Obamacare Replacement Bill Now Lacks Votes to Pass; Update: McConnell to Introduce Straight Repeal Bill

 

Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) announced Monday night that they will not support the GOP bill to “repeal and replace” ObamaCare. With the previous defections of Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Rand Paul (R-KY), the bill no longer has enough votes to pass.

“In addition to not repealing all of the Obamacare taxes,” Lee said, “it doesn’t go far enough in lowering premiums for middle class families; nor does it create enough free space from the most costly Obamacare regulations.”

Moran agreed and released his own statement via Twitter.

What do you think McConnell’s next move should be?

Update: Well, McConnell’s made his move…

A straight repeal, identical to the one passed in 2015, will put several GOP senators in a very awkward spot. They were fine with the pose as long as an Obama veto was assured, but now they’ll be playing with real money. Because of this, it’s possible that McConnell is talking about a straight repeal vote to scare a couple Republicans back to the bargaining table.

Published in Healthcare, Politics
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  1. Steve C. Member
    Steve C.
    @user_531302

    If you chose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

    • #1
  2. Quinn the Eskimo Member
    Quinn the Eskimo
    @

    Advocate going full socialist and nationalizing the hospitals.  Fifty percent chance that the news shows start pushing free market reforms just to spite Republicans.

    • #2
  3. 9thDistrictNeighbor Member
    9thDistrictNeighbor
    @9thDistrictNeighbor

    Ricochet Editors' Desk: What do you think McConnell’s next move should be?

    Retire.

    • #3
  4. The Cloaked Gaijin Member
    The Cloaked Gaijin
    @TheCloakedGaijin

    “nor does it create enough free space from the most costly Obamacare regulations.”

    What the heck does that mean?  That it did not repeal enough of the Obamacare regulations?

    • #4
  5. Joe D. Inactive
    Joe D.
    @JosephDornisch

    Here we have too much purity, conservative Senators letting something unknown that can’t be passed be enemy of something better than what we have now.

    • #5
  6. Sabrdance Member
    Sabrdance
    @Sabrdance

    The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):

    “nor does it create enough free space from the most costly Obamacare regulations.”

    What the heck does that mean? That it did not repeal enough of the Obamacare regulations?

    Unless there’s been a significant change -there’s been several proposed amendments -it didn’t repeal any of them.  It gave broad power to the states to waive the regulations so long as they achieved improvements on the various metrics.  However, they then maintained the regulatory requirements for “essential care,” “guaranteed issue,” and “community rating” which are the major drivers of the regulatory burden.

    So, translate this as “the major regulations that everyone hates are being left in place -but the little ones that no one cares about except rich lobbyists -those have miraculously disappeared.”

    • #6
  7. The Cloaked Gaijin Member
    The Cloaked Gaijin
    @TheCloakedGaijin

    Joe D. (View Comment):
    Here we have too much purity, conservative Senators letting something unknown that can’t be passed be enemy of something better than what we have now.

    Mike Lee (R-UT) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) together — that way neither one takes all of the blame as the person who killed the Obamacare repeal?

    • #7
  8. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Idiots.

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

    Joe D. (View Comment):
    Here we have too much purity, conservative Senators letting something unknown that can’t be passed be enemy of something better than what we have now.

    Purity?

    These are senators announcing that they’re not going to vote for a wildly unpopular garbage bill that doesn’t keep the promises were made, nor does it solve the problems it’s claimed to solve.  Purity doesn’t enter in to it.

    • #9
  10. profdlp Inactive
    profdlp
    @profdlp

    Trump can’t sign a bill which doesn’t get passed and never reaches his desk.  Nevertheless, cue the chorus saying he can’t get anything done.

    • #10
  11. Fred Cole Inactive
    Fred Cole
    @FredCole

    profdlp (View Comment):
    Trump can’t sign a bill which doesn’t get passed and never reaches his desk. Nevertheless, cue the chorus saying he can’t get anything done.

    Wait.  I thought he was an amazing deal maker.  It’s he a master negotiator?  Didn’t he say he could get things done?

    Or is it possible that, as usual, he had no idea what he was talking about and was making promises he couldn’t keep?

    • #11
  12. profdlp Inactive
    profdlp
    @profdlp

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    profdlp (View Comment):
    Trump can’t sign a bill which doesn’t get passed and never reaches his desk. Nevertheless, cue the chorus saying he can’t get anything done.

    Wait. I thought he was an amazing deal maker. It’s he a master negotiator? Didn’t he say he could get things done?

    Or is it possible that, as usual, he had no idea what he was talking about and was making promises he couldn’t keep?

    Fred, this news may stun you, but the GOP has been talking up repealing Obamacare since 2010, long before Trump was on the scene.

    • #12
  13. Cato Rand Inactive
    Cato Rand
    @CatoRand

    The Cloaked Gaijin (View Comment):

    “nor does it create enough free space from the most costly Obamacare regulations.”

    What the heck does that mean? That it did not repeal enough of the Obamacare regulations?

    I think it’s a reference to the Cruz amendment which would have given states and insurance companies a lot of flexibility to work around ObamaCare’s regulations.  A watered down version of it was in the bill and Lee was pretty adamant in insisting it didn’t go far enough.

    • #13
  14. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    McConnell is a cagey son of a gun. Let’s see how this plays out – when it doubt don’t bet against the master parliamentarian.

    • #14
  15. Could Be Anyone Inactive
    Could Be Anyone
    @CouldBeAnyone

    profdlp (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    profdlp (View Comment):
    Trump can’t sign a bill which doesn’t get passed and never reaches his desk. Nevertheless, cue the chorus saying he can’t get anything done.

    Wait. I thought he was an amazing deal maker. It’s he a master negotiator? Didn’t he say he could get things done?

    Or is it possible that, as usual, he had no idea what he was talking about and was making promises he couldn’t keep?

    Fred, this news may stun you, but the GOP has been talking up repealing Obamacare since 2010, long before Trump was on the scene.

    But the last I checked Republican Senators and Representatives were not putting words in trump’s mouth. He was.

    Perhaps the lesson should be to not promise what you cannot keep (something trump supporters are keen to push on Congressional Republicans). Some Republicans may not want to pass obamacare lite but that doesn’t make them liars, if the purpose of repeal is to remove what was wrong then the current bill does not do that.

    • #15
  16. Cato Rand Inactive
    Cato Rand
    @CatoRand

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Joe D. (View Comment):
    Here we have too much purity, conservative Senators letting something unknown that can’t be passed be enemy of something better than what we have now.

    Purity?

    These are senators announcing that they’re not going to vote for a wildly unpopular garbage bill that doesn’t keep the promises were made, nor does it solve the problems it’s claimed to solve. Purity doesn’t enter in to it.

    Precisely.  You pass this and you suddenly become responsible for the mess Obama left in his wake, without having done much to remedy it.  Given the media environment we live in, I’d rather not.  You put an (R) on this mess and make people wallow in it for a while and the media/socialist/democrat complex gets a clear shot hanging the mess on us and going full throttle toward the “solution” of pure socialized medicine.

    • #16
  17. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    I’d prefer a repeal now and the hard work of fixing later.  This bill is done for.    Sadly repeal/replace was O care light for people serious about spiraling costs and  eventual socialism.

    The medical system is more in favor of government control than ever before.

    The AMA , insurance industry , pharma industry , and other special interests have been very active.

    A malpractice reform bill is creeping through the senate , passed in the house along mostly party lines.  The dems will vote against it since they like their docs both slaves and villains.

    Special interests wrote Obamacare so maybe a better solution will come from a fresher start.   I am disappointed in all of our leaders.

    • #17
  18. Cato Rand Inactive
    Cato Rand
    @CatoRand

    profdlp (View Comment):
    Trump can’t sign a bill which doesn’t get passed and never reaches his desk. Nevertheless, cue the chorus saying he can’t get anything done.

    He hasn’t exactly lead on the issue.  This is the clown who threw the house republicans under the bus by calling their bill “mean” after he pressed them to pass it and held a rose garden ceremony to celebrate the vote to pass it.  Senate republicans could be forgiven for doubting he has their back.  Hell, they could be forgiven for doubting he’ll sign what they send him.

    To add to that, he’s shown no sign that he has a clue what’s going on.  Again, he’s the clown who got to the White House and then announced that this was “hard” after campaigning on the claim that it was easy and that the mess would be fixed if Congress wasn’t so full of losers.

    Seriously, the “can’t get anything done” chorus has more than enough to sing about.

    • #18
  19. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    Ryan and McConnell should have had this crap figured out 7 months ago.  Does Trump get some blame ? Yep.  So do the dems and special interests but the freaking pros can’t handle the issue they chest pounded about.

    Freaking repeal now or just make us socialized.

    • #19
  20. Rocket Surgeon Inactive
    Rocket Surgeon
    @RocketSurgeon

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    profdlp (View Comment):
    Trump can’t sign a bill which doesn’t get passed and never reaches his desk. Nevertheless, cue the chorus saying he can’t get anything done.

    Wait. I thought he was an amazing deal maker. It’s he a master negotiator? Didn’t he say he could get things done?

    Or is it possible that, as usual, he had no idea what he was talking about and was making promises he couldn’t keep?

    Oh c’mon Fred, get off it – that was campaign rhetoric  – like lowering the oceans, or…

    • #20
  21. Fred Cole Inactive
    Fred Cole
    @FredCole

    Rocket Surgeon (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    profdlp (View Comment):
    Trump can’t sign a bill which doesn’t get passed and never reaches his desk. Nevertheless, cue the chorus saying he can’t get anything done.

    Wait. I thought he was an amazing deal maker. It’s he a master negotiator? Didn’t he say he could get things done?

    Or is it possible that, as usual, he had no idea what he was talking about and was making promises he couldn’t keep?

    Oh c’mon Fred, get off it – that was campaign rhetoric – like lowering the oceans, or…

    That was Donald Trump’s brand: the deal maker.  That’s what he was elected on.  And over and over the defense of Donald Trump for his … everything is that “he fights.”

    Well, he didn’t fight here and he didn’t cut deals.  In fact, other than occasionally showing up to either say how complicated this is or to throw Republicans under the bus for being “mean,” he’s been absent.  He’s been too busy picking pointless fights or trying to clean up messes he’s created for himself or whatever the hell else he’s does with his days to do anything here.

     

    • #21
  22. Guruforhire Inactive
    Guruforhire
    @Guruforhire

    • #22
  23. Ekosj Member
    Ekosj
    @Ekosj

    profdlp (View Comment):
    Trump can’t sign a bill which doesn’t get passed and never reaches his desk. Nevertheless, cue the chorus saying he can’t get anything done.

    Correct me if I’m wrong in this…but I distinctly recall Trump promising that HIS plan would cover everyone, cost less and allow you to see the doctor of your choice.     It was going to be a great plan, wonderful plan, we were all going to love it.    It was going to be easy     Happen day one.

    Well.   Where is it?

    Howza’bout this…lets just extend Senatorial and Congressional healthcare insurance to the rest of us?

    • #23
  24. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Repeal Obamacare.  That has been the promise for many years.  It’s why the democrats have been thrown out everywhere.

    If they don’t repeal it, there will be civil unrest.

    • #24
  25. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    Rocket Surgeon (View Comment):

    Fred Cole (View Comment):

    profdlp (View Comment):
    Trump can’t sign a bill which doesn’t get passed and never reaches his desk. Nevertheless, cue the chorus saying he can’t get anything done.

    Wait. I thought he was an amazing deal maker. It’s he a master negotiator? Didn’t he say he could get things done?

    Or is it possible that, as usual, he had no idea what he was talking about and was making promises he couldn’t keep?

    Oh c’mon Fred, get off it – that was campaign rhetoric – like lowering the oceans, or…

    That was Donald Trump’s brand: the deal maker. That’s what he was elected on. And over and over the defense of Donald Trump for his … everything is that “he fights.”

    Well, he didn’t fight here and he didn’t cut deals. In fact, other than occasionally showing up to either say how complicated this is or to throw Republicans under the bus for being “mean,” he’s been absent. He’s been too busy picking pointless fights or trying to clean up messes he’s created for himself or whatever the hell else he’s does with his days to do anything here.

    Complain, complain, complain, and then lose. That’s the left-libertarian brand.

    • #25
  26. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    Quinn the Eskimo (View Comment):
    Advocate going full socialist and nationalizing the hospitals. Fifty percent chance that the news shows start pushing free market reforms just to spite Republicans.

    Reverse psychology I like it.

    • #26
  27. Pony Convertible Inactive
    Pony Convertible
    @PonyConvertible

    As long as the government is involved, it will be expensive, bureaucratic, and not serve our needs, regardless of who is in charge.  Just repeal it.  I don’t want a  replacement.

    • #27
  28. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Pony Convertible (View Comment):
    As long as the government is involved, it will be expensive, bureaucratic, and not serve our needs, regardless of who is in charge. Just repeal it. I don’t want a replacement.

    No one talks about freedom anymore. Or the responsibility that freedom requires.  As a culture we have surrendered freedom through the constant barrage of socialist agitprop for generations.

    We need to start demanding our freedom and repeal Obamacare completely.  Follow on legislation can help ease the transition of the government out of the insurance business.

    This republican reluctance to embrace the freedom they occasionally mention is based on their wish for money and control of the insurance industry. Maybe if we paid congressmen a salary approaching their power level they might be less apt to be corrupt.

    Nah. Who am I kidding?  As long as they have these unconstitutional powers they will continue to be corrupt.

    • #28
  29. Matt Bartle Member
    Matt Bartle
    @MattBartle

    This is how you get Democrats on board with doing something: Trump announces that the original PPACA will be enforced exactly as written. The employer mandate is back, all exemptions are cancelled, the whole ugly thing will be in force in 6 months so they better get busy coming up with something else.

    • #29
  30. Ekosj Member
    Ekosj
    @Ekosj

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):
    McConnell is a cagey son of a gun. Let’s see how this plays out – when it doubt don’t bet against the master parliamentarian.

    The only thing McConnell is a master at is getting nothing accomplished while still getting re-elected.    He is the poster boy for RINOs everywhere and the central cause of Republican problems.  He is the Establishment Trump ran against.

    • #30
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