NY Post: Will Unions Oppose Baucus Bill at Risk of Turning Dems Off on EFCA? UPDATE: Yes.
An Op-Ed in today's New York Post reported that many labor unions hate the so-called "Baucus bill" on healthcare insurance which passed a vote in the Senate Finance Committee earlier today. The editorialist, however, suggested that these unions were conflicted on how strenuously to voice their displeasure at the risk of squandering political capital with the Democrats in Congress:
Why, then, aren't the unions screaming in opposition to Baucus' "compromise"? There's not even a giant, inflatable "Scabby the Rat" in front of the senator's office . . .
It's because the unions don't want to double-cross their friends on Capitol Hill. If Big Labor pushes too hard for a public option, it might get the blame for killing health-care reform with a "poison pill." And if they zap the Cadillac tax, they'll rip out an estimated $201 billion in revenue -- leaving "reform" unquestionably a budget-buster.
The unions can't afford to be seen as killing ObamaCare. They need to be team players so their Democratic allies will still push for other union priorities like the Employee Free Choice Act (a k a card-check).
Update (6:45 p.m.): It does not appear the labor unions will swallow their displeasure with the bill after all:
- "Unions to oppose Baucus bill" -- The Hill's Blog Briefing Room
- "Unions will oppose Baucus bill unless it's changed" -- Associated Press
- "Labor unions plan ads to counter Baucus U.S. healthcare bill" -- Bloomberg
