As Saturday’s vote approaches, the New York Times’ Carl Hulse reports on Majority Leader Reid’s ownership of the health care legislation. “Now it is Senator Harry Reid’s health care bill. The majority leader’s deep personal involvement in assembling the overhaul of the health care system – now on the brink of a historic Senate debate – has, for better or worse, conferred ownership of the legislation on Mr. Reid, Democrat of Nevada … should the bill fall victim to the complex political, procedural and substantive fights raging around health care, it would be a stinging defeat for him, his president and his party – all while he faces a tough re-election fight at home.”

Why is Reid’s ownership of this massive health care bill a political problem as he jockeys with Chris Dodd for lowest approval ratings of any incumbent in either party running for re-election? The Washington Post, Washington Times, LA Times and Wall Street Journal highlight some of the potential pitfalls below….

A Washington Post editorial is skeptical of the Democrats’ oft-repeated claim their health care legislation is really “deficit-neutral.”

And multiple media outlets observe the Democrats reliance on a variety of tax increases – ranging from a marriage tax to a “botax” – in order to make the numbers work on their massive health care bill:

Washington Times: “Senate Democrats’ health care bill would create a new marriage penalty by imposing a tax on individuals who make $200,000 annually but hitting married couples making just $50,000 more. That’s one of 17 new taxes imposed by the bill, which also creates a levy on elective plastic surgery – some call it ‘botax’ – and places a 40 percent excise tax on those who have generous health care plans … ”

Los Angeles Times: “The fact that both bills include tax increases marks a striking shift in Democrats’ political calculus.”

Not coincidentally, the Wall Street Journal reports on the business community’s opposition to these economically-crippling tax increases, as well as Reid’s decision to include the public option.