Senate Republicans pull Obamacare repeal bill as support falters in their own party

Senate Republicans pull Obamacare repeal bill as support falters in their own party

Eliza Collins, USA TODAY Published 2:26 p.m. ET
Sept. 26, 2017 | Updated 2:29 p.m. ET Sept. 26, 2017

WASHINGTON — Majority Leader Mitch McConnell yanked the latest GOP Obamacare overhaul plan from Senate consideration Tuesday, confirming the collapse of the Republicans' last-ditch push to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The Kentucky Republican had planned to bring the bill, crafted by Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy, to the floor for a vote this week as Republicans raced to beat a Sept. 30 deadline. But the bill did not have enough GOP votes to pass it, with Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, John McCain of Arizona, and Rand Paul of Kentucky all announcing their opposition.

"where we go from here is tax reform," McConnell said.

Graham, standing beside McConnell to brief reporters, said "We are coming back to this after taxes," and the Graham-Cassidy bill will remain the primary repeal bill.

"We don't have the votes," Cassidy acknowledged.

Republicans hold a narrow 52-48 majority in the Senate, so McConnell could lose only two votes and still pass the legislation. Democrats are united against the measure.

The three senators who promised to vote "no" on the Graham-Cassidy proposal gave three different reasons for their opposition. Collins said the bill was flawed on multiple counts, saying, for example, that it would not protect Maine’s most vulnerable residents and would undermine protections for those with pre-existing conditions. McCain objected to GOP-only process for drafting the bill and the limited debate. Paul said the legislation did not go far enough in repealing Obamacare.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ils/703644001/

On television news they're also reporting that Ted Cruz was a no vote as well.

The US Senate needs to pass the House bill that's been in the US Senate since March 22, that repeals the McCarran-Ferguson Act. Every Republican should support that bill and any Republican who doesn't is admitting they do not want lower insurance premiums, do not believe in free market competition, and do not support the Sherman Anti-Trust Act that protects competition and stamps out price fixing, collusion, schemes, and anti-competition behavior. This is Trump's "erasing the lines" that he campaigned on.

Republicans in Congress also need to use any means available through Budget Reconciliation or a separate new bill that simply repeals all mandates and tax penalties on individuals and employers. These are the primary objections most Americans have to Obamacare. It is constitutionally wrong and unsavory for the federal government to force a purchase of any product, let alone one as personal, private, complicated, expensive and tedious as health insurance.

What these 4 Senators have said to the American People is like a soldier telling a fellow injured soldier, because I can't carry you all the way to camp for treatment, I'm not going to carry you at all and leave him to die. What these 4 Senators have done is no different than someone causing a bad accident, and instead of checking on the victims and administering aid, leaves the scene of the accident.

These 4 Senators care only about themselves, their careers and what's in it for them. Hell, none of 'em could even articulate a reason for voting against it. McCain and Collins want "bipartisanship". Really? Rand Paul didn't think it went far enough to repeal enough, so it's Obamacare Lite". Ted Cruz said he couldn't vote for it in its "current form". "form" really? You don't like the font size? What about the form don't you approve of? Killing a bill for no articulated reason ain't right. It just isn't. I think former Presidential candidates make sloppy Senators. Graham introduces a bill and all the other former R candidates vote against it.

Pretty obviouso wohy Ton won the primary, they're all talk, no action.