Trump pessimistic on ObamaCare repeal: ‘That’s the end of that’

[Zippyjuan]

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare...he-end-of-that

President Trump sounded a pessimistic note Monday on the latest GOP effort to repeal ObamaCare, and blamed Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for costing his party a victory.

Trump did not give up all hope on the bill, but suggested it would not get the 50 votes — assuming a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Pence — it needed to clear the Senate because of opposition from McCain, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and other Republicans.

“Looks like Susan Collins and some others who will vote against,” Trump said during an interview on the “Rick & Bubba” radio show. “We’re going to lose two or three votes and that’s the end of that.”

Trump also criticized McCain, whose thumbs down killed a slimmed-down ObamaCare repeal bill in July, and who announced his opposition to the latest measure on Friday.
Trump said that “the only reason we don’t have” repeal is “because of John McCain.”

“What McCain has done is a tremendous slap in the face of the Republican party,” Trump said. “Without John McCain, we already have the health care.”

McCain on Friday said he “cannot in good confidence” vote for the latest ObamaCare repeal attempt from Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.). McCain took issue with the rushed nature of the bill, saying it did not go through the normal committee process.

Collins on Sunday said it was “very difficult” for her to imagine voting for the bill.

Republicans can only lose three votes. McCain and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) have both said they are opposed.

Senate Republicans need to pass the bill before Sept. 30. After this week, they will lose the ability to use special budgetary rules on ObamaCare repeal that prevent a Democratic filibuster, further dooming their effort.

Trump does not seem to be making any personal efforts to get the bill passed beyond tweets criticizing McCain and Paul. He hasn't been having meetings with the Senate or calling senators who may be on the line. He has not offered any suggestions as to what he would have liked to see in a healthcare bill.

A lot of senators don't actually like this bill but it is the only one they are (maybe- if it won't pass, they might skip bringing it up for a vote) going to have a chance to vote on and re-assure their voters they were opposed to Obamcare.

[Zippyjuan]

Just two days ago: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017...iser-says.html

Five days remain to try to get something through under reconciliation rules.

Senate's bill to repeal, replace ObamaCare 'not dead,' top Trump adviser says


The White House tried Sunday to garner public support for the Senate’s upcoming vote on Republicans’ latest plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare, with a top adviser to President Trump saying the pending legislation is still alive and that a “vast majority of Americans” will benefit.

“It’s not dead,” Marc Short, the White House director of legislative affairs, told “Fox News Sunday.” “Here we are, just days away from a final vote, and we’re trying to win over the support of the last couple of senators to get there.”

Like previous Senate efforts this year to repeal and replace ObamaCare, the latest measure, the Graham-Cassidy bill, appears a few votes shy of passage.


The GOP-controlled chamber has until Sept. 30 to pass the legislation with a simple, 51-vote majority, under so-called budget reconciliation procedures.

However, at most 48 of the chamber’s 52 Republican senators appear to support the bill, which has no backing from Democrats.

“We need to make sure that we win over the last couple Republicans,” Short said. “That’s our path to victory.”

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Friday that he’ll vote no. And Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that she would have trouble envisioning a scenario in which she would “end up voting for the bill.”

[Madison320]

The problem is they weren't repealing it. The core of Obamacare is forcing insurance companies to insure sick people. Everything else was just fluff.

[dannno]

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare...he-end-of-that



Trump does not seem to be making any personal efforts to get the bill passed beyond tweets criticizing McCain and Paul. He hasn't been having meetings with the Senate or calling senators who may be on the line. He has not offered any suggestions as to what he would have liked to see in a healthcare bill.

A lot of senators don't actually like this bill but it is the only one they are (maybe- if it won't pass, they might skip bringing it up for a vote) going to have a chance to vote on and re-assure their voters they were opposed to Obamcare.

Did you ever think that maybe Trump doesn't want to it to pass?

I mean, I keep saying it, and all the actions you describe seem to point that direction. Maybe it's time to put 2 and 2 together.

[Zippyjuan]

Did you ever think that maybe Trump doesn't want to it to pass?

I mean, I keep saying it, and all the actions you describe seem to point that direction. Maybe it's time to put 2 and 2 together.

So he does not want to keep his often repeated promise during the campaign to "repeal and replace" Obamacare. I agree- he doesn't seem to care about it. He didn't put in any effort to help get the previous bills through either. Obamacare is here to stay.

[dannno]

So he does not want to keep his often repeated promise during the campaign to "repeal and replace" Obamacare. I agree- he doesn't seem to care about it. He didn't put in any effort to help get the previous bills through either. Obamacare is here to stay.

No, no you just completely twisted my statement. I don't know why you can't have a conversation without twisting people's statements around.

I said that it looks pretty clear that Trump didn't want THIS BILL to pass. This bill is not a real repeal. Rand doesn't want it to pass. Trump doesn't want it to pass. Trump is pretending to want it to pass, he said he wants it to pass, but like you said, it doesn't appear by his actions that is so.

Maybe you could re-answer my question without twisting everything around.

[shakey1]

... but, but, they'll have to pass it to see what's in it.

[Zippyjuan]

No, no you just completely twisted my statement. I don't know why you can't have a conversation without twisting people's statements around.

I said that it looks pretty clear that Trump didn't want THIS BILL to pass. This bill is not a real repeal. Rand doesn't want it to pass. Trump doesn't want it to pass. Trump is pretending to want it to pass, he said he wants it to pass, but like you said, it doesn't appear by his actions that is so.

Maybe you could re-answer my question without twisting everything around.

He didn't support the previous bills. Didn't fight for any of them. This bill is a bad one but it is also the last shot they have at passing something with only 50 votes. He hasn't suggested any bills of his own (Trump doesn't like to be bothered with details on things). He doesn't seem to care about ANY healthcare bills. I don't think he is pretending. He just doesn't care. He would rather run off to play golf, attend a political rally (feed his ego), or watch Fox News and tweet.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

I don't know why you can't have a conversation without twisting people's statements around.

Oh, you know why!

[specsaregood]

No, no you just completely twisted my statement. I don't know why you can't have a conversation without twisting people's statements around.

I said that it looks pretty clear that Trump didn't want THIS BILL to pass. This bill is not a real repeal. Rand doesn't want it to pass. Trump doesn't want it to pass. Trump is pretending to want it to pass, he said he wants it to pass, but like you said, it doesn't appear by his actions that is so.

Maybe you could re-answer my question without twisting everything around.

I guess we'll see if Randal was correct about Trump pushing through the HCA thing via executive order in the next few weeks, or if Trump is simply a cuck to the insurance lobby.

[Zippyjuan]

Looks like it is over. http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/25/politi...tus/index.html

Collins to vote 'no' on Graham-Cassidy bill, likely killing latest Obamacare repeal

Sen. Susan Collins announced Monday afternoon that she will oppose the GOP's latest plan to overhaul the Affordable Care Act, bringing the total number of public "no" votes to three and likely killing the last-ditch effort to repeal Obamacare this week.

In a statement, the Maine Republican said the bill does not go far enough to protect people with pre-existing conditions and that the proposal's cuts to Medicaid are too steep.

"Sweeping reforms to our health care system and to Medicaid can't be done well in a compressed time frame, especially when the actual bill is a moving target," Collins said. The bill would also "open the door for states to weaken protections for people with pre-existing conditions, such as asthma, cancer, heart disease, arthritis and diabetes."

Collins told reporters that President Donald Trump talked to her on the phone Monday and that Vice President Mike Pence had called her over the weekend to discuss her stance on health care.

The decision, while widely expected, deals what is almost certain to be a lethal blow to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's eleventh-hour attempt to find 50 "yes" votes in his caucus. Collins joins Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Rand Paul of Kentucky, who have both said they will oppose the legislation. Sen. Ted Cruz also said he opposed the legislation as written.

Collins was one of three Republican senators to vote against an Obamacare repeal bill in July -- along with McCain and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska -- stopping the bill's passage on the Senate floor.

They are trying to promise more money to particular states to get their senators to vote for the bill which generally cuts money to blue states and give more to red states.

On Sunday evening, the GOP released its latest version of the health care bill, which aimed to convince members who are still undecided to support the bill. The changes aim to increase funding for states like Alaska, but there's no proof that the bill will bring the undecided senators onboard now.

In one new provision particularly beneficial to Alaska, the state would receive a 25% boost in federal matching funds for Medicaid due to its defined high-level of poverty.

[nikcers]

I guess we'll see if Randal was correct about Trump pushing through the HCA thing via executive order in the next few weeks, or if Trump is simply a cuck to the insurance lobby.

Rand Paul is fighting the good fight, for sure, I hope he does force Trump into glory. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forced_into_Glory

[Swordsmyth]

Rand Paul is fighting the good fight, for sure, I hope he does force Trump into glory. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forced_into_Glory

Trump may yet have Greatness thrust upon him.

William Shakespeare from Twelfth Night:


"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them". - (Quote Act II, Scene V).