Is Obamacare finally safe?
The clock may finally have caught up with Republicans after nearly 10 months of failed repeal efforts.
By JENNIFER HABERKORN and PAUL DEMKO 09/22/2017 06:52 PM EDT
Obamacare has endured more than seven years of political attacks, dozens of congressional repeal votes and four Supreme Court challenges. But as of today, the Democrats’ universal health care law is as secure as it's ever been.
Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) opposition to the latest repeal effort sponsored by his closest friend in the Senate likely doomed the bill — and with it, the hope that Republicans could fulfill their campaign pledge to undo Barack Obama’s signature domestic policy achievement before a Sept. 30 deadline. On top of that, the insurance markets are alive and, despite skyrocketing premiums and dwindling competition, face no threat of immediate collapse.
While the GOP repeal effort may not be over, it took a severe hit with McCain’s opposition just days before a Sept. 30 deadline. The 52-member Republican conference can afford to lose no more than two members. McCain joined Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) as public “no” votes. In addition, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is widely viewed as a "no" — she trashed the bill to her local paper on Friday — and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska is skeptical; both opposed the Senate repeal effort in July.
“That’s certainly not a good development for passage of the bill,” Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said on Fox News shortly after McCain’s announcement. “But there are a couple of uncommitted members, and there’s an opportunity between now and Sept. 30, the end of next week, to get a vote on this.” But the clock may have finally caught up with them. After Oct. 1, they would need 60 votes — an impossibility given Democrats’ support for the law.
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http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/22/is-obamacare-safe-243041
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