Baucus' bill on the firing line

Inter Lake editorial

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., deserves credit for his earnest and diligent efforts to tackle the infinitely complicated task of curbing health-care cost increases and improving health-care system. He is widely recognized for attempting to produce bona-fide bipartisan legislation, but he and President Barack Obama face a rising tide of opposition.

"Max's hard work in putting together a bill on such a complex issue is a testament to his genuine desire to do what's best for our country," said Rep. Denny Rehberg, Montana's Republican congressman after Baucus' Finance Committee legislation was introduced Wednesday.

But… "there's a long road ahead and the devil is always in the details," Rehberg added.

Indeed. Baucus may have explained his toughest challenge best during a Wednesday press conference when he said he is pushing "the largest piece of social legislation since the Depression."

Because there are so many ingredients in comprehensive reform, it has tended to draw adamant opposition from one constituency or another. The climb for Baucus and President Barack Obama seems to get steeper with each passing day, as sharp divisions have formed in Congress and in the public's perception of "health-care reform."

"This is a good bill. This is a balanced bill. It can pass the Senate," Baucus declared.

But can it? The Senate's famously moderate Republican, Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, announced Tuesday that she cannot support the bill yet and the rest of the Republican caucus is far less than supportive. Many Republicans who might be won over by concessions are worried they will be "rolled" by House Democrats if the legislation reaches conference committee.

And ironically, Baucus' efforts to win Republican support have turned off the most liberal lawmakers, who believe reform should involve an aggressive government annexation of the health-care sector. Liberal bloggers had a harsh reaction to Baucus' legislation, and he is wise not to bow to their protests.

Polls show declining support for the current incarnations of health-care reform. A Gallup poll carried out just a week after President Obama's speech before a joint session of Congress found that only 38 percent of Americans support the president's vision, which is largely embraced by the Finance Committee bill.

As we've said before, Baucus can competently explain the main need for reform and did so again Wednesday under the glare of national media: Health-care costs have been growing at an unsustainable pace, driving up government health-care spending at all levels, and forcing increasing numbers of businesses to drop insurance plans.

"The costs of inaction, they are just horrendous," Baucus said.

The public, however, is concerned about haphazard actions that could ultimately result in horrendous consequences, whether they are intended or not.