MSM Spins for Ron Kind Canonization

Ron Kind (D) is concerned because he's up for re-election next year.

So what does he need to do? Separate himself (if only by the thinnest of margins) from QueenNancy's ObamaCare bill.

And there is an obliging press!

Wisconsin Rep. Ron Kind and other moderate Democrats in the House are playing starring roles in the evolving congressional debate over health care reform.

That line is the first clue. (The "moderate" Ron Kind voted to fund Planned Parenthood's abortuaries yesterday, along with every other (D) in the Wisconsin delegation.)

...Kind and a handful of other House Democrats held a news conference on Capitol Hill to announce that they had reached a deal with congressional leaders on a major point of contention for them: containing Medicare costs.

So what did our halo-wearing Congressman do to deserve canonization?

House leaders announced their deal with moderate Democrats after a round of talks that stretched late into the night over changes in Medicare to reward doctors and hospitals for the quality of care provided to patients rather than the number of services rendered. The changes made to the health care legislation in the House, Kind said, could be summarized in three words: "value over volume."

Well, sorta. Kinda. More or less.

Under the deal, the Institute of Medicine would issue recommendations in the next two years on how to change the way that fees are paid to providers. The changes would go into effect in 2012, unless Congress decides to block them.

The institute also would examine regional differences in payments to Medicare providers; changes would be implemented in 2014.

We would remind you that since 1968, Medicare has been subject to Congress' whims. To believe that this "deal" is going to rescue the healthcare system requires more than a little suspension of disbelief.

By the way, "moderate" Kind DOES agree with the rest of the bill--which would:

...require every American to obtain health insurance, provide government subsidies for those who can't afford to pay for their insurance premiums and create a government insurance program that would compete with private insurers.

Not to mention the 'cost-control' of 'suggesting' that one "takes a pill" instead of obtaining surgery or other life-extending treatment (the Dave Obey Reichsminister fur Gesundheitsversorge.)

All to save the country, of course--if not the entire universe.

"This is such an important issue," Kind said. "There are consequences to whatever we do. In taking action, there will be consequences; there are going to be severe consequences if we don't do health care reform."

Actually, the consequences will be measured on the first Tuesday of November 2010. That's all Ron Kind (D) is worried about.