Calming everyone down

On the Oconee County Democratic listserve, Ericc Ferrari just sent out the following ...

I just heard Baucus press conference and my blood is boiling. That a Senator representing a state with a small population continues to defy the President and the
mandate from the people who elected a Democratic Congress and president to effectuate change. His plan is an insult to our intelligence. He must go!!. He
has to be removed from his position as the chair of the finance committee; he has
such a clear conflict of interest; in any other profession it would not be permitted. I wish I knew how.

Please take a couple of minutes an e-mail to president Obama asking to reject Baucus
proposal (I wish you would ask him to change the chair). We want the Public Option.

Arguably, I think this is a tremendous overreaction. Make no mistake, Sen. Max Baucus's bill features ample flaws (i.e. taxing 'Cadillac plans' or the fines associated with individual mandates), but there are also some good things in the bill too.

Consider the more robust National Health Insurance Exchange that goes much further than existing legislation from the House and a common sense compromise on the issue of state regulations of insurance. Those are two strong ideas that ought to be incorporated in the final piece of legislation.

And that's what this is about. Baucus's proposal will be incorporated with other competing pieces of legislation when it hits the Senate floor, including ones with various forms of a public insurance option, and a final bill will be produced for a vote (or will wind its way through budget reconciliation).