Sausage Recipes from the Near Past

Kevin Drum reminds us of the right’s approach to financing health care legislation:

When Republicans passed the Medicare prescription drug bill in 2003, they didn’t really need to worry much about how to finance it. Their plan was straightforward: first, have the administration lie repeatedly about the cost of the bill and make sure Congress never knew about it. Second, don’t worry about financing it anyway. Just blow another hole in the deficit and move on.

That helps put things in perspective. But it is worth saying that in addition to “Republicans,” one Max Baucus (D-MT) also supported the bill, which is worth keeping in mind when you hear about how he’s insisting that health reform’s cost be limited to an arbitrary $1 trillion over ten years limit.

That said, even though it would be totally hypocritical for Republicans to complain about an un-paid-for health care bill, it’s genuinely important that the final bill be paid for so it’s a good thing that Democratic leaders are insisting on it.