Opponents of Obamacare have recently been talking about how outrageous the Slaughter strategy is. I agree with them. But there’s another point that’s worth making more than Republicans have: It’s not going to buy the Democrats much political cover, and might make their situation marginally worse.
Any House Democrat who votes for the rule that allows the Senate bill to be deemed passed will be voting for the Senate bill. A foreseeable consequence of that vote is that the Senate bill may become law while some of the fixes the House votes for do not. It is entirely fair for Republican opponents of any House Democrat who votes for the Slaughter rule to tie him to the Senate bill. Republicans will be able to say, fairly, that such a House Democrat has voted for the Senate bill — kickbacks and all — and tried to hide the fact. Republicans may as well point out now that that’s exactly what they’re going to do.