A new sound bite on health insurance reform, via NPR: Apparently the self-appointed “Gang of Six” senators (who might as well be called the gang-of-only-people-willing-to-do-anything-ballsy-at-this-point) are closing in on a deal. Unofficially led by Max Baucus (D-Montana), the group is trying to produce a bone fide bipartisan bill that could then be voted on in the Senate, then the House, with relative public popularity and for which Republicans could support without hanging up their political careers out to dry.

Seems like a decent idea. But who are these people anyway? Long-term senators who have been in office so long they have the clout to go out on a limb, but they represent several large states with borderline miniscule populations (think: Montana and Wyoming) and yet wield immense power on some of the most powerful Senate Committees. On the most contentious piece of this whole overhaul – the public option, supported by the President as well solid majorities of American citizens as well as AARP and practicing physicians – they are still wavering. And so these six folks who need not be influenced neither by their peer colleagues nor their tiny numbers of constituents to gain any more power than they already have, are deciding health care reform for the country.

Makes not too much sense to me. But we’ll wait until the next episode to see what concoction of public policy they come up with.