This is an update of an earlier post. Last evening (9/18/17), I was at a Democratic meeting where it was pointed out that the US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell now has 48 votes towards the 50 he needs to pass the Graham-Cassidy bill, another of the US Senate’s “skinny” version of a healthcare bill. So far, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is the only definite “no” vote.The Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have not yet made a commitment. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) said he would base his vote on what his governor wanted, and the Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has given his approval of the Graham-Cassidy bill. In addition, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) who is sponsoring this legislation happens to be Senator McCain’s best friend.
However, Senator John McCain has been encouraging the US Congressional lawmakers to be more open and deliberate on its legislative procedures and this bill being rushed through, does not meet this test.
If the Senator McConnell thinks he has the 50 needed votes, he has no intention to wait for the (CBO) Congressional Budget Office numbers regarding this bill.
Sound the alarms! “We the people” have to man the phones again to let our legislators know that we want Obamacare fixed and not repealed.
At the Democratic meeting, the following was suggested for a fax:
Resistbot will do it all for you. Text “RESIST” to 50409 or message Resistbot on Facebook and it will walk you through the steps to fax your Senator and will tell you when your fax has been delivered.
The main US Senate phone line 202-225-3121 (202-224-3121) or YOU CAN FIND PHONE NUMBERS FOR EVERY SENATOR HERE. or U.S. Senate: Senators of the 115th Congress.
Here is an templet of a letter/ email by a fellow blogger of Musingsofanoldfart.com:
Senator, I read that there is yet another bill to repeal the ACA posed by
Senator Graham. As a retired benefits actuary, consultant and manager of a Fortune 500 benefit program, please do not consider this bill. Please consider instead the bipartisan bill from Senators Alexander and Murray to repair the ACA and make sure subsidies are there. The latter bill has been the direction we have needed all along. Many thanks for your consideration.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has been pushing hard for republicans in the US Congress to make one last effort towards ending Obamacare with a deadline by September 30, 2017, saying that this is the republicans’ last chance to pass his bill with only 50 republican senators’ votes. His arguments have been gaining traction.
Here is the rest of the story…
On September 15, 2017, Dan Mangan of CNBC posted the following report, “Senator says Obamacare repeal bill close to enough votes to pass, but there’s reason to be skeptical.”
- “The Dan Mangan would strip away $80 billion in federal funding support for health coverage.”
- “Prior bills that were likewise expected to lead to big increases in the number of uninsured Americans failed in the Senate.”
- “Obamacare defenders started rallying Thursday to defeat the latest bill.”
“A leading Senate sponsor of another bill that seeks to repeal and replace key parts of Obamacare claimed Friday (9/15/17) that it has almost enough votes from fellow Republicans to pass.”
“But the so-called Graham-Cassidy bill continues to face the same kind of hurdles that doomed previous GOP efforts in the Senate to undo major provisions of the ACA.”
“And there is a new hurdle: Republicans have just 15 days to pass the bill under the reconciliation process being used to grease the skids for repeal of the ACA.”
“That is a very tight procedural timeline — but the chance that it can be done led Obamacare supporters to mobilize Thursday (9/14/17).”
“Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La, told reporters that the bill now has the support of up to 48 or 49 Republicans. That is just one vote shy of the 50 senators that the bill needs to win passage, given that Vice President Mike Pence would break any tie in his fellow Republicans’ favor.”
“Talking to a few more,” Cassidy said, according to Vox.com”
Sen. Cassidy to reporters at briefing this AM on his repeal plan: “We’re probably at 48 or 49, talking to a few more.”
“Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in July dramatically voted no against a last-ditch, early morning effort by the GOP to pass a version of repeal.”
“Sen. Rand Paul, R-Tenn., had voted for that prior bill. But the libertarian Paul on Friday (9/15/17) cast cold water on the Graham-Cassidy bill.”
I can’t support a bill that keeps 90% of Obamacare in place. #GrahamCassidy is not repeal or replace, it is more Obamacare Lite
Any Obamacare repeal bill has 45-46-47 votes in the Senate. The issue for the GOP has always been the last few to get to 50.
“And it would wipe out Obamacare funds that now subsidize the purchase of private health plans by millions of low- and middle-income people, and eliminate the expansion of Medicaid benefits to millions of poor adults.”
“In its place, Graham-Cassidy would award individual states block grants of money to craft their own health insurance system. But net federal spending related to support of health coverage would drop by many billions of dollars.”
“Previous CBO “scores” of the other Obamacare repeal bills found that they would lead to 20 million or more people lacking health insurance by 2026.”
“Graham-Cassidy is likely to receive a similar, or perhaps even worse CBO score (than previous proposals) in terms of the number of newly uninsured, given its design.”
“In an analysis posted (9/13/17), the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities wrote that the bill “would have the same harmful consequences as those prior bills.”
“It would cause many millions of people to lose coverage, radically restructure and deeply cut Medicaid, and increase out-of-pocket costs for individual market consumers,” said the liberal think tank.”
“CBPP also noted that there would be an $80 billion reduction in the amount of federal money spent nationally on insurance support, and published a chart detailing the funding losses per state.”
“Despite that, defenders of Obamacare were taking very seriously the chance that the bill could pass, and sought to remobilize public opposition.”
“Among them was Andy Slavitt, who ran the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under President Barack Obama.”
BREAKING: Sorry I just heard Graham Cassidy now has a plan to get to the floor for a vote this month.
Timelines being laid out, leadership conducting a a real whip count, press conference w governors being planned, pushing CBO. 3/
Still needs Byrdbath, CBO score & arm twisting, but they have clock time if they push it. As a reminder.
4/https://twitter.com/aslavitt/status/908072873964826624 …
“Given Republicans will have to ram this partisan repeal bill through the Senate in the next 2 weeks in order to meet this September 30 deadline there will be no time for a regular process for the public to fully understand the impacts on their health care — with no time for adequate hearings, consultations with experts, constituent input, and amendments,” Woodhouse wrote.”
“Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., also took to Twitter to rally people to oppose the bill.”
It’s time to mobilize again folks. People power can stop this. https://twitter.com/aslavitt/status/908072873964826624 …
1: RE-FOCUSING ON THE THREAT OF REPEAL: Here’s where things stand. Bottom line: A non-zero threat is a serious threat.
“That fact could add some momentum to the latest repeal effort.”
Gronda Morin 
All that energy and effort for this?
To paraphrase a comment from Michael Herr’s book ‘Despatches’
‘If all that energy could be harnessed it could run the lighting for a major city for a year’
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Dear Roger,
This is an example of politicians going forward to pass an unpopular bill to please a a very loud vocal portion of their base.Also, they are very motivated because of the $250.billion dollars in supposed savings which can be used towards their tax cutting bill.
For those who want to read a great book about Vietnam, the Michael Herr book would be it. This war is another example of lawmakers pursuing an unpopular policy with lots of energy which was based on false premises and which has nothing to do with acting in the best interests of the USA OR ITS PEOPLES.
Hugs, Gronda
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Tax cuts HA!!
Speaking as an ex-‘revenuer’ I never witnessed a ‘tax cutting’ programme that didn’t benefit the wealthy far more than the ordinary, and actually hit the poor.
The other ‘newspeak’ word by the wealthy & sympathetic govts is a request to ‘simplify’ the tax system; ie do away with all the marginal allowances and benefits for the poor and create loopholes for the wealthy.
Meanwhile speaking about books on Vietnam…..
‘The Best and the Brightest’ by David Halberstam, written in the late 1970s is an examination of the decision making processes in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations’ decision making processes on Vietnam up to 1964-65.
This is a chilling book because it tracks intelligent and dedicated men caught up and out of their depth.
It’s a weighty tome, I listened to it on audio book and will return to it again.
All the best
Roger
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Dear Roger,
Thanks for the recommendation of ‘The Best and the Brightest’ by David Halberstam.
You are right on the money with your definition of legislative tax cut/ reform bills.The republican party has been dreaming about this for years.
Hugs, Gronda
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I’m sure they’ll try and find a way to exempt those whose incomes exceed $1,000,000 per year from taxes
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Gronda, I sent you and others an email to consider posting to senator websites. I strongly suggest considering the bipartisan Lamar Alexander/ Patti Murray bill to improve the ACA and make sure subsidies are there.
As an important aside, I watched the head of an investment management fund speak of two economies in America, the top 40% and the bottom 60%. A solution to this differential is not to kick folks of the ACA. That is not only cruel it will be recessive in nature.
But, let me clearly say the following – Trump and the Republicans own the ACA. If it fails, it is clearly on their shoulders. With defunding over 80% of risk corridors to insurers for adverse selection, being cavalier with funding of subsidies, over 50 repeal votes, and not supporting Medicaid expansion, they have been the wind against the sails of the ACA doing even better.
Let me be more frank – Republicans have screwed Americans to win an argument. This is the opinion of a retired benefits actuary, consultant and manager and a former Republican, so whether someone agrees with my assertion or not, please know that my opinion is grounded.
Keith
Keith
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Dear Keith,
Thanks for sharing your letter which I will pass forward. This last push is a real possibility. This bill is so unpopular. Once again, the republican legislators are turning their back on millions of average Joe workers, as if they haven’t already been squeezed enough, just to cater to those loud voices from their base.
Roger is right. With all the energy they have been using to push forward these republican bills which are all of a much lessor value than what their constituents already had, they could have come up with a bill that truly lived up to the promises that President Trump made to his supporters.
Hugs, Gronda
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Gronda, I rarely disagree with Roger, but unless they would be willing to look at data and admit some hard truths about their role in dampening success of the ACA, there would be no way in hell for the GOP to satisfy the Trump claim for better and cheaper with out loss of coverage. As John Oliver has pointed with numerous issues, Trump’s solution is to “deliver something you will be happy about.” No plans, just the goal of happiness. Keith
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Dear Kieth,
I’m confused. I interpreted what Roger wrote as pertaining to republicans’ future tax cutting/ reform/ simplification bill.
Hugs, Gronda
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I am the confused one as I read it wrong. My bad.
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