GOP opponents to Senate health-care bill see vote delay as an advantage

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post




By Elise Viebeck and Sean Sullivan July 16 at 10:50 AM

An unexpected delay in plans to hold a vote on the Senate health-care bill will strengthen the position of conservative critics by giving them more time to mobilize, according to one of the measure’s most outspoken opponents.

“The longer the bill is out there, the more conservative Republicans are going to discover it is not repeal,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Sunday in an interview with CBS.

“I think it’s absolutely wrong,” Paul said of the bill. “It’s not at all consistent with Republican principles. .?.?. We promised repeal.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) put off plans to hold a vote this week on the bill after Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said he would be at home in Arizona recovering from a surgery to remove a blood clot from above his left eye. McCain’s absence will leave Republicans without the votes necessary to advance the legislation.

Paul and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), for different reasons, have said they will not vote even to move the legislation to the Senate floor. Along with all 48 senators in the Democratic Caucus — and without McCain — their opposition would be enough to block the bill from advancing.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/gop-opponents-to-senate-health-care-bill-see-vote-delay-as-an-advantage/2017/07/16/3e5516fa-6a21-11e7-96ab-5f38140b38cc_story.html

[pangaia]

1. "Its not at all consistent with Republican principles. .."

Principles?


What a joke...

[BumRushDaShow]

4. He meant "Koch Principles"

He, a bunch of others in the Senate, and 60+ in the House were all elected in 2010 strictly on "repeal Obamacare" while Democrats ran away from it. Their funding came from the Kochs.

This is why he and so many others (like Lee & Cruz and the teanuts in the House) are so adamant to "repeal" and to hell with "replace" (which is a "moderate GOP" talking point). They were a bunch of crazies elected for carrying out a single issue and they will not let it go.

[Thinkingabout]

2. Hopefully the CBO report will be out tomorrow and those on the edge will back out.

Portland and Heller may open the flood gate.

[monmouth4]

3. Why did I think McCain was a "No" on this? n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Well

most of us say - when the going gets tough, Mclame ALWAYS votes with his party. But in this case, although his position is unknown, the issue with the "delay" is more procedural vs actually voting yay or nay for the bill. I.e., to advance to the next step (amendments, debate, and the final vote) based on whatever rule they are invoking, they apparently need 50 + Pence (and they would only have 49 with Mclame (NV), Collins (no), & Paul (no) and couldn't proceed).

[monmouth4]

6. Thank you for the info. Somehow I had the impression he didn't like the Bill but of course, not

liking something but yet voting for it are two different things..LOL. Thanks again.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Yup - and he is pretty consistent too...

I noticed that the GOP (and in some cases Democrats) will "allow" certain members to go against the party line if it doesn't impact the final tally in that party's favor. He and Graham are occasionally in that fuzzy group, but nowhere near as much as a Susan Collins or Rand Paul, who buck the party often - but again, only if it doesn't impact the final vote in their party's favor. If it did impact the outcome, the bill will get "pulled" or put on hold until they work something out (an amendment/compromise language, etc) with them.

The Senate really doesn't have much wiggle room in terms of the current party breakdown.

[Ccarmona]

7. Maybe the Delay Will Allow the Repugs to See the Irony

Of McCain's situation. He receives Mayo Clinic care paid for by the taxpayers, while the Repug Senators wait to vote to deny a modicum of the same coverage to those same taxpayers.