Rep. Patrick Kennedy issued a statement this afternoon critical of the health care reform proposal from Senate Finance Committee chair Max Baucus.

“A fundamental feature of meaningful health care reform is a strong public option," Kennedy said. "Anything short of a public option may miss the opportunity for the magnitude of savings and improved quality that Americans deserve. In Rhode Island, a public option not only means saving people money, but also means saving jobs."

If you've missed the foofraw today, here's coverage in the NYTimes or you can cut to the chase and read about it on Wonkette, where the headline, "Max Baucus’ New Bipartisan Bill Despised By Every Single Republican, Dead Or Alive," says it all. Parturient montes; nascetur ridiculus mus.

I'm with Rep. Kennedy: "I am proud that the House health care reform bill, the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act, includes a public option. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House to pass a meaningful health care reform bill which includes this provision, as was included in my father’s bill in the Senate HELP Committee."

Kennedy concluded, "Although I am disappointed the Baucus proposal does not move farther in ensuring those protections, I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to extend these protections to all Americans.”

Thank you, Rep. Kennedy.

Full disclosure: I am a human being who sometimes uses health insurance. And I am deeply ashamed of Senator Max Baucus and this craven (and useless) act of appeasement.