Repeal Fails

 

The Republicans have failed once more to keep their long-made promise to repeal Obamacare.

John McCain – Credit: Christopher Halloran / Shutterstock.com

Updated 3:10 a.m. | In a dramatic early Friday morning vote, the Senate voted down the Republican effort to overhaul the U.S. health insurance system, 49-51, with GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona’s dramatic “no” — to gasps in the chamber — providing the key vote to send the bill to defeat. Lobbying from top GOP leaders, McCain’s colleague from Arizona Jeff Flake, Vice President Mike Pence and a swath of Republicans were not enough to sway McCain. Pence himself spent more than 20 minutes trying to get McCain to change his mind.GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine were expected to vote “no,” but Republicans were confident shortly before the vote they could get to a 50-50 tie, and bring in Pence to break it. Before he cast his “no” vote, McCain had gathered with a sizable group of jovial Democrats on the other side of the Senate chamber. He returned to the Republican side, walking right past Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

Published in Domestic Policy
Tags:

Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 82 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Joe P Member
    Joe P
    @JoeP

    What planet do I have to move to now to avoid government interference in healthcare?

    • #1
  2. Hugh Member
    Hugh
    @Hugh

    Well I guess that is that.

    Not much glory to be found in this whole sorry saga.

    • #2
  3. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    McCain makes me sick.

    • #3
  4. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):

    Oh, come on, don’t be like that. McCain deserves opprobrium for his vote last night (and other votes over the years, for sure!) but, really? Seriously?

    • #4
  5. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):

    Oh, come on, don’t be like that. McCain deserves opprobrium for his vote last night (and other votes over the years, for sure!) but, really? Seriously?

    Yes, you’re right. I’ve edited my comment.

    • #5
  6. billy Inactive
    billy
    @billy

    Obamacare is failing Arizonans. First, a massive rate hike more than twice the national average. Then, America’s largest health insurer abandoned Arizona’s failing Obamacare exchange. That’s devastating – especially to rural counties. Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick bragged about her Obamacare vote, saying “it’s also the one I’m most proud about..” While Kirkpatrick’s “proud” of putting us at risk, John McCain is leading the fight to stop Obamacare.

    John McCain ad, 2016.

    via Jim Geraghty.

    • #6
  7. Bob W Member
    Bob W
    @WBob

    Didn’t this bill repeal the mandate but still require coverage for pre-existing conditions? Excuse the non pc language, but that’s retarded. It should have been voted down. And all these Senators saying they wanted assurances that it wouldn’t be passed by the House? The whole thing makes no sense. But McCain still deserves scorn for his little dramatic show as the last vote. How did he manage to be the last vote after all?

    • #7
  8. Fred Cole Inactive
    Fred Cole
    @FredCole

    Word is that McCain voted no to allow other Senators cover to vote yes.

    Also, this:

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/07/28/daily-202-trump-s-hardball-tactics-backfire-as-skinny-repeal-goes-down/597a7cf630fb045fdaef0fd5/?utm_term=.1019ea895d2a

    “To this day, Trump has never apologized for saying that the former fighter pilot was not a war hero because he got captured in Vietnam. It gets less attention, but the president also besmirched the Arizona senator’s character by repeatedly accusing him of not taking care of other veterans. McCain has never forgotten.”

    • #8
  9. billy Inactive
    billy
    @billy

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):

    Oh, come on, don’t be like that. McCain deserves opprobrium for his vote last night (and other votes over the years, for sure!) but, really? Seriously?

    You have to admit, it makes for interesting counterfactual speculation: Would America be better off had John McCain not survived the Vietnam War?

    • #9
  10. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Fred Cole (View Comment):
    Word is that McCain voted no to allow other Senators cover to vote yes.

    Also, this:

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/07/28/daily-202-trump-s-hardball-tactics-backfire-as-skinny-repeal-goes-down/597a7cf630fb045fdaef0fd5/?utm_term=.1019ea895d2a

    “To this day, Trump has never apologized for saying that the former fighter pilot was not a war hero because he got captured in Vietnam. It gets less attention, but the president also besmirched the Arizona senator’s character by repeatedly accusing him of not taking care of other veterans. McCain has never forgotten.”

    Of course, in the end it’s always Trump’s fault.

    • #10
  11. DrewInWisconsin Member
    DrewInWisconsin
    @DrewInWisconsin

    “To this day, Trump has never apologized for saying that the former fighter pilot was not a war hero because he got captured in Vietnam. It gets less attention, but the president also besmirched the Arizona senator’s character by repeatedly accusing him of not taking care of other veterans. McCain has never forgotten.”

    So he voted no out of spite? Is that what I’m hearing? Screw over the American people out of spite for one man?

    • #11
  12. Fred Cole Inactive
    Fred Cole
    @FredCole

    Look, the skinny repeal wasn’t going to survive a conference. There was no way it was making it to the President’s desk.

    Most of the people voting in this hadn’t read it. It isn’t super clear, especially to those voting, what was in it. So this was about trying to get a win and some good news for a failing President.

    It was about theatrics, not a serious reform effort.

    • #12
  13. Majestyk Member
    Majestyk
    @Majestyk

    Fred Cole (View Comment):
    Word is that McCain voted no to allow other Senators cover to vote yes.

    Also, this:

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/07/28/daily-202-trump-s-hardball-tactics-backfire-as-skinny-repeal-goes-down/597a7cf630fb045fdaef0fd5/?utm_term=.1019ea895d2a

    “To this day, Trump has never apologized for saying that the former fighter pilot was not a war hero because he got captured in Vietnam. It gets less attention, but the president also besmirched the Arizona senator’s character by repeatedly accusing him of not taking care of other veterans. McCain has never forgotten.”

    This tit-for-tat sort of pique is horrifically bad.  McCain should have left a legacy of leadership and instead he gets to go to his reward as a goat.

    As Hugh Hewitt said: American Hero, Terrible Senator.

    • #13
  14. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Look, the skinny repeal wasn’t going to survive a conference. There was no way it was making it to the President’s desk.

    Most of the people voting in this hadn’t read it. It’s. It super clear what was in it. So this was about trying to get a win and some good news for a failing President.

    Keep beating that drum. You’ve been doing so since the moment of Trump’s victory on November 9.

    • #14
  15. billy Inactive
    billy
    @billy

    Fred Cole (View Comment):
    Word is that McCain voted no to allow other Senators cover to vote yes.

    Also, this:

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/07/28/daily-202-trump-s-hardball-tactics-backfire-as-skinny-repeal-goes-down/597a7cf630fb045fdaef0fd5/?utm_term=.1019ea895d2a

    “To this day, Trump has never apologized for saying that the former fighter pilot was not a war hero because he got captured in Vietnam. It gets less attention, but the president also besmirched the Arizona senator’s character by repeatedly accusing him of not taking care of other veterans. McCain has never forgotten.”

    So are you saying that McCain is a mean, petty, and spiteful man who puts his personal grudges over the health and well-being of the American people?

    And that is Trump’s fault?

    • #15
  16. Fred Cole Inactive
    Fred Cole
    @FredCole

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):
    So he voted no out of spite? Is that what I’m hearing? Screw over the American people out of spite for one man?

    This wasn’t about screwing over the American people. This vote was all theatrics. This wasn’t a serious reform effort.

     

    • #16
  17. Fred Cole Inactive
    Fred Cole
    @FredCole

    billy (View Comment):
    So are you saying that McCain is a mean, petty, and spiteful man who puts his personal grudges over the health and well-being of the American people?

    And that is Trump’s fault?

    I’m saying that if you attack people every day, it’s unreasonable to expect them to help give you symbolic victories.

    • #17
  18. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    billy (View Comment):

    Obamacare is failing Arizonans. First, a massive rate hike more than twice the national average. Then, America’s largest health insurer abandoned Arizona’s failing Obamacare exchange. That’s devastating – especially to rural counties. Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick bragged about her Obamacare vote, saying “it’s also the one I’m most proud about..” While Kirkpatrick’s “proud” of putting us at risk, John McCain is leading the fight to stop Obamacare.

    John McCain ad, 2016.

    via Jim Geraghty.

    He can’t leave the Senate soon enough for me.

    He’s a major reason I quit the GOP in 2006.

    • #18
  19. DrewInWisconsin Member
    DrewInWisconsin
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):
    So he voted no out of spite? Is that what I’m hearing? Screw over the American people out of spite for one man?

    This wasn’t about screwing over the American people. This vote was all theatrics. This wasn’t a serious reform effort.

    The result is that the American people continue to be screwed over by Obamacare. You might see it as “theatrics” if you’re in a position where it doesn’t really affect you. For the millions who are affected, it’s the difference between paying the mortgage or paying the medical bills when you can’t afford do both.

     

    • #19
  20. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    Fred Cole (View Comment):
    It was about theatrics, not a serious reform effort.

    Which itself is a failure that can only be laid at the feet of congressional Republicans.

    • #20
  21. The King Prawn Inactive
    The King Prawn
    @TheKingPrawn

    So now that all the chicanery has failed can we get on with repealing Obamacare (or at least reforming the darn thing) by the normal, orderly process?

    • #21
  22. billy Inactive
    billy
    @billy

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    billy (View Comment):
    So are you saying that McCain is a mean, petty, and spiteful man who puts his personal grudges over the health and well-being of the American people?

    And that is Trump’s fault?

    I’m saying that if you defecate all over people every day, it’s unreasonable to expect them to help give you symbolic victories.

    So increasing the amount taxpayers are to contribute to HSA’s is merely symbolic?

    Or are you against Health Saving Accounts?

    Repealing both the individual and employer mandates is merely symbolic?

    Or do you favor those burdensome government mandates?

    • #22
  23. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):
    It was about theatrics, not a serious reform effort.

    Which itself is a failure that can only be laid at the feet of congressional Republicans.

    I can’t wait till I start to get the begging letters from the GOP for my support.  I have a few words for them.  Most of them consist of 4 letters.

    • #23
  24. DrewInWisconsin Member
    DrewInWisconsin
    @DrewInWisconsin

    The King Prawn (View Comment):
    So now that all the chicanery has failed can we get on with repealing Obamacare (or at least reforming the darn thing) by the normal, orderly process?

    Apparently not.

    On the positive side, it appears that all the important battles now in Washington are between two factions of the GOP. The Democrats have sidelined themselves with their flight to cloud cuckoo land, and are now essentially a third party, only barely more influential than the Libertarian Party.

    • #24
  25. billy Inactive
    billy
    @billy

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):
    So he voted no out of spite? Is that what I’m hearing? Screw over the American people out of spite for one man?

    This wasn’t about screwing over the American people. This vote was all theatrics. This wasn’t a serious reform effort.

    So John McCain was taking a principled stand against theatrics?

    John McCain?

    • #25
  26. Fred Cole Inactive
    Fred Cole
    @FredCole

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):
    It was about theatrics, not a serious reform effort.

    Which itself is a failure that can only be laid at the feet of congressional Republicans.

    That’s not accurate. What was required here was national leadership. We don’t have that.

    The President would rather obsess over his own election and pick pointless public fights with tv hosts than be a leader.

    • #26
  27. J Climacus Member
    J Climacus
    @JClimacus

    Anyone tired of winning yet?

    • #27
  28. Fred Cole Inactive
    Fred Cole
    @FredCole

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):
    The result is that the American people continue to be screwed over by Obamacare.

    Yes. And it’s really crappy. I wish that weren’t the case.

    Hopefully the next president won’t be a feckless failure like this one is.

    • #28
  29. DrewInWisconsin Member
    DrewInWisconsin
    @DrewInWisconsin

    I guess when you see the world through Trump-hating lenses, everything is Trump’s fault. Senate Republicans have no agency.

    • #29
  30. cdor Member
    cdor
    @cdor

    Fred Cole (View Comment):
    Word is that McCain voted no to allow other Senators cover to vote yes.

    Also, this:

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/07/28/daily-202-trump-s-hardball-tactics-backfire-as-skinny-repeal-goes-down/597a7cf630fb045fdaef0fd5/?utm_term=.1019ea895d2a

    “To this day, Trump has never apologized for saying that the former fighter pilot was not a war hero because he got captured in Vietnam. It gets less attention, but the president also besmirched the Arizona senator’s character by repeatedly accusing him of not taking care of other veterans. McCain has never forgotten.”

    How could anyone be surprised that you would find a way to blame this on Trump. McCain is a weasel, forsakes his own campaign promises to his constituents, and stabs his “fellow” Republicans in the back. But, according to your post, he did all this for revenge against Trump. Actually I think McCain proved Trump correct.

    • #30
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.