Mavericky
So McCain sucker-punched them after all. He joined Murkowski and Collins in voting down the latest repeal of the ACA, which means that effort is over for now.
Republican senators said there was no consensus and no plan for what comes next on health care. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, warned of potentially severe political consequences for Republicans for failing to deliver on what has been the GOP’s unifying campaign pledge for the previous three elections.
“I sadly feel a great many Americans will feel betrayed,” Cruz told reporters, “that they were lied to, and that sentiment will not be unjustified.”
And a great many Americans will feel relieved that their health insurance won’t be yanked away.
The “skinny repeal” was a pared down version of Republican proposals to undo Obamacare with no plan for what to replace it with. It would have eliminated the individual and employer mandate and key taxes, defunded Planned Parenthood for a year and eliminated key protections of health benefits that were required under Obamacare.
The bill was deeply unpopular, but GOP leaders worked to assure members it would never become law. Instead, they wanted the Senate to pass it in order to advance the legislation to a third round of negotiations with the House to try to craft a final bill both chambers could pass.
Yeah brilliant, pass a terrible bill by promising it won’t become law. What could possibly go wrong?
No this isn’t McCain being a hero. I enjoy the sucker-punch aspect though.
And if it is, then Murkowski and Collins are also heroes? Oh, wait, they’re women. Pardon my blunder.
Actually, it’s just McCain being a decent human being and also representing the bulk of his constituents who still want health care in spite of voting for a giant orange crybaby who promised to take it away.
Actually, the giant orange crybaby promised them much better and cheaper health insurance. It was one of his biggest lies (among many) on the campaign trail.
Not a hero, but hey, travelling from brain tumor treatment to do the right thing does represent some class and he deserves the credit for that – as do the other two Republican Senators – women – rejecting the dumpster fire too. And for that matter, here’s to Democratic Senators holding fast against it despite whatever horrid impulses to bipartisanship for its own sake that may lurk within their hearts.
All that said, it remains grim for the ACA when the administration is hell-bent on wrecking its functioning. Here’s hoping they’re sued frequently to force them to do their jobs.
By all means, repeal the Obamacare dog’s breakfast, and replace it with universal single-payer, like every civilized country has. (Note, I didn’t say “every other civilized country”. The US does not currently enjoy that distinction). I mean, that’s what they want to do, right? Right?