Patterico's Pontifications

7/17/2017

Finally, Some Truly Good News: McConnell Announces Revival of 2015 ObamaCare Repeal

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 8:57 pm



Now we’re talking:

I’m doing an analysis of the Senators who voted for the (partial) repeal in 2015. Fully 48 of those Senators are still in the Senate today. They have no excuse not to vote for the same bill again.

Three other Republicans who voted yes were replaced by other Republicans.

(Susan Collins was a no.)

So: if nobody is a total hypocrite, we’ll have no problem getting this thing passed.

Which means it’s dead in the water.

So why do I say it’s “good news”?

Because, silly. Now, when it fails, we know who to go after. I will give money to anyone who tries to primary any Republican who voted for repeal in 2015 and takes it back now.

I’m looking forward to this.

[Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.]

42 Responses to “Finally, Some Truly Good News: McConnell Announces Revival of 2015 ObamaCare Repeal”

  1. Isn’t this just McConnell trying to get Democrats on board at the last moment?

    jcurtis (4e7378) — 7/17/2017 @ 9:02 pm

  2. I hope this is serious, and not a negotiating ploy for the Senate’s current unfortunate bill. The 2015 repeal effort, if passed and signed, would be acceptable to me.

    Demosthenes (09f714) — 7/17/2017 @ 9:12 pm

  3. Now that’s progress.

    Dejectedhead (6b323c) — 7/17/2017 @ 9:13 pm

  4. Wankers do what wankers do. This has no hope of doing anything but playing to a few conservatives who would rather be right than win.

    Kevin M (752a26) — 7/17/2017 @ 9:22 pm

  5. Later this year, there will be a Democrat bill that will pass with 60 votes, and sail through the House. That bill will ram Obamacare into the body politic forever. Five years from now, when public and private group policies are rolled in under President Harris, you will all wonder what happened.

    And I’ll be here to tell you. You should have gone with Ryan’s incremental dismantling.

    Kevin M (752a26) — 7/17/2017 @ 9:28 pm

  6. Rand Paul stood fast for the promises made when nobody else would. He deserves immense credit for forcing this vote. You know who else deserves credit? DJT. When Paul went to see him and asked for an up or down vote on the previously passed legislation, DJT tweeted out support and has continued to do so. I am super pleased to give the man full credit for adding to the pressure on the GOPe. Credit to Lee, as well – but not as much. Ted is a net loser in this.

    Serious question I reeeeeeeeally would like to have answered: When is the last time that the conservative option was presented as the only realistic option? All I have heard for decades now is how WE have to compromise for the overall betterment of the USA. Now, OUR position is the take it or leave it bill. Everyone else has to swallow hard for the overall good of the party and country. I can not recall the last time this happened.

    Pat is entirely correct to go on a metaphorical jihad to hold the congress critters who voted YEA for this bill 2 years ago to the fire on this. This is the entire story. Full stop. If they follow through as they acted then, the folks who voted GOP last November will be happy to go back to the polls in 2018 for more. If they do not, the GOP as a going concern is in question.

    One of the best things of all: Regardless what happens, the Dems will continue to own the demise of Obamacare. If this vote does occur, there is no way to pin it on the GOP.

    Ed from SFV (3400a5) — 7/17/2017 @ 9:44 pm

  7. slimy torture-turd John McCain calls for Democrat influence in crafting new health care legislation

    “One of the major problems with Obamacare was that it was written on a strict party-line basis and driven through Congress without a single Republican vote. As this law continues to crumble in Arizona and states across the country, we must not repeat the original mistakes that led to Obamacare’s failure. The Congress must now return to regular order, hold hearings, receive input from members of both parties, and heed the recommendations of our nation’s governors so that we can produce a bill that finally provides Americans with access to quality and affordable health care.”

    happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/17/2017 @ 9:59 pm

  8. link

    happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/17/2017 @ 10:00 pm

  9. This is,like futurama’s Dr Farnsworth saying ‘good news everybody’ an impending sign of doom.

    narciso (d1f714) — 7/17/2017 @ 10:09 pm

  10. These critters need to be shipped to a slaughter house – the 2018 elections….

    mg (31009b) — 7/17/2017 @ 10:54 pm

  11. @ Kevin M, #4:

    This has no hope of doing anything but playing to a few conservatives who would rather be right than win.

    Why must I choose only one of the two? Better still, one might think, to be right AND to win.

    Demosthenes (09f714) — 7/17/2017 @ 11:07 pm

  12. Its a little like grouchy wanting to be in the club he didn’t belong to.

    narciso (d1f714) — 7/17/2017 @ 11:14 pm

  13. Good news is right.

    I was hoping it would come to this, but never thought it would.

    I figured McConnell would help the liars cover their tracts. I guess I was wrong.

    ThOR (c9324e) — 7/17/2017 @ 11:22 pm

  14. Why must I choose only one of the two? Better still, one might think, to be right AND to win.

    Good luck with that. You have maybe 7 Senators.

    Kevin M (752a26) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:25 am

  15. Stand alone needs 60 votes who are the 8 democrats?

    vote counter (f600a3) — 7/18/2017 @ 1:05 am

  16. Stand alone needs 50 + VP and a Leader who will reject the absurd filibuster rules.

    Ed from SFV (3400a5) — 7/18/2017 @ 1:42 am

  17. Washington d.c.
    for the greedy
    from the needy
    easy peasy

    mg (31009b) — 7/18/2017 @ 2:51 am

  18. This sounds like Rand Paul’s proposal. And it’s not because Mitch McConnell actually wants this to pass (unless he does, in which case we’ll find out) but in order to go forward to the next step, by at least allowing this strategy to be tested.

    They need to get a break-away Democratic faction (on this issue at least) of 10 to15 members.

    Sammy Finkelman (8b673f) — 7/18/2017 @ 3:51 am

  19. @ Kevin M, #14:

    Good luck with that. You have maybe 7 Senators.

    Per the U.S. Constitution, I only have two. But I’m sure they’ll both vote for this.

    Demosthenes (09f714) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:17 am

  20. Aw, shuck this fit! These so-called Republicans are a stench. They make Trump look straight-talking, trustworthy, and true to his word.

    nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:25 am

  21. They should just shut the f*** up; keep on slurping the government slop in their troughs; stop pretending that they are anything worth spitting on; and just do what Trump tells them, the way the Democrats did what Obama told them.

    nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 6:01 am

  22. Furthermore, what has to be offered to the Dems that break away?

    urbanleftbehind (b43ff7) — 7/18/2017 @ 6:10 am

  23. Their mouthes,would lock and they would be like avoxes in the hunger games

    narciso (181de5) — 7/18/2017 @ 6:22 am

  24. All this because Roberts read a bunch of editorials about his “legacy” and didn’t have the stones to just tell the Congress “You’ve argued it isn’t a tax, it’s a tax.”

    harkin (536957) — 7/18/2017 @ 6:32 am

  25. Well there is that in addition to the democrats blackmailing bribing and getting goo senator or two through fraudulent election and or conviction

    narciso (181de5) — 7/18/2017 @ 6:49 am

  26. Happy, McCain will go enhanced cyborg and run under the Dem banner in 2020. Possibly Kasich and even your favorite mormo-perv. That how bad the bench is and still will be.

    urbanleftbehind (b43ff7) — 7/18/2017 @ 7:04 am

  27. It remains to be seen if McConnell has a majority vote to open debate on Ryan’s AHCA bill and substitute H.R. 3762: Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 last passed Jan 6, 2016 and vetoed y Obama 2 days later. If he does have a majority willing to proceed the substitute would:

    Repeal [only key parts of] Obamacare —  The Republicans’ bill, Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015, doesn’t actually repeal Obamacare in its entirety. Instead it goes after some of the key features of Obamacare that are necessary to make the whole system work. It would have:

    – Restricted the federal government from operating health care exchanges
    – Phased out funding for subsidies to help lower and middle-income individuals afford insurance through the health care exchanges
    – Eliminated tax penalties for individuals who do not purchase health insurance and employers with 50 or more employees who do not provide insurance plans
    – Eliminated taxes on medical devices and the so-called “Cadillac tax” on the most expensive health care plans
    – Phased out an expansion of Medicaid over a two-year period- Ended federal funding to Planned Parenthood —  The bill would also end federal funding of Planned Parenthood for one year by prohibiting Medicaid reimbursements for Planned Parenthood services. Instead, the bill would increase funding for a community health program.

    Federal funding for Planned Parenthood supports its reproductive health, maternal health, and child health services — but not its abortion services or the subsequent transfer of fetal tissue that may follow, which are what brought the organization into focus last year. Existing law prohibits federal funds from being used for abortions, and the bill also does not address the organization’s practices regarding fetal tissue, which were made legal in 1993.

    crazy (11d38b) — 7/18/2017 @ 7:04 am

  28. an errant keystroke posted @27 early.

    McConnell doesn’t bring legislation to the floor without being confident on the outcome so deciphering whether he wants this 2015 partial repeal approach to succeed or fail remains to be seen. After all, every key point is radioactive to one part or another of the republican caucus.

    crazy (11d38b) — 7/18/2017 @ 7:14 am

  29. which 3 are the replacements

    why coh (783798) — 7/18/2017 @ 7:55 am

  30. The 52 yeas on passage included Rs Coats, Sessions and Vitter who were replaced by Rs Young, Strange and Kennedy. The 2 nays were Rs Collins and Kirk (replaced by D-IL Duckworth).

    crazy (11d38b) — 7/18/2017 @ 8:34 am

  31. I don’t join in our host’s apparent glee over spectacular failure.

    Beldar (fa637a) — 7/18/2017 @ 9:02 am

  32. If we had Wolfe and the fellow from Mississippi, we would make more progress.

    narciso (d1f714) — 7/18/2017 @ 9:06 am

  33. Someone once said the Republicans claim government is the problem, then get elected and prove it. I’d join our host and donate to anyone primarying the ones who vote no on repeal.

    On a somewhat related note, part of the GOP bench is, um, interesting:

    http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2017/07/is-the-senate-about-to-become-more-diverse.php

    Lenny (5ea732) — 7/18/2017 @ 9:11 am

  34. 22 urbanleftbehind (b43ff7) — 7/18/2017 @ 6:10 am

    .Furthermore, what has to be offered to the Dems that break away?

    Votes on some bills that they want, the opportunity to affect legislation, appropriations and earmarks, agreement not to pass some bills, but above all, campaign help and positions on committees if there is any retaliation,

    Possibly an attractive bill might be something like advance refundable dollar for dollar tax credits for campaign contributions – which could be limited by any limitations they want.

    There is break-away Democratic caucus in the New York State Senate.

    Sammy Finkelman (679aea) — 7/18/2017 @ 9:56 am

  35. Lenny, Dwayne the Rock Johnson is a “conservative-except-when-the-Dem-is-part_black_and_raised_with_pacific_Island_influences_like_me”, of course as I said at post #26, the Dems are NBA Eastern Conference desperate and might pitch some objectionable planks to line up behind a bridge candidate.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 7/18/2017 @ 10:03 am

  36. Mr. The Rock had a very interesting divorce that really at least to me speaks very well of him

    happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 10:06 am

  37. Nars and the rest of the South Florida bureau would have been wise to get on them sloppy seconds, though, HF

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 7/18/2017 @ 10:09 am

  38. yes yes the pompatus of love favors the bold for sure

    happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 10:12 am

  39. Senator Schumer knows that they have to do something, because there are certain places now – not many, but still some – that won’t have any exchange policies available in 2018, which means people living there won’t be eligible for Obamacare subsidies under current law. Also the continuation of subsidies for insurance companies I problematical under the law. Schumer will try to hide the urgency of the problem.

    Sammy Finkelman (679aea) — 7/18/2017 @ 10:13 am

  40. They will surely do whatever they believe gives them the best chance at re-election, but make no mistake – they not only fear an angry base, they fear a relentless MSM trotting out all sorts of heartbreak cases from people the “GOP is trying to kill”.

    Hopefully they’ll counter with commercials that ask American taxpayers if they really want to spend up to a quarter of their take-home pay for the “right” to beg a doctor they didn’t choose to wait UK/Canadian-level delay times to perform a surgery they could have scheduled a week out just a few years ago.

    But that was before Obama decided the clearest path to destroying private health insurance was not to improve anything but instead make everyone miserable.

    harkin (536957) — 7/18/2017 @ 10:13 am

  41. speaking of the love pompatus i missed this a couple weeks ago

    Dixie Chicks Singer Natalie Maines Files for Divorce From Adrian Pasdar After 17 Years of Marriage

    they have two kids together

    happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 10:16 am

  42. When you perceive a challenge as insurmountable, you feel progress from nibbling at the edges..inch by inch is a cinch, but yard by yard: very hard. The longer ACA is operational, the harder it will be to unravel. You should have stopped Social Security decades ago. Oh wait! It wasn’t for lack of trying..

    Ben burn (b3d5ab) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:08 pm


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