Finally, House GOP set to do what America does NOT want it to do

39 Replies
Basically, they're trying to undo what this signature did.

Basically, they’re trying to undo what this signature did.

They say Speaker Ryan has the votes now:

House Republicans are set to pass a controversial plan to revise key parts of the Affordable Care Act on Thursday, capping weeks of fits and starts to fulfill a signature campaign promise.

“We’ll have the votes. This will pass,” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) vowed on Thursday morning.

Final passage of the bill that would dramatically reshape the nation’s health-care system is expected by early afternoon. Attention will then shift to the more closely-divided U.S. Senate, where formal debate isn’t expected to begin until June….

So finally, they’re about to do what they found so easy to do, over and over, when they knew it would go nowhere.

This is something they’ve really, really wanted to do really, really badly for eight years.

Trouble is — and now that it’s in their power, many of them have started to realize it, which is why this has taken so long — this is not what America wants them to do.

Of course, many House Republicans will say America wants them to do it — because they define “America” as the extreme subset of a subset of people who vote in Republican primaries in sufficient numbers to scare GOP officeholders senseless. In other words, their actions are another illustration of the evils of gerrymandering.

But the truth is, actual America really doesn’t want them to:

President Trump and many Republicans intend to move forward with another effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

But according to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, most Americans don’t want them to.

The poll, conducted between April 17 and 20, found 61 percent of respondents support keeping and working to improve the health care plan in place, while only 37 percent say they want it entirely repealed and replaced.

Ultimately 79 percent said Trump should invest in the Affordable Care Act’s success rather than expend time and energy ensuring its failure….

Of course, for the GOP, it’s all about the 37 percent, which is more than enough to cause them to win or lose a primary.

That poll was from April 25, and is consistent with others over the last few months. If you’ve seen some more recent ones, let me know…

39 thoughts on “Finally, House GOP set to do what America does NOT want it to do”

  1. Doug Ross

    Elections have consequences. You live with Hillary, you die with Hillary.

    It won’t be as bad as Democrats claim it will be just as Obamacare wasn’t as good as they claimed it would be.

    They all lie on both sides. And we all keep voting in the same bunch of liars every time. This is what no term limits gets you.

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    1. Doug Ross

      So now the narrative will shift from “Trump can’t get anything done” to “Trumpcare kills people”. Whether this is a good bill or not, he will have delivered – faster than Obama ever could with the same majority in Congress. Now he’s planning his trips to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the Vatican. Another box to check off on the “Acting Presidential” list.

      Get used to this period of transition and normalization. Looks like he’s a quick study.

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        1. Brad Warthen Post author

          Oh, and by the way, I don’t give Trump “credit” for this Obamacare-repeal abomination, although I know popularly, it will be seen that way — people will both bless and curse him, because people are simple-minded.

          This thing’s success or failure is on Ryan and his congressional colleagues. They’re the ones who’ve wanted this for seven years; they’re the ones who put it together and did the work of making it happen.

          I don’t see this as something Trump cares about one way or the other, despite all this mindless moaning about the “disaster” of Obamacare. He just wants something to happen so he can do a victory lap….

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          1. Brad Warthen Post author

            Not to call the BBC “simple-minded,” but their headline backs up what I said above: “Trump scores healthcare victory in House.”

            The Washington Post goes with something more accurate: “House GOP narrowly passes bill to overhaul health-care system.”

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        2. Brad Warthen Post author

          Oh, and by the way, speaking of his trip abroad… Do you consider inviting Duterte to the White House to be “Another box to check off on the ‘Acting Presidential’ list?”

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  3. Bryan Caskey

    We might as well accept the inevitable and go single payer, it’s going to happen eventually. Other than the rationing, shortage of doctors, lack of specialists, threat of doctor strikes to address the previous items, long wait times, it’s not so bad.

    Of course, if the US goes single payer, where will Canadians go if they need to see a specialist fast?

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    2. Doug Ross

      Exactly, Bryan. Single payer just guarantees us all the quality of healthcare we currently supply to those on Medicaid. It will be a two-tier system unless the government uses its coercive (i.e. taxes) power to force all the providers into the system.

      But it won’t happen anyway. Republican and Democrat politicians are too beholden to Big Pharma and the insurance companies. Plus it will be a major job killer that single payer advocates will just pretend won’t happen. You think Blue Cross employees will all still have their jobs if this happens? The law of unintended economic consequences will apply in full whenever you try to mess with the free market.

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    4. Juan Caruso

      “Other than the rationing, shortage of doctors, lack of specialists, threat of doctor strikes to address the previous items, long wait times, it’s not so bad.” – Bryan C.

      Oddly, Bryan, your littany omits the primary defect of single payer health care systems — government rationing à la the U.K., Sweden, and the V.A.1

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      2. bud

        1. Rationing- This is a classic nonsequetor. The US rations more than anyone. That’s why life expectancy is so low.
        2. Shortage of doctors – Pretty much same as rationing. Since uninsured don’t go to the doctor we don’t need as many. Problem solved. So what if they die.
        The other points are basically a regurgitation of the first 2. Fact is all other developed countries cover everyone. Healthcare costs are lower and people live longer.

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    1. Bart

      Agree. They made the same mistake Obama did when ACA was first introduced. They didn’t put it out for the public to read and study, all they did was follow the Democrat example for ACA and put out their wish list without vetting or going through the necessary steps of examining all or as many of the “what ifs” they should have.

      All the Republicans are doing is insuring that in the upcoming mid-term elections and the general election in 2020 will flip both houses and the White House back to Democrats. They are prime examples of a circular firing squad wearing blindfolds.

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  5. Frank Adams

    Our own — You Lie — Joe Wilson provided the winning vote to a measure that passed by just one vote, Likely this could be issue needed to replace a largely ineffectual congressman more noted for his numerous trips to China than authoring any piece of legislation that resulted in one job.

    My wife and I called his office asking that not vote for the bill if it restored the preexisting conditions clause, saying although we were adequately insured under Obamacare we likely could not fund additional premiums if we were placed in pools due to our health issues.

    Not sure who will be running against Joe next time around — but I have a check for them and want their yard sign because I will be joining their campaign to unseat Joe. His time has come and passed — and likely all he will be remembered for is his disrespectful scream at a State of the State address where everyone there exhibited more class than he did.

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    2. Doug Ross

      “Not sure who will be running against Joe next time around”

      Nobody. There isn’t a Democrat capable of winning and no Republican will run against him.

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  7. Harry Harris

    Most current Republicans have no qualms against laws that hurt low income working folks, especially if they give benefits like tax cuts to the upper income and super-rich persons in our country. This bill is a good example. All of its pay-for comes from lower income folks, the 1 trillion in tax cuts (over 10 years) to investors is wholly downplayed if not covered up, and it will add to the deficit if people opt for the skimpy coverage it will allow instead of going uninsured. The biggest losers may be middle income families who give birth. Anyone who doesn’t think uncompensated care costs will be shifted to the rest of us is uninformed, misinformed, or naive.
    The Senate has got to stop this, not just mess with it.

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  8. Bart

    If this was anything other than a slap at Obama by passing legislation to repeal ACA, then the moon is truly made out of cheese. The unhinged desire to undo his signature legislation is disturbing on so many levels and in the blind desire to repeal ACA, the far right wing has done what no Democrat could ever do – basically destroy the Republican party and any chance of being a significant participant in America’s future after 2020. They will pay a high price for their actions and this conservative will be very hesitant to ever vote for another Republican. I will vote third party from now on and if the only choice is a Democrat or Republican, I will skip over the vote for the particular office.

    No more for me, the insane truly have taken charge of the asylum. And if anyone in my close family tries to defend Trump and this idiocy, no more keeping quiet for family, it is my intention to let them have it with both barrels. And FWIW, I feel the same about Democrats, they are not much better if any better at all. If they cannot be the adults in the room, then they are encouraging and engaging in the same behavior.

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    1. Norm Ivey

      When presidents sign momentous bills, they use lots of pens so that key figures who aided in getting the bill passed each gets a souvenir.

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          1. Mark Stewart

            Someone signs with their own hand and it isn’t a signature?

            Even the illiterate are, and have been, asked to make their mark as a signature.

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            1. Brad Warthen Post author

              It’s weird how a signature has such magic and power, that it can bind and loose and have the force of law.

              I wonder if that will go away sometime soon, the way personalized wax seals did — to be replaced by a thumbprint on iris scan…

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    2. JesseS

      Useless Fact of the Day: LBJ used 72 pens to sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the most on record.

      Personally it might be one of the few things I agree with George W. on. The multiple pen thing is kind of a tacky practice.

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        1. Norm Ivey

          How about just shaking each individual’s hand, saying “Thank you,” and smiling for the camera?

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  10. TWE

    Brad,
    My comment isn’t really related to this post, although future ones will be.
    I’m a long time reader of your work, dating to 5th grade when I read the paper cover to cover on the ride to school every day, back when the paper was worth reading cover to cover (which is longer ago than my mind tells me, not as long as my body tells me).
    I don’t live in SC anymore, although it will always be home. I’ve been reading your blog for a few months now and appreciate what you say and the way you say it. For me, integrity is the fundamental characteristic I look for in a politician, the people I work for, the people I hire, etc. and is lacking far too much. Thanks for shining a light on the complete lack of integrity we’re seeing now from Trump, but for also not abandoning hope in Americans to do the right thing, because we will. Eventually.

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