Senate GOP setting up 'Obamacare' vote on highway bill

[maxrandb]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican leaders announced plans Friday to use a must-pass highway bill to try to overturn President Barack Obama's health care law, in the latest GOP assault on "Obamacare."

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on the Senate floor "nearly every Republican wants" a full repeal of the law, and he introduced an amendment to the highway bill to do just that. A vote was set for Sunday.

The move was met with immediate derision from Democrats in the wake of last month's Supreme Court ruling upholding central elements of the law.

"Again, the majority leader has cynically filed another repeal of Obama health care legislation," Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said. "I hope the Senate doesn't try to catch up with the House as to how many times they're going to try to repeal that."


Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3f5d128472974f17aa0a61fc9f3de069/senate-gop-setting-obamacare-vote-highway-bill

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[Elmer S. E. Dump]

1. More time and money wasted by Republicans.

[mmonk]

2. I learned doing the same thing over and over and always getting the same results

Last edited Fri Jul 24, 2015, 11:30 AM - Edit history (1)

is next to insanity.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. Maybe they're hitting the castle gate with a battering ram ....

... over and over, same result: nothing.

But there's always the hope ...

[Chakab]

3. "Where are the jobs?"

Isn't that line what got them back control of the House in 2010?

What exactly have they done since they gained by power in either house of Congress but play petty political games?

What's worse is that the media lets them get away with having no intention of actually governing and not being a serious political party.

[yellowcanine]

4. This should end well for the turtle guy.

[liberal N proud]

5. What was the definition of insanity?

I think the republicans have defined it to a tee!

[hibbing]

6. so eager to take insurance away from people

The typical bullshit from this party. Always so anxious to cut any sort of entitlement or benefit from everyone that is not from their masters, the 1%.

Peace

[drm604]

7. They don't actually even want this.

They know the chaos that would result; at least some of them do. This is purely political. They're pandering to an ignorant base (whose ignorance they've created).

[PearliePoo2]

8. I agree with you Mitch!

Repeal the ACA and replace it with Medicare for all! (like it should have been in the first place)

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

11. "Replace"? GOP isn't talking about "replace" ...

... they just talk about destroy, loot, pillage, burn, sowing the earth with salt.

[karynnj]

10. Fortunately, they need 60 votes --- which they won't get

because no Democrat will vote for it. I wonder how the Republicans will feel about having to come in for a doomed vote on a Sunday. (Not all the Democrats need to be there to vote "no" because a not voting is functionally a no vote - they need 60 Senators present and voting yes. ) What a waste of time.

I suspect they want to make the claim that Democrats voted against the highway bill --- and even if it then passes, after they remove this --- they go with the "voted against it before voting for it". (I STILL wonder how long it will take people to realize that the votes are for different versions -- often significantly different.)

[jeff47]

16. That's actually fortunate for them.

If they managed to succeed in repealing the ACA, with no plan beyond "die quickly", it would be very bad for them.

So they get to hold vote after vote to show the base that they are fighting, yet they don't have to deal with the consequences of winning that fight.

[jalan48]

12. I don't know why the Republicans are so upset about Obamacare.

With the big insurance companies buying each other up we will soon have a single payer system run by a giant corporation. For profit!

[geek tragedy]

15. the fewer, and more centralized companies there are, the easier nationalization

would be.

if there's a single private payer, then there can pretty easily be a single public payer, or a single quasi-public payer (like a utility)

[jalan48]

21. I hope so-unfortunately, we are going to have to put up with corporate rule for awhile first.

[world wide wally]

13. Why can't people get it that Republicans stand in the way of anything getting done in this country

as long as they have a majority anywhere?

Toss the bums out!

[riversedge]

14. Will this insanity ever end???

[rtracey]

19. yes

yes it will...elect democrats for House, Senate and President......ends the insanity

[LiberalLovinLug]

17. Its not that funny

So, much needed infrastructure spending will be shot down because the GOP decided to add a poison pill to the bill. Many communities will now be waiting for a much needed highway improvement or bridge etc..as well as the jobs involved.

And the kicker is that the Turtle will come out in a press conference and accuse the Dems of blocking a much needed highway improvement work bill.

[blackspade]

18. McConnell hates American lives.

McConnell wants to steal the healthcare of millions of Americans.
The Democratic Party leadership had better hammer the GOP on this.
Are you listening DWS?

[d_legendary1]

20. This makes what, the 100th time they pull this?

Stop playing politics with our lives assholes! If we had a real media people would get this instead of what the Kardashians are doing!

[lark]

22. Guess I'm too serious.

I don't think adding this to the very necessary highway bill is funny, sorry. It can only delay passage, as it will never pass with that in there. Obama will tolerate a lot, but that's one thing he won't play with at all, his signature bill. Repugs need to quit being traitors to workers and just pass the freaking bill. They already lost out on cutting Medicare/Disability and SSI, they just need to pass this damn thing and quit dicking around. Of course, the sensible thing to do is to pay for this by passing minimum taxation for corporations or greatly lowering the amount at which the estate tax hits - but they would never raise money from the rich, those are their guys.

[rtracey]

23. And if

Well Its too bad the words treasonous, or criminal, or deadly are thrown out so frequently that they really have zero meaning anymore. My feelings are that we, not just as Americans, but as human beings have a right a RIGHT to medical care, a right to be healthy when all possible. By adding an amendment to a bill that has ZERO to do with the healthcare, to eliminate healthcare for millions is a coldblooded, calculated criminal act. Basically McConnell is asking congress to eliminate healthcare for those who can't afford it. And what if it happens, and people die. Will this be considered a murderous act? Would it be a premeditated act? Some sit and laugh at how many times the republicans tried to take away the Affordable Care Act, and now Bush is calling for the elimination of Medicare....oh wait a restructuring of Medicare... and a restructuring of Social Security too.....but I am not laughing, because I see it as 50 + times the radical right winged party of this country is trying to cause its poor, foreign, senior, LGBT portion of their citizens harm. This needs to stop. This needs to be a call to ALL in our party to get out and vote theses radical right wingers out of office.....NO COMPLACENCY THIS ELECTION.....

[Vinca]

24. The GOP is bound and determined to kill Americans.

You'll either go to your grave when your car careens off a fallen down bridge or you won't have health coverage when cancer hits. (Their favorite option for killing Americans is still war.)