“He’s back!” Or more precisely, “It’s back!”
Trumpcare, the evil Republican plan to rob millions of Americans of their healthcare, and jack up premiums for many others, has been resurrected from the dead.
It was only about two months ago that Arizona Sen. John McCain put what seemed at the time to be the proverbial nail in the coffin of what Republicans were pushing as their plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare.
But thanks to the efforts of Sen. Lindsey Graham and Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Republican healthcare plan many now call Trumpcare may live to see another day.
The two senators are pushing Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell for a vote on their new and improved healthcare plan that, from the looks of things, is very much like the old Republican plan. Under the Graham-Cassidy bill, millions would still lose coverage, Medicaid would see the same steep cuts as in earlier repeal bills, and insurers in some states could charge higher premiums to people with pre-existing conditions.
The good news is that the odds of the Graham-Cassidy bill getting the 50 votes needed for passage in the Senate are slim.
Already Sen. Rand Paul has said he would not support the new bill because it doesn’t do enough of a hatchet job on Obamacare. It’s still too generous with those subsidies!
Why are Republicans now trying to breath life into a moribund piece of legislation that is hated by a majority of Americans?
Simple. If the Senate does not vote by the end of next week, it will become almost impossible to repeal Obamacare because the drive to kill the law will lose the procedural protections that allow it to pass the Senate with a simple majority, rather than the 60 votes that would otherwise be needed.
Interestingly enough, McCain, the very man who slayed the Republican healthcare monster the last go round has indicated he might “reluctantly” vote for the new repeal bill if the governor of his state supports it. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey supports the legislation!
Unless there is some dramatic change in how two moderate Republican senators vote (Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski) look for the “Creature from the bowels of Congress” to die its ultimate death.
Maybe.
Photo | movieweb.com
GOP never cease to amaze me as to how disconnected they are from hard working Americans.
I almost wish they pass their healthcare bill. It would be the final nail in the Republican Party coffin.
The old maverick, McCain, may just put loyalty to his best bud, Lindsey, over country.
I doubt it but with McCain you never know!