own seniors enjoy: In those cases, an awful illness stands no chance of bankrupting a family or consuming 30 percent of its income. The reforms under consideration make our system somewhat better. Maybe even a lot better. But they don't make it good enough."
• Obsidian Wings' publius: "Don't get me wrong -- the public option is important, but I see it as a longer-term protection. If the Dems pass a bill that mandates coverage but provides skimpy subsidies and anemic coverage, it could be a full-blown policy disaster immediately. Fortunately, the Baucus bill doesn't start out at a terrible level, but it's still unacceptably low. If subsidy levels could become as politicized as the public option, I think it liberal activism could really bear some fruit. It would not only help middle-class families, it would ensure that health coverage reform doesn't become a serious political liability."

Atrios warns that there will be political consequences if Dems pass an unpopular bill: "I recognize that Max Baucus and his Republican BFFs aren't going to write a bill that will please me very much, although he outlined one which did just that a year ago, but my big concern is that he's being suckered into creating a bill which, if it became law, would be a political disaster of epic proportions. This thing doesn't just have to be good, it has to be popular."

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Has Obama Been Neutralized For Now?

Power Line's Paul Mirengoff:

"I think the biggest reason why Obama failed to change many minds [during his health care speech] last week is that he's not particularly popular right now. No matter how grand the oratory and how clever the rhetorical devices, a speech will be effective only to the extent the speaker is trusted and believed. As Obama's popularity has declined, he has become less trusted and believable.

In short, with only about half of the country now well-disposed towards Obama, it's not terribly surprising that he was unable to boost support for an unpopular program past the break-even point. (I should add, however, that I still feared Obama could pull it off).

This doesn't mean that Obama is a spent force on the stump or the bully pulpit. If (and I would say when) the economy is perceived as having markedly improved, Obama's popularity could easily soar. At that point he would likely regain the ability to move public opinion his way on specific issues. But until then, it may well be that Obama is just not that formidable."

LEST WE FORGET: Joe Wilson, Serena Williams and Kanye West Kick Off National Outburst Week

The Huffington Post's Andy Borowitz:

"Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), tennis legend Serena Williams and recording artist Kanye West held a press conference in Washington, DC today to kick off the first annual National Outburst Week.

'We're here to celebrate every American's right to unleash a sudden, unprovoked verbal outburst,' Ms. Williams said. 'And if you don't like it, you can shove this tennis ball down your fucking -- '

'Hold up, Serena,' said Mr. West, seizing the microphone. 'I just want to say that Beyonce's video is one of the greatest videos of all --'

'You lie!' shouted Rep. Wilson."

Posted by Ian Faerstein at September 15, 2009 01:01 PM