Baucus and K Street

As reported by The Hill, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs took a shot at Senator Max Baucus, saying that K Street had a copy of his bill before the White House saw it.

Gibbs said he was told that “K Street had a copy of the Baucus plan, meaning, not surprisingly, the special interests have gotten a copy of the plan that I understand was given to committee members today.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he had not seen Baucus’s draft either, when asked during a briefing at the White House after a meeting with Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

This is no surprise, but interpretations may vary. As my son said in a post below,

Max Baucus was never, ever, ever negotiating with Republicans.

That, most likely, was mere political theater, a stall to delay passage of any bill until the insurance industry had time to mount a good propaganda campaign. Hence, all we witnessed in August, aided and abetted by Max Baucus.

But far more likely, K Street lobbyists had a copy of the legislation long before Baucus did, as they are the authors of the proposed legislation.

Those of us who have lived through the evolution of the modern Congress are well aware that legislation these days is usually written by lobbyists and the money people behind them, and handed over the various sponsors for passage. Members of Congress do not write bills – they are merely carriers. Baucus and his Gang of Six did not write this bill. K Street did.

That much is painfully obvious.