You Want to Know Who to Blame If ObamaCare Is Not Repealed? I’ll Tell You Who
First, let’s start by talking about who won’t be to blame: Senators Mike Lee or Rand Paul. Last night Brit Hume of Fox News tweeted this:
Mike Lee now says he'll vote no on the Senate GOP Healthcare bill, joining Rand Paul in in acting to let Obamacare stand.
— Brit Hume (@brithume) July 18, 2017
I have been a fan of Brit Hume’s for years. But I find it astounding that Hume criticized only people like Senators Lee and Paul, who actually would repeal ObamaCare entirely if given the opportunity. If there were 535 Mike Lees in Congress, ObamaCare would have been repealed in January. Where, I wondered, was the criticism of those who voted to repeal in 2015 — but won’t now? Why blame the fiercest opponents of ObamaCare, and give a total pass to people who hypocritically voted for repeal in 2015 only because they knew Obama would veto it?
Let’s review: in 2015, there was a bill sent to Obama’s desk called the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015. It didn’t repeal every aspect of ObamaCare, but it did a lot. Exchanges: gone. Subsidies: phased out. Penalty for not getting health insurance or providing it to your employees: gone. “Cadillac tax”: gone. Medicaid expansion: phased out.
Rather than the tinkering we have seen recently, this was a real move towards repeal. It passed the Senate 52-47. But, of course, it was vetoed by Obama — and the people who voted for it knew it would be.
Now, we have a President in office who has said he would sign such a bill. Rand Paul introduced a version in January. But his bill has been stalled in committee for half a year, while Republicans have spun their wheels trying to install a big-government replacement. For the most part, their efforts have resulted in bills that would put the GOP stamp of approval on the basic structure of ObamaCare.
Why hasn’t the GOP passed the 2015 bill? Clearly, because there are people who voted for a repeal bill in 2015 who never intended that bill to become law. Yet nobody in the media has been asking who these people are. And (until now), leadership has not forced the issue.
So when the news first broke last night that the latest repeal effort was dead, I raged at the leadership and the media, for hiding the identities of those people. If I had a full-time job in Big Media (ugh), I would track down everyone who voted for the 2015 ObamaCare repeal bill to see if they’ll still vote for it.
But it seems Big Media may not have to do the work. Mitch McConnell may do it for them. Events have move quickly since Mike Lee made his announcement last night — and as reported by Joe Cunningham, Mitch McConnell has announced that some version of the 2015 bill is going to be put to a vote:
My statement on an upcoming vote to repeal #Obamacare pic.twitter.com/RdyDiUJfMD
— Leader McConnell (@SenateMajLdr) July 18, 2017
Hallelujah! This is fantastic.
If the GOP is not full of hypocrites, the bill will pass. Of the 52 people who voted for the 2015 bill, 48 are still in the Senate. (Susan Collins voted against it.) Of the four Republicans who voted for that bill in 2015 and are now gone from the Senate, three have been replaced by Republicans — Sen. Coats (replaced by Republican Todd Young), Sen. Sessions (replaced by Republican Luther Strange), and Sen. Vitter (replaced by Republican John Kennedy).
As long as those three are on board — and long as none of the 48 change their vote, the 2015 bill will easily pass again, with 51 votes.
Now, I heard you laugh when you read that phrase “[i]f the GOP is not full of hypocrites.” That’s OK. I laughed while writing it. I am frankly stunned that McConnell is bringing some version of the 2015 bill to a vote, because I think the GOP is indeed full of hypocrites. And those hypocrites don’t want to be put in the position of voting against a bill they don’t like, but voted for in 2015 because they knew it would never become law. I predict there will be a lot of pressure on McConnell to reverse course and not put the 2015 bill to a vote.
But if he does, we’ll know exactly whom to blame.
Here’s my question: if Mike Lee and Rand Paul vote for repeal, and some other senator or senators change their vote from 2015 and vote against ObamaCare repeal . . .
. . . will Brit Hume still blame Mike Lee and Rand Paul?
[Cross-posted at RedState and The Jury Talks Back.]
Not a surprise Hume alongvwotj Krauthammer are on the establishment Caucasus along with podhoretz Rubin
narciso (d1f714) — 7/18/2017 @ 9:25 amYes he will. Hume hates us deplorable voters.
mg (31009b) — 7/18/2017 @ 9:26 amRoger Simon rebuts.
https://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2017/07/17/obamacare-survives-thanks-to-republican-moral-narcissism/
Kevin M (752a26) — 7/18/2017 @ 9:34 amThe GOP has never been the Conservative Party, and never will be. It has a conservative caucus, never more than about 20% of House members.
I am old enough to have gone through this several times (Reagan, Gingrich, W) where FINALLY we were going to SET THINGS RIGHT. And I have learned that insisting on all usually gets you none.
Apparently this lesson needs to be taught again.
Kevin M (752a26) — 7/18/2017 @ 9:41 amslimy cowardly torture-turd John McCain’s new line is that senators are supposed to defer to the governors of their state on healthcare policy
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 9:44 amCorrupt skeezer Lisa Murkowski is just typical welfare-grubbing alaska-trash. Alaska being the world’s largest trailer park.
But does it shock you guys to know the other two bimbos are both dues-paying members of slimy torture-turd John McCain’s soros-funded Republican Main Street organization?
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 9:58 amMcConnell surprised me last year by blocking Garland’s candidacy for SCOTUS. If he’s considering stepping down, he may not care about the pressure. As for the rank and file, they’re already scheming how to avoid the blame when Obamacare draws its final breath.
Lenny (5ea732) — 7/18/2017 @ 10:05 amEven if McConnell does bring it to a vote, the democrats will filibuster to protect the RINOs.
ay (7b1435) — 7/18/2017 @ 10:19 amIt’s already dead
ay (7b1435) — 7/18/2017 @ 10:24 am5-HF, if that’s the case can we go back to appointed U.S. Senators (repeal of the 17th Amendment)?
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 7/18/2017 @ 10:42 amthe senate hasn’t added value in decades – i think maybe a unicameral system might be a good way to save money and flush a bunch of turds out of the system
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 10:44 ami’ll write up a proposal
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 11:10 am12, cool – but make the unicameral house have thresholds of lower than 750,000 per district, maybe 450 – 500K. Some poster on another thread raised a stink about that.
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 7/18/2017 @ 11:13 amnot a problem
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 11:25 am“Sean Spicier @sean_spicier
The President has asked Obama to take over for a few days so Senator Portman can find his juevos long enough to repeal ObamaCare
harkin (536957) — 7/18/2017 @ 11:27 am11:20 AM · Jul 18, 2017“
Respect for Spicer for not using the right-wing gringo standby cojones and using the colloquial guey-cabron kitchen/worksite huevos instead
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 7/18/2017 @ 11:35 amNot Spicer, Spicier.
As he says on his twitter acct:
“Sean Spicier
@sean_spicier
I’m not him although @YahooStyle @UnivisionNews @BillKristol @gatewaypundit @bizpacreview & @HuffingtonPost think I am
Moscow
harkin (536957) — 7/18/2017 @ 11:44 am1,941 Following 79,112 Followers”
Agree with McConnell forcing the vote–make the RINOs own it.
M Scott Eiland (1edade) — 7/18/2017 @ 11:46 amWell, whatevs, but in this day and age, I’ll take it.
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 7/18/2017 @ 11:52 amA lady was talking to Rush today about how Wal Mart could run healthcare better than the status quo. So I started thinking, why couldn’t Amazon run it?
I need this mole on my arm gone. Log into Patterico, click on thru to Amazon. Search dermatologists in my zip code. 20 fulfillment providers.
The first guy wants $450 and has three one star reviews. Scrolling down I see a guy 10 miles away with 15 five star reviews and I can pay $215. Add to cart.
Expected delivery Friday July 21 2:00 PM.
I get to the office and Amazon checks me in. I leave and pay pal takes care of the rest.
I get an email confirming payment and asking me to rate Dr Achmed and associates.
Pinandpuller (5a1b7f) — 7/18/2017 @ 11:53 amAnyone else think Don’s quote:
“We’ll just let Obamacare fail. We’re not going to own it.”
Is very unfortunate?
Why even say he’ll “let” it fail? It’s failing horribly everywhere. Saying “let” implies control over whether it succeeds or fails. It’s already failed, period-point blank.
Better to say it’s already failed, that trying to tweak it will only make it worse, and introduce free market solutions to turn back what Chairman Zero hath wrought.
I’m guessing that quote will be front & center in the mid-term campaigns.
harkin (536957) — 7/18/2017 @ 11:53 amIt used to be you didn’t know the price of the car you were buying, just the payment. Unless you bought it outright.
Times changed. Time to look at the MedFax.
Pinandpuller (5a1b7f) — 7/18/2017 @ 11:58 am21, yup and then there was some guy in the blog in another post that said “prices should be transparent like veterinary care”. Next you’ll see some too-young-for-medicare upper middle aged harridan saying “I already eat Cat Food for dinner, so why the hell, not”?
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:01 pmHardin
Oh look, DJT just declared another bankruptcy.
NeverTrump spin.
Pinandpuller (5a1b7f) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:01 pm“I need this mole on my arm gone. Log into Patterico, click on thru to Amazon. Search dermatologists in my zip code. 20 fulfillment providers…”
“Frequently bought together:
Excision biopsy”
harkin (536957) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:01 pmPutting down grandma today?
Pinandpuller (5a1b7f) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:03 pmSorry harkin-autocorrect.
Pinandpuller (5a1b7f) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:04 pm@pinandpuller, harkin:So I started thinking, why couldn’t Amazon run it?
Rent-seeking from the AMA cartel. We have to protect the public right? Otherwise people might get health care from con men and quacks.
Frederick (64d4e1) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:06 pm21, “yup and then there was some guy in the blog in another post that said “prices should be transparent like veterinary care”.
As long as you get an itemized bill, which you should, all prices are transparent. That’s why people know they were given a $30 Tylenol or a $150 pillow but didn’t squawk too much cause before Obamacare it was covered.
And it isn’t transparency that keeps prices low, it’s the fact veterinary (and cosmetic surgery which you conveniently left out) aren’t subsidized, which drive prices through the roof (and which Obamacare was designed to exploit on the way to single payer misery for all).
harkin (536957) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:12 pmIf a Hooter’s waitress can afford an upgrade perhaps she can also afford routine maintenance.
The cost of implants has really come down, yes? It’s on every fifth billboard around here.
Pinandpuller (5a1b7f) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:20 pmThe vintage bouquet of conservative whine; sour grapes ferments bitter dregs.
______
Today’s Beldar the Bitter ‘Watergate, Watergate, Watergate’ Words of Wonder:
“It was the system that has brought the facts to light and that will bring those guilty to justice—a system that in this case has included a determined grand jury, honest prosecutors, a courageous judge, John Sirica, and a vigorous free press.”- President Nixon announcing the ‘resignations’ of top aides John Ehrlichman and Bob Haldeman, counsel John Dean and Attorney General Richard Kleindeinst, first televised Watergate speech, April 30, 1973
DCSCA (9d1bb3) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:21 pm@30. The cost of implants has really come down, yes? It’s on every fifth billboard around here.
Odd number. Even would be more… symmetrical, if not eye-pleasing.
DCSCA (9d1bb3) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:25 pmI didn’t leave it out, I was thinking with the mind of a political consultant if a poltician stated or “gifted” the same line. Don’t presume for me my views or an agenda behind them because I didn’t add “and cosmetic care”. Neglected or forget to mention is a far better qualifier than “conveniently left out”.
urbanleftbehind (1f51b5) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:28 pm3 GOP women were left out of the Senate’s Obamacare repeal effort. They just tanked it.
“It’s the ‘revenge of the GOP women,’ Associated Press congressional reporter Alan Fram pointed out, as it became apparent that Republicans would soon have no choice but to throw in the towel on their Obamacare repeal efforts.”
“By Tuesday afternoon, three Republican senators — all women — had come out against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s plan to push a vote on a clean Obamacare repeal bill — enough to sink it altogether. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) confirmed they would not vote for a repeal bill that delayed enacting the policy by two years.”
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/7/18/15991020/3-gop-women-tank-obamacare-repeal
DCSCA (9d1bb3) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:35 pmDCSCA
You got any Top 40 or are you reformatted to Oldies?
Pinandpuller (5a1b7f) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:44 pmNo more appropriate abbreviations than ME! And AK!
Pinandpuller (5a1b7f) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:52 pmThose three look like a Bizarro finale for Mama Mia!
Pinandpuller (5a1b7f) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:55 pmplease to explain, AP fake news propaganda slut Alan Fram
what exactly is it these low-rent senate bimbos are avenging?
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 12:56 pmSen Murkowski AKA Horseface Killah
Pinandpuller (5a1b7f) — 7/18/2017 @ 1:05 pmI thought Fram made air filters.
Pinandpuller (5a1b7f) — 7/18/2017 @ 1:08 pmDCSCA
I got a call today from 800-555-****.
Did you try to call me from a movie?
Pinandpuller (5a1b7f) — 7/18/2017 @ 1:12 pmSo simple, even a caveman can do it. Unfortunately, we’re stuck with the GOP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E29LD98ruo
Lenny (5ea732) — 7/18/2017 @ 1:45 pm‘is indeed full of hypocrites’
Of course they are but maybe, just maybe, they’ll be too ashamed to admit it.
SteveD (4d28b8) — 7/18/2017 @ 1:54 pmhttp://freebeacon.com/politics/cnn-commentator-marc-lamont-hill-praises-convicted-cop-murderer-twitter/
They really are the enemy.
NJRob (89e61d) — 7/18/2017 @ 2:07 pm@35,36,37,38,39,40&41. Whine and cheese party, eh PP.
“3,2,1, retrofire.” – “Marooned” 1969
DCSCA (797bc0) — 7/18/2017 @ 2:08 pmexcuse me you accidentally included one of my comments
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 2:21 pm@46. Oops. “Have a Coke and a smile.”
=belch= “Pardon me.” – Nixon/Ford joke, popculture, circa 1974
DCSCA (797bc0) — 7/18/2017 @ 2:27 pmthis is unbelievable
the top 11 most-popular governors are all Rs
note that the apple of torture-turd John McCain’s eye isn’t one of them though – sleazy low class welfare-loving Arizona governor Doug Ducey only scores a 48% approval – i guess this is why he wants to hook more arizonatrash on dat yummy welfare
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 2:46 pmLatest Trump tweets (all on Obamacare) \
All times Paacific Time = 3 hours later Eastern time
Sammy Finkelman (02a146) — 7/18/2017 @ 2:47 pmOn Friday he had:
It looks like he doesn’t even understand what’s going on, and what he does understand, he oversimplifies.
Sammy Finkelman (02a146) — 7/18/2017 @ 2:57 pmoh he understands it six ways to sunday Mr. Finklelman you can count on that for sure
he’s not in an enviable position, having to rely on cowardly low class Republican senate clowntrash to advance his agenda
but I’m praying for him
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 3:01 pmLord please to let good President Trump do Thy Will all up in it, and please to smite the evil devil-loving Rs like poopstain John McCain who stand in his way.
Lead us not into privation but deliver us from that goddamn obamacare thank you kindly.
Amen
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 3:06 pmThis is a moment when I would rather we have a parliamentary system. If the government fails a vote, it falls. New elections within two months.
We are utterly beholden to sclerotic representation.
I severely doubt McConnell will force a floor vote to identify the wicked. But, I am delighting in the possibility.
Ed from SFV (3400a5) — 7/18/2017 @ 3:09 pmFrom Morning Jolt:
I don’t see ow any of that is a problem. If they can’t figure out how to do that, Congress can’t fight its way ouyt of a paper bag.
It’s simple: Pay all premiums or deductibles (I think it is better for policies to differ on the deductibel rather than the premium) above a certain amount.
To prevent insurance companies from just overcharging, charge them a fee of 5% or whatever plus the premium for anyone they put into a high risk pool – then auction off the reinsurance to the lowest bidder.
Don’t mandate insurance – that only results in wasteful spending.
You can reduce Medicaid costs by just by keeping people out of nursing homes alone. Instead of nursing homes, pay the person or family X amount of dollars for home care. Eliminate taxes and minimum wages but demand people get paid on time.
There is only one problem: it will tend to increase the federal budget, and probably the deficit, and the Congressional Budget Office will not be able to estimate this with even an approximation of accuracy. So… Just ignore the CBO. Make the test reality. You can have automaticf tax increases or reductions.
Now what I just said does nothing about medical costs and competition. For this we need:
A doughnut hole plus the ability of anyone to fill it maybe by paying for it with an increase in the standard retirement age for that person for up to a maximum of three years. No it won’t cover the actual costs it but it is an incentive not to spend too much.
Run everything through HSAs – in fact two or three of them. One that can be used for insurance premiums and one not.
We need legislation that gives people quick and very cheap or free access to their health records, and an end to surprise billing. Also, an end to list price inflation. List price must equal the 15th percentile.
To avoid people just saving money, some money not used may disappear, but there is two years to use it and it may be coonverted into medical gift cards or pay someone else’s bill.
DON’T pay for regular “wellness” appointments in most insurance policies, but DO pay for unschdulked appointments. Promote concierge medica for primary care doctor. A person should be able to buy a decent health care policy for the cost of the refundable tyax credit. And abolis Medicaid and all its forms.
Pay for some things off the top like kidney dialysis is paid for. Including much medicakl education. and office costs up to a certain percentile.
This is not all that difficult.
Sammy Finkelman (02a146) — 7/18/2017 @ 3:24 pm53. Ed from SFV (3400a5) — 7/18/2017 @ 3:09 pm
That’s easy. If news reports don’t tell you, count as no anyone who doesn’t announce he or she is for it.
Sammy Finkelman (02a146) — 7/18/2017 @ 3:25 pm51. happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 3:01 pm
Sammy Finkelman (02a146) — 7/18/2017 @ 3:26 pmhe’s like the wind through my tree
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 3:29 pm“Don’t presume for me my views or an agenda behind them because I didn’t add “and cosmetic care”. Neglected or forget to mention is a far better qualifier than “conveniently left out”.
I felt you were indirectly quoting me and at the same time completely butchering my point to (intentionally or not) make your little joke.
In doggie talk, You got swatted with a rolled-up newspaper for dropping a deuce in the dining room.
harkin (536957) — 7/18/2017 @ 3:34 pmTake your chances with a pit bull born and raised in Chicago, we don’t respect Pavlov. Ypure having a paranoia episode like I had with Hoagie my first few months in.
urbanleftbehind (0f77cd) — 7/18/2017 @ 3:45 pmconservative republicans should repeal obama care. to let the american people know they mean it when they say their is no right to health care. just as their is no right to life. both are privileges that can be taken away at any time.
rights vs privileges (0110d6) — 7/18/2017 @ 3:59 pm…Sen. Coats (replaced by Republican Todd Young), Sen. Sessions (replaced by Republican Luther Strange), and Sen. Vitter (replaced by Republican John Kennedy). As long as those three are on board — and long as none of the 48 change their vote, the 2015 bill will easily pass again, with 51 votes.
“By Tuesday afternoon, three Republican senators — all women — had come out against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s plan to push a vote on a clean Obamacare repeal bill — enough to sink it altogether. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) confirmed they would not vote for a repeal bill that delayed enacting the policy by two years.”
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/7/18/15991020/3-gop-women-tank-obamacare-repeal
“It’s dead, Jim.” – Dr. Leonard McCoy [DeForest Kelley] almost any classic ‘Star Trek’ NBC TV, 1966-69
DCSCA (797bc0) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:03 pmWhen 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 @ 4:11 pm“We’re not gonna own it..”
I predict when the going gets tough, the Donald will walk away from the WH without a backward glance.
Ben burn (b3d5ab) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:13 pmHe’ll leave us holding the Pottery Barn shards..
Ben burn (b3d5ab) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:14 pmJust 12 percent of Americans living in the counties that fueled Donald Trump’s win in the 2016 presidential election support the Republican Party’s efforts on health care, according to results from the NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll of these “Trump counties..
Fake NEWS breaking…Trump tail continues to war US dog.
Ben burn (b3d5ab) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:17 pmOur host wrote, in his previous post:
Those who’ve renounced the GOP have no legitimacy when they try to determine who GOP candidates should be. Oh, they have their First Amendment rights, confirmed by GOP-nominated SCOTUS Justices, to make political contributions as they wish. Depending on their state, they may be able to cast “spoiler votes” in GOP primaries without registering as a Republican. Or they may just register dishonestly.
But those who have renounced the GOP have no legitimacy in trying to select its candidates, including trying to unseat incumbents in primaries.
I don’t think anything that happened yesterday or today is anything remotely approaching “good news.” I think it’s a catastrophe that will hand the Dems the House in 2018.
Beldar (fa637a) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:18 pmWag US dog…
Ben burn (b3d5ab) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:18 pm@62 say you should have stopped social security decades ago. the problem is like this. the arab countries could probably get a rocket or two thru to hit tel aviv. even though they want to do it they don’t because of what happens next.
rights vs privileges (0110d6) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:21 pmI don’t think anything that happened yesterday or today is anything remotely approaching “good news.” I think it’s a catastrophe that will hand the Dems the House in 2018.
A cynical person might speculate that this is the goal of the people who paint repeal of Obamacare as a “do or die” issue for Republicans.
nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:31 pm@63. I predict when the going gets tough, the Donald will walk away from the WH without a backward glance.
You may not have seen his medical records but you’ve seen the bulk of his bulk when he takes a walk. Similar to a Tim Russert-type. Won’t be surprised some morning to wake up and hear he’s found face down in a slice of warm cherry pie between two melting scoops of French vanilla in or out of office.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:34 pmi agree it was very revealing
slimy torture-turd coward John McCain and his soros-funded Republican Main Street bimbos aren’t even pretending anymore
they hate you as much as the democrats do
maybe more
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:34 pmThey do seem vapor-locked into repeal obsessive-compulsive ADHD bi-polarism
Ben burn (b3d5ab) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:37 pmAnother person might think about seeds of discord and grapes of wrath. The Republicans used Obamacare as one of the focal points of Obama hatred to whip up the base and now they’re in danger of seeing that hatred turned back on them.
nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:38 pmBefore I could look away I glanced at a pic of Trump in tennis shorts.
His eating habits and exercise regimen seems to mock God.
Ben burn (b3d5ab) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:39 pmSow the wind, reap the whirlwind..some book in the Bible.
Ben burn (b3d5ab) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:42 pmobamacare is the product of harvardtrash p.o.s. Barack Obama and a blackmailed harvardtrash pervert named John Roberts
distilled to its essence it’s nothing less than a vicious violent rape of freedom and prosperity of a sort that would make Emma Sulkowicz blush with the abject shame of her false accusations
and sleazy cowardly torture-turd John McCain and his damp and unlovely bimbos, they want to keep it
they want that rape perpetrated on you and your loved ones for all eternity, viciously, violently, irrevocable
it is a time for choosing
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:44 pmDonald trump seems to be swinging back and forth between saying they will have t work woith the Democrats to the republicans should abolish the filibuster rule.
Meanwhile a Senate commmittee will now hold hearings on stablising the individual market.
Sammy Finkelman (02a146) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:44 pm73
kishnevi (fb4c79) — 7/18/2017 @ 4:45 pmLike Stapleton being chased into the Grimpen Mire by the Hound….
And Mike Lee and Rand Paul remind me of that time my four-year old threw a tantrum because I couldn’t cut through three lanes of traffic and a foot of new-fallen snow in the middle of a Chicago blizzard to get her a McDonald’s Happy Meal “Now!”.
nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:02 pmP.T. BARNUM…pitchman for the freak show..http://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/18/trump-to-pitch-gop-senators-one-more-time-to-repeal-obamacare-240696
Ben burn (b3d5ab) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:09 pmby the time Rand Paul got all “signature issue” the charade was already in plain view and i guess if he could become a viable presidential candidate, that would be good for America, plus i like that he’s junior senator to the corrupt and useless majority leader whose number one priority full stop is keeping his pig wife in a cushy pension-piggy cabinet gig
Mike Lee’s just a useless, weird, neanderthal-looking dorkwad
i have no idea who put a quarter in him
maybe he just hasn’t been sleeping well
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:10 pmThe guy challenging the incumbent in the Democratic primary in the 5th Congressional District, his signature issue is universal healthcare and his hero is Bernie Sanders.
nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:16 pmJust askin..any Trump supporters find offense when Leftists critique congresscritters you loathe?
Ben burn (b3d5ab) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:17 pmThat’s the Illinois 5th Congressional District.
nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:18 pmLurpak, a Danish butter – is gosh darn delicious on popcorn.
mg (31009b) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:27 pm81. Mike Lee’s just a useless, weird, neanderthal-looking dorkwad
That’s harsh. More a sycophantic Boo-Boo to Tedtoo’s Yogi.
“I dunno, Yogi…”- Boo-Boo Bear, ‘Yogi Bear’ cartoons, Hanna-Barbera Productions, 1958
DCSCA (797bc0) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:34 pmit’s 22.07 for 8 ounces on jet.com
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:35 pmMike Lee’s just a useless, weird, neanderthal-looking dorkwad
And just to think we could have had Misty Snow.
nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:35 pmdo you get salted or unsalted
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:35 pmoh good lord now there’s mormon trannies?
that’s some end times sh!t right there
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:37 pmby the time Rand Paul got all “signature issue” the charade was already in plain view
The Pauls, Ron and Rand, don’t have signature issues. They only whine about other people’s. And they get nothing signed, except pork for their constituencies.
nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:39 pmRon’s signature issue is basically racism i thought
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:40 pmNk, who…Guzzardi?
urbanleftbehind (77d70b) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:41 pmoh good lord now there’s mormon trannies?
Where better? When you’ve got forty or fifty wives, would you even have leisure to notice?
nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:42 pmsalted.
mg (31009b) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:42 pmhttps://www.walmart.com/ip/Danish-Lurpak-Butter-Unsalted/190147290?wmlspartner=wmtlabs&adid=22222222222044874199&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=o&wl2=c&wl3=10374254580&wl4=kwd-1105721510390&wl12=190147290_10000000279&wl14=lurpak%20butter&veh=sem
mg (31009b) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:44 pmit’s so desperately, achingly tragic how slimy, cowardly torture-turd John McCain corrupts these poor empty-headed bimbos by luring them into his sick anti-american Republican Main Street cult
and he just had his vietnam brain-chip surgically replaced
so this is never going to stop
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:45 pmSomebody named Benjamin Wolf, ulb. He’s been spamming me. For the “O” in his name, he’s got the Obama logo with a white wolf silhouette superimposed on it.
nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:45 pmthat’s good except for the $18 shipping
weird though… jet and walmart are the same company now
i’ll look downtown but i don’t shop at ho fooz anymore
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:47 pmThere are a lot more Republican voters on Obamacare, food stamps, welfare and other types of government largesse in West Virginia than there are any other kind of voters. They might have remained Democrat voters but George Wallace did not leave a legacy, so Reagan adopted them into the GOP.
nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:50 pmIt’s only been eight months and you’ve already forgotten who got Trump elected? It wasn’t people who wanted an end to government handouts. It was people who wanted more of them for themselves.
nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:54 pmwell someone should have a talk with them
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 5:57 pmWhen are the food stamp cuts coming up for a vote? That’s when the outhouse will hit the windmill. Maybe literally, because it will affect the farmers just as much as it will the recipients.
nk (dbc370) — 7/18/2017 @ 6:03 pmSen.Jerry Moran of the Koch brothers was seen jumping the train tracks fleeing reporters asking questions on why the failure on health care. These bought and paid for hacks are really something.
mg (31009b) — 7/18/2017 @ 6:05 pmhe is so good
he’s helping America, helping her hold on to her soul
President Trump!
i just can’t get over how lucky we got that he’s our president
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 6:07 pm20, 25, 28 . re: Amazon running healthcare
Don’t laugh. Amazon Prime does more for northern food security than federal subsidies, say Iqaluit residents
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/iqaluit-amazon-prime-1.4193665
Lenny (5ea732) — 7/18/2017 @ 6:09 pmTo be fair, though, the Senate bills were all terrible, and just got more terribler as things went on.
Even straight repeal is terrible as the people you are apparently trying to help could be devastated by a year without an insurance market.
This whole political process has been driven by the aloofness of the 90% of Americans who were (intentionally) exempted from this clusterfukk. Not being involved, folks on the Left and Right engaged in an ideological contest while the actual victims — the self-employed and early-retired — were being charged double and triple for the risks brought to the system by deadbeats.
Kevin M (752a26) — 7/18/2017 @ 6:29 pmIt’s only been eight months and you’ve already forgotten who got Trump elected? It wasn’t people who wanted an end to government handouts. It was people who wanted more of them for themselves.
Pretty much par for the course. Even the taxpayers who want less government want to pay less tax.
Kevin M (752a26) — 7/18/2017 @ 6:31 pmRepublican Politicians
Are big on family
But lately some of these d-bags
Have disappointed others and me
I guess it’s because
They changed all their fixed positions
And Lordy, they went and broke all their
GOP traditions
We get on them, want to know
Hey, why do you drink?
Hey, why do you snort coke?
Why do you abandon all The People who vote?
Over and over
Let me make a future prediction
If Paul’s dethroned we’re just carrying on an old
GOP tradition
We are very proud
Of Abraham Lincoln’s name
Even though his funny neckbeard
And ours ain’t exactly the same
Stop and think it over
Give yourself extreme rendition
If they break their pledge, jump off that ledge it’s a
GOP tradition
So don’t ask them
Hey, why do you drink?
Hey, why do you smoke dope?
Why do you pander for people who vote?
If you’re debating on the house floor
Some dem questions your conviction
Say leave me alone, catheter all night long
It’s a GOP tradition
Lordy! We hate Roe verses Wade
And we hate the Kennedys
And both of them tried to kill me in 1973
The doctor looked me over
Said son you’re in breech position
I said leave me alone my mom is taking me home it’s a
GOP tradition
So don’t ask them
Hey, why do you drink?
Hey, why do you blow smoke?
Why don’t you live by the laws that you wrote?
Stop and Mueller it over
Put yourself in John McCain’s condition
If you get boned and work all night long it’s a
GOP tradition
Pinandpuller (056f45) — 7/18/2017 @ 6:56 pmThis cause is lost, but it has been lost for a long time.
It was lost when the liberals successfully equated the term “health care” with “health insurance”, and led the march to enshrine the “right” to health care as part of the constitution.
When they won that battle, they placed the provision of health care treatment on the backs of taxpayers, and the only remaining issue was a matter of degree. Since then, they have attempted — successfully — to continually expand that portion of the population who can turn to the government to cover the cost of their health care services.
Health insurance, as a business, was started down the path to extinction when the companies lost control of the cost side of their risk/premium models. Once government regulators started making determinations of the types of services that must be covered, the companies lost control of 1/2 of their product, and had no choice but to bring their financials back into balance by increasing premiums and deductibles.
Individual plans have been, for the most part, unaffordable for average families for a decade or more. But the assault was aimed more at the group health insurance plans offered by employers. If the cost of such plans could be ratcheted up to unaffordable levels for the employers, the would drop group health insurance as benefit of employment.
IMO that was one of the two main objectives of Obamacare — to make group health plans more and more expensive, finally reaching a price point where employers would make the financial decision to quit offering such plans and pay the tax penalty as the lesser of two evils.
The second object of Obamacare was to simply make the business of offering health insurance unprofitable. The mechanism for that was the requirement that they cover pre-existing conditions — basically the equivalent of them requiring car insurers to offer insurance coverage to uninsured drivers AFTER they have had an accident — and dictating the types of medical services that each plan must offer.
To meet those two requirements, premiums have skyrocketed, deductibles have exploded, and with declining enrollments as a result, insurers have simply pulled out of markets.
As more and more people have been left without insurance options as a combination of these two main objectives, they have no choice but to turn to the government to provide for their health care needs.
What is killing reform efforts more than anything IMO is the parts of Obamacare that gave states the option to expand their Medicaid programs in order to medical care for uninsured individuals. Obamacare expanded the eligibility requirements in order to bring millions of more people under Medicaid in the states that chose that option. Obamacare provided that the Fed. Gov’t would cover 100% of the costs of that expansion — in other words, all the health care costs of those newly covered by Medicaid would be paid to the states by the Feds, as opposed to the cost-sharing as is normally the case under Medicaid (about 60-40, I think). So under Obamacare the Feds subsidize the 40% state share on the expanded enrollment. Obamacare provides that the subsidy is to decline over time, eventually reach the same 60-40 sharing that applied to Medicaid before Obamacare.
But a repeal of Obamacare puts GOP governors in states that expanded Medicaid — like John Kasich in Ohio — in the position of either having to kick off Medicaid all the new enrollees under the expanded eligibility provisions, or keeping them on Medicaid while losing the 40% subsidy that Obamacare pays the states for those new enrollees.
Its not a surprise that the balky Senators on the moderate side come from States with GOP Governors who do not want to find themselves in that position. That’s why they need an immediate replacement for Obamacare if it is repealed.
So, its easy to espouse a position of philosophical purity like those put forward by Lee and Paul when you’re not the Governor — or potentially vulnerable GOP Senator — in a state that is going to experience immediate and severe budgetary consequences by virtue of your doctrinaire vote.
This is not the result of political impurity on the side of conservative GOP senators who are now staring into the abyss of a real Obamacare repeal vote. This is the result of the “Gordian Knot” that liberals have created by winning the battle for public opinion that “health care” is a right that is guaranteed under the Constitution, and must be provided by the Government at least as a last resort.
After that, it was only a matter of how long it would take to expand the scope of the Government’s constitutional obligations.
shipwreckedcrew (d3e242) — 7/18/2017 @ 7:11 pmsleazy corrupt John Kasich should have thought of that before he herded his hapless constituents onto medicaid like subhuman animals
happyfeet (28a91b) — 7/18/2017 @ 7:48 pmIt looks like the idea of a straight up or down vote on repeal isn’t going to happen. To get to such a vote, there must first be a vote to open debate on such a measure, which would allow it to be brought to the floor for debate. But it looks like that procedural vote is already lost, so they may not even go through the formality of holding one. This is the two-vote two=step the Senate does which allows morons like John Kerry to proudly proclaim “I voted for the $87 billion military appropriation bill before I voted against it.”
But I agree with the supposition put up on HotAir that if such a vote were taken, it would likely be another sham expression for political purposes by most of them casting a vote in favor of repeal. They know they are voting on the losing side, just like when they knew Obama would veto the bills they actually passed.
If, on the other hand, there was going to be an up or down vote on straight repeal that wasn’t doomed from the outset — maybe via a secret vote where the outcome was unknown at the time each Senator had to his/her vote — there would probably be a couple dozen GOP votes against straight repeal because of the uncertainty – and likely chaos that a straight repeal would cause given all the changes Obamacare has brought about over the last 7 years.
Its called “governing” with a view on what the result is likely to be, rather than sleeping well while assured that your ideological purity remains in tact.
shipwreckedcrew (d3e242) — 7/18/2017 @ 7:51 pmRe #111, tortured at the gym while working out by Alex P. Keaton’s goofy neighbor mugging for the FakeNN tonight. That guy is a hobgobblin, happy.
urbanleftbehind (cdc82b) — 7/18/2017 @ 8:18 pm@109/@110/@112. Shorter:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOXtWxhlsUg
“Face it. You f-ck’d up. You trusted us.” – Eric ‘Otter’ Stratton [Tim Matheson] ‘Animal House’ 1978
DCSCA (797bc0) — 7/18/2017 @ 8:19 pmBut the assault was aimed more at the group health insurance plans offered by employers. If the cost of such plans could be ratcheted up to unaffordable levels for the employers, the would drop group health insurance as benefit of employment.
IMO that was one of the two main objectives of Obamacare — to make group health plans more and more expensive, finally reaching a price point where employers would make the financial decision to quit offering such plans and pay the tax penalty as the lesser of two evils.
As yet, this hasn’t happened. Instead pay raises slow, and older workers find it VERY hard to find new employment. If Obamacare had had an actual effect on group policies, we would not be having this debate. But instead the hammer fell on 5% of the population (mostly the self-employed) who had to let another 5% of very irresponsible and generally sick people join their risk pool.
There was a reason drug treatment was a mandatory component, and even though the self-employed were not disproportionately at risk, the new chums were largely all drug users.
But none of this is really part of the debate, since 90% of the electorate is TOTALLY EFFING IGNORANT of what the ACA actually did. The debate is more “D vs R” and has all the intellectual content that implies.
Kevin M (752a26) — 7/18/2017 @ 8:30 pmKevin M and SWC bringing it this evening. Good commentary. Good night.
urbanleftbehind (cdc82b) — 7/18/2017 @ 8:32 pmthere would probably be a couple dozen GOP votes against straight repeal because of the uncertainty – and likely chaos that a straight repeal would cause given all the changes Obamacare has brought about over the last 7 years.
Yes. You cannot unmake the omelet. Repealing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution would not have reversed the VietNam disaster.
Kevin M (752a26) — 7/18/2017 @ 8:33 pmAnd that is why we will always fail. The left doesn’t care if they destroy the market as they did. They just want to push their ideological agenda while people like you will fix it for them as you continue to enslave your children and grandchildren.
May your chains fall ever lightly on your shoulders.
NJRob (89e61d) — 7/18/2017 @ 8:58 pmKevin — I think the impact on group health plans is a gradual process. The goal is to break the link between health insurance and employment. They couldn’t just outlaw them, and because the risk pools are so much deeper, the mandates are slower to ratchet up premium and deductible costs. But they are going up, and that process won’t stop.
shipwreckedcrew (d3e242) — 7/18/2017 @ 9:05 pm117. Kevin M (752a26) — 7/18/2017 @ 8:33 pm
repealing Prohibition didn’t put an end to organized crime – it just created a heroin problem – but only in segrgated black communities, because the mpb limited itself to that to avoid pushback.
Sammy Finkelman (02a146) — 7/19/2017 @ 1:12 pm