Let's start with the basics.

Here is an edited email I received today. Give it a try.


Population of the United States is 310,000,000.The six Senators calling the shots on the Finance Committee are:

Democrat Max Baucus of Montana - 950,000 residents.
Democrat Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico -2 million residents
Democrat Kent Conrad of North Dakota - 650,000 residents.
Republican Chuck Grassley of Iowa -3 million residents
Republican Olympia Snowe of Maine -1.3 million residents.
Republican Mike Enzi of Wyoming -515,000 residents.

With these states having 8.4 million residents, the six Senators deciding what may be in any bill coming out of that Committee represent 2.7% of the population of our country.
And,it appears it is they who will decide whether we have a decent health care system for all 310 million Americans.
Thus far these six Senators killed off single payer.
Grassley,one of the Republicans,said a sensible,realistic end-of-life paid consultation provision would,under no circumstances, be in any bill coming out of the Finance Committee.

Today it is being reported that the Administration will capitulate on a public option provision.
Democratic Senator Conrad,the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee,and one of the six "negotiators" on the Finance Committee, said flat out he would vote against any bill that contained a public option.

It is especially galling that the three Democrats on the Finance Committee seem to me to be a whole lot more receptive to the desires of the the insurance companies than they are to ordinary Americans!
Baucus and Conrad represent one half of one percent of the American people.

But,what the hell,it works for them.They are getting away with it.Why should they be receptive to anything working people and poor people need.They take good care of their states,so they rarely have serious opposition in their elections.The more number of terms they serve the more power they accumulate.
It will be very interesting to watch,will it not,what our progressive friends in the House and the Senate do when Congress goes back into session in mid-September.

All I know is that I think it is time for the President to say:"Enough of the game playing and caving in to the special interests.Here's what I want in the bill.I EXPECT all Democrats to get on board!"
Some may say that approach will never work.The president can't dictate to Congress.That may be correct,but what's going on now sure as hell ain't working,is it?