I don't know about you, but if Trumpcare passes, it will be the worst day since election night.

[Doodley]

This could not happen in any other developed nation - the governing party making healthcare less accessible, dressed up as doing good. How can we have a government that is acting against the interests of the people? Why is the MSM so passive about this?

I think that if this passes, then Trump and callous disregard for American lives has been normalized, and as horrific as it is, it is just the beginning. Next it will be to stick two fingers up at the whole planet and pull out of the Paris climate agreement, then it will be the wholesale transfer of capital from the poor and middle incomes to the richest. As a nation, can we ever recover from this?

[Jno_Gilmor_]

1. Luckily it won't make it out of the Senate

[Doodley]

3. How can you be so sure?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. I am not entirely sure this piece of shit gets out of the Senate but reasonably certain.

See Post #4

[Jno_Gilmor_]

11. It won't get past the 60 vote threshold.

[progree]

23. 60 vote threshold doesn't apply -- these changes supposedly fall under budget reconciliation

which only requires 51 votes to pass. Although whether all the provisions qualify as budget reconciliation is in dispute...

[DanTex]

9. Not as it is currently written, but there's still a risk there.

The Senate could take it up and pass something only slightly less horrible, and then they could try to get the Senate bill through the House.

[global1]

13. Then Why Are The Repugs Going Through This Exercise?....

Why would the Repugs risk losing the House in 2018? Is this just to placate their constituency that they followed through on their promise to repeal ACA?

Seems to me they have more to lose by getting this through the House than by not.

[vlyons]

15. they are voting it

for the same reason they voted 50 times to repeal the ACA. 1) to get contributions from the insurance industry and Koch Bros, and 2) so they can tell their constutients that they at least tried.

But the irony is that now, most of their constituents like their ACA healthcare and would be, and probably will be, dismayed when they learn what's in the AHCA shit sandwich.

[Kablooie]

19. R voters will never learn what's in it.

They are th most uninformed voters in the country because all their news comes from Republican propaganda.

[FSogol]

18. Optics. Their base believes whatever they spew.

[CrispyQ]

32. They're confident in their gerrymandered districts & voting machines.

Also, their true constituents are getting nice tax breaks & other perks.

He is dismantling 'everything Obama' first.

[grantcart]

37. Trump needs to pass it and take credit for doing something

then it will die in the Senate and they will blame it on the Senate.

Obvious Republican Senators are not happy.

[Orrex]

42. Still not worried, and here's why:

I'm sure that we'll get enough token "No" votes from "maverick" Republicans to bring it to a 50/50 standoff, and they we can all watch Pence achieve orgasm on stage as he casts the tie-breaking vote again.

I am not worried, because my worry will not change this in the slightest. I can do nothing at all to change this. Nothing. Phone calls, emails and letters to my Senators will not change this. Short of taking illegal action, I have absolutely no way to change this.


Whatever happens will happen almost entirely independent of the will of the people.

[certainot]

43. because democrats and prog orgs ignore rw radio, which

is the only reason these dumbass motherfuckers have been pushing for repeal for 8 years, and have stopped single payer for 25 years.

and it is also the only reason the email issue was anything other than a fart in the wind. american democracy beaten again and again by a few hundred coordinated liars on 1000 radio stations.

ignoring talk radio continues to be the biggest political mistake in history

[catbyte]

28. Don't be so sure, Jno_Gilmor_. McConnell's life's work is to destroy Obama's legacy at any cost.

He doesn't care how many people have to die or lose their life savings. He's got his.

[Jno_Gilmor_]

31. McConnell is such a whinny little bitch. He pouts, throws a little temper tantrum and doesn't care

how many lives he destroys. He has no principals and no courage.

[catbyte]

40. You nailed it, my friend. That's why I'm not sure it will die in the Senate. They only need 51 votes

[brush]

36. Yep. The only chance it gets out of the Senate is if they do reconciliation (51 votes)...

and change the Senate even more. And that's not likely to happen either as they might not have the votes for even that.

Ryan is not as smart as people have given him credit for. He's rushing this through without it even being graded by the CBC so no one can see how shitty it is, then he can brag that he repealed Obamacare, not even considering that it doesn't have much chance to get out of the Senate.

That's not smart. He's probably just trying to save his speakership and his seat even by being able to say he got trumpcare through the House.

[DefenseLawyer]

2. It won't get out of the Senate. It's a farce. n/t

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. I would give it 15% odds of it coming out of the Senate.

If we are saved we will be saved because the GOP hasn't figured out how to gerrymander entire states and create sinecures for their members.

[regnaD kciN]

6. I wish I shared your confidence...

...but, with the heavy pressure coming from the White House to get something -- anything -- passed just so Trump can claim to have accomplished something, I can't see how they won't be able to get 50 votes plus Pence to pass it. Certainly, it will take a handful of very resolute Republicans to stand up to their boss...and I just don't see that happening.

[drray23]

12. its not 50 they need. its 60.

the fillibuster is still possible. the nuclear option only removed it for voting on confirming nominees.

[notdarkyet]

22. I think we should filibuster. Everyone wants to go on their eleven day break

Tomorrow. They really need to hear from their constituents.

[progree]

25. The Republicans say that it all falls under budget reconciliation, meaning it only needs 51 votes

[grantcart]

38. Its 50 because its a reconciliation to prior budget legislation but they aren't going to get 50

[mucifer]

7. But, there could be some awful "compromise" that passes

[itcfish]

8. Everyone Text Your Representatives & Senators Today!

Text RESIST to the number: 50409, it is a "Resistbot and it will write to your officials for you!!! Tell them to vote NO to repealing the ACA. Do it today. It's easy.

[Coventina]

10. Agreed. It's pretty much a death sentence to anyone with chronic issues.

Which is EVERYONE over 50, and a big slice of those under 50 (including myself).

[BigmanPigman]

41. Every person who dies should video record their final moments and post it all over the media.

That is what I am going to do and it is already in my revised living trust and my family is on board with it. I have called all 100 senators twice and 100 congressmen and told them of my plan. This is my reality. Jimmy Kimmel's plea did nothing and my death video will have no effect on these cruel, selfish monsters. I wish they would suffer the extreme pain that I face and live with. This is truly torture in every sense of the word.

[vlyons]

14. It is a complete failure of leadership in the GOP

The GOP leadership and Trump are the most corrupt, venal in the country ever. They are basically the same as a criminal mob. Plus they are out-right traitors. GOP on the senate and House intel committees have already started to obstruct and delay the Russia investigations. Trump has installed directors into just about every agency to destroy them, and, at best, to make them terribly incompetent and unable to function.

Why? Mostly because the GOP are controlled by corporations and billionaires, who don't want to pay any taxes ever, except for military, militarized police (to keep the wage-slaves in place), and the militarized immigration police. But they don't want to pay with their money, but with your money in taxes. All they care about is money. Their desire to acquire more and more money is insatiable. They are happy to privatize as many gov products and services as possible and award those contracts to themselves and their cronies. They are happy to let predatory banks and payday lenders charge 300% APR on loans and high hidden fees on debit card swipes. They are happy to trash the environment and atmosphere to steal as much natural resources, oil, gas, lumber, water, minerals, etc as possible for profit, yet leave the cost of clean-up, if any, to tax payers. It's called privatize profits and socialize the costs.

They live in gated communuties with private clubs and golf courses. They send their kids to elite private schools. They never have to deal with the poor and middle-class. They can afford healthcare at any cost, fabulous vacations, lackeys to run their homes and chauffer them around. They live a wonderful life, and care not a wit about us.

As dreadful as this all sounds, and it is dreadful, nothing lasts forever. Nothing. The thing that we most have to guard against is allowing ourselves to fall into despair, depression, and indifference. We need to stay positive and see all the GOP's horrible legislation and policies as another stab wound in the lives of working people. We need to keep talking and writing about policies, rather than crazy personality of Trump and the stupidities of the deplorables. Most Americans agree with Dem positions and policies. We just have to GOTV. So stay strong. Stay focused on the prize. Don't despair and fall into indifference. Do what you can to resist and win elections.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. This is exactly right, AND it needs to be a stand-alone post.

Everyone here needs to see your clear-eyed post.

It is that important!

[Locrian]

30. +1 thank you

[CaliforniaPeggy]

17. Your thinking exactly mirrors my own.

It will be the worst day since election night, for sure.

[BadgerMom]

44. I agree

I would so like to do something right now to help. I've got Dem representatives in Congress and the Senate. I'm thrilled that they oppose this bill. I've called to thank them. But I wish there were more than Twitter today.

[NightWatcher]

20. But it can and would be reversed if/when Dems control the Prez and Congress

So I just can't have a relapse or flare for 4 years, no pressure.

[Left-over]

21. just how many will suffer and perish until then

[katmondoo]

29. I will be dead in 4 years

[citizen blues]

24. It's actually in the interest of some people. . .

The 400 wealthiest Americans who get a Trillion dollars in tax breaks over the next decade.

I've yet to hear anyone ask how it's being paid for.

[SticksnStones]

33. Nancy Pelosi said something about the timing being just right for the tax break

Like healthcare premium funds are available to pay for the tax cut as long as they lower the coverage costs. I got the impression that they get to take away the funds appropriated to healthcare and use that money to cover the tax break. Thus it's rightfully framed as a massive transfer of wealth from the middle class to the upper 2% .

I'm sure I've oversimplified but that's a running start from my understanding...

[citizen blues]

45. That's my understanding of it too.

Without the ACA position on pre-existing conditions being eliminated, I won't have any worthwhile healthcare left. It will essentially leave me uninsurable.

[SticksnStones]

26. Obamacare is popular and senators answer to their entire state

Not gerrymandered districts like congresspersons.

I'm optimistically caution on the Senate vote.

Still, it's a nailbiter

[WoonTars]

27. I'm feeling a mixture of anger and despondence....

Such wanton, deliberate cruelty....'compassionate conservatives'? Gimme a fucking break....they're all monsters...i hate them...

[Amimnoch]

34. Well.. at least the worst since the SCOTUS theft from Justice Garland.

I can only hope that there are enough of the ones that voted for #45, or felt Hillary wasn't good enough to warrant a vote that suffer along with those of us who were smart enough to see the glaringly obvious disaster we now face.

My only solace in this is that those who either supported #45, or was too much of a purist to go out and vote for Hillary will suffer, lose everything to medical bills and die along with us.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

35. nothing will be worse than that night for me, because everything else was predictable

i sort of taking it for granted we will lose a lot. hopefully this healthcare thing wont happen, because it affects white people too, but a lot of real shit is going down for POC and women and will continue.

[rzemanfl]

39. Great news for bankruptcy lawyers though. n/t