"The fact is words matter and so do the numbers. This amendment represents a common sense, practical, pragmatic, good government approach to understanding the totality and the collective impact of what we do. We want to be sure that we are absolutely confident in the integrity of the product that we are going to be voting on in the final analysis." Senator Snowe Press Release
Let me translate that statement for the Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee. You are skating on Potomac River ice in the middle of a Snowe storm. It's not going to end well. When she uses words like "common sense" "practical" and "pragmatic" in the same sentence - you might want to consult with your Senate colleagues on the Right. They learned to speak Moderate in the previous Administration. The grimace on their faces -followed by a Cheshire cat smile- should be translation enough.
The way I see it -- Senator Snowe and her staff have work tirelessly to save the health care bill from complete implosion by offering a series of amendments designed to breathe new life into the reform effort --and perhaps provide the Gang of Six a little more time to work out some type of bipartisan bill. She continues to be accessible to folks back here in Maine, and her staff is speaking daily to doctors, state legislators, other health care professional as well as patients -- in an attempt to find solutions that will work for Maine people.
I can assure you right now - that reading the bill and knowing how much it costs are the first two items on Senator Snowe's health care reform agenda and the same goes for her constituents back here in Maine. The failure of Democrats on the Finance Committee to recognize that fact may very well signal the end of any hope for bipartisanship in health care reform.