Baucus retires, a grateful nation cheers

[madinmaryland]

With one glorious stroke Max Baucus has made it possible for two of America’s more interesting politicians to play bigger roles on the national stage. Not to be churlish, but I’ll take Ron Wyden and Brian Schweitzer over a dozen Max Baucii any day. Never has a politician done so much to lift the prospects of the republic simply by saying goodbye.

Is there a soul outside Montana who is mourning Baucus’s decision not to run for a seventh term? Baucus helped George W. Bush pass his big tax cuts in 2001, making him an accomplice in the biggest fiscal mistake of this generation, squandering the hard-won surpluses that Bill Clinton (with Newt Gingrich’s help) had bequeathed.

Then weeks ago, Baucus kept a bad thing going by voting against the new budget crafted by Senate Democrats, saying it raised too much revenue (even though its taxes wouldn’t suffice to cover what Ronald Reagan spent as a share of the economy decades ago). When talk turns to tax reform, Baucus, again, has repeatedly refused to concede that when the dust clears from any “simplification” or “base broadening,” revenue has to rise in an aging America. This is the fantasy of math and demography that Republicans persist in embracing.

“His guiding principle has been to get reelected,” says one former Senate staffer, “not to lead and to educate.”

The Montana senator was the delayer-in-chief on President Obama’s health reform, persuading the White House to let crucial time pass in 2009 while he tried and failed to secure Republican Chuck Grassley’s support. Baucus’s pussyfooting gave the GOP an opening to demagogue Obamacare and move public sentiment against it. Baucus isn’t to blame for the White House’s communications failures, but his ineffectual delay helped inflict scars on Obama’s signature initiative that have never healed.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/matt-miller-baucus-retires-a-grateful-nation-cheers/2013/04/24/957243cc-accf-11e2-a8b9-2a63d75b5459_story.html

Good fucking riddance!

[hrmjustin]

1. I wish he would leave now and let the democratic governor appoint Schweitzer.

[SoCalDem]

2. Me too.. fill up the banker's boxes & escort him to the door

Let a new person sit in that chair until the next election, and get to run as an incumbent

[freshwest]

3. I hate to toss any water on this dream, but as it says:

“His guiding principle has been to get reelected,” says one former Senate staffer, “not to lead and to educate.”

He was reelected by people who thought all that was great. Did they change their minds yet?

Other than that, Schweitzer's popularity may be the ticket. I hope so, although there may be some problems, he might take the state forward.

[UTUSN]

4. His farewell gift: He announced he will concentrate on "reforming" the Tax Code in his time left

Don't have a link, saw it out there somewhere.

[madinmaryland]

6. That's really scary. How the hell will he "reform" it? nt

[UTUSN]

7. Whichever way he does it is his standard monkey-wrench. Some links:

*************QUOTE*************

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/04/debbie-stabenow-max-baucus-tax-reform-90557.html#ixzz2RR56YjbI

[font size=5]Debbie Stabenow: Max Baucus motivated on tax reform[/font]

Don’t underestimate Max Baucus.

That was Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s message Wednesday morning at POLITICO Pro's Deep Dive event.

Stabenow, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee’s energy subcommittee, said Baucus is more motivated than ever to reach a tax reform deal after announcing he will not seek reelection next year.

“I think he’s more motivated, I really do. I think he’s going to double down on wanting to do this,” Stabenow said during the event on energy and tax reform.

“Rather than out campaigning, he wants to be focused on this issue, which he is really dedicated to,” said Stabenow, who added that Baucus talked to his Senate Democratic colleagues about his retirement at a caucus meeting Tuesday.

Stabenow acknowledged that tax reform faces major hurdles.

“I think it’s a tough road because of where we start. Very different philosophies,” she said, referring to the wide gap between Republicans and Democrats on the issue.




http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/24/does-max-baucuss-retirement-make-tax-reform-easier/

[font size=5]Does Max Baucus’s retirement make tax reform easier?[/font]

Posted by Ezra Klein

.... ...Democrats will only accept a tax reform bill that raises new revenues, and Republicans will only accept one without new revenues. Thus far, Baucus and Camp have chosen to “table” the revenue issue, which is a bit like a couple trying to get pregnant before they’ve decided whether they actually want a kid. Nothing about Baucus’s retirement solves that fundamental question. ....

*************UNQUOTE*************

[madinmaryland]

8. Baucus is now completely irrelevant. Nothing he suggests will pass. Joe Lieberman has

more of a chance of getting a law passed than Baucus does.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. And, the 3rd Way and Republicans weep at his long overdue departure.

As for me...