Paul Krugman says the Baucus plan "is better than many of us expected." Still, "there’s enough wrong with the Baucus proposal as it stands to make it unworkable and unacceptable."
The New York Times reports: "After hours of testy debate, the Massachusetts House of Representatives on Thursday approved legislation allowing Gov. Deval Patrick to appoint an interim successor to Senator Edward M. Kennedy."
The Baucus plan virtually drowns any competition in health insurance. Isn't competition (most effectively from a public option) what everyone says is most needed?
The Massachusetts legislature isn't finished with business yet. Both the House and the Senate in that state are majority Democratic. But the Senate is fussier.
... The measure now goes to the State Senate, which could take up the proposal on Friday. Republicans have threatened to try to delay a vote, and, through procedural maneuvers, could do so for several days.Mr. Patrick, a Democrat, has said that if both chambers approve the measure, he will appoint a temporary successor to Mr. Kennedy within days.
