Behind the Senate GOP's high-stakes health-care gamble: Unrelenting criticism back home

[DonViejo]

By Paul Kane September 21 at 7:19 AM

Senate Republicans have made a calculated decision: Better to fail again trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act than not to try at all.

That bet, made out of fear rather than a sense that victory is any nearer than it has been all year, can be traced to this year’s August recess — the five-week stretch back home that immediately followed the Senate’s previous, failed attempt to overhaul the nation’s health-care laws. The late-summer break, distant as it already feels to many of us, remains fresh in some lawmakers’ minds.

It did not entail the kind of high-profile clashes at town halls that Democrats faced eight years ago as they began drafting the Affordable Care Act — or that House Republicans confronted at the start of the year, when their repeal effort took shape. Nevertheless, according to GOP senators and aides, Republicans faced an unrelenting barrage of confrontations with some of their closest supporters, donors and friends. The moments occurred in small gatherings that proved even more meaningful than a caustic town hall — at meetings with local business executives, at church, at parks.

It didn’t matter if those friends and allies were big-time supporters of President Trump or part of the “Never Trump” crowd of purist conservatives opposed to his hostile takeover of the GOP. By August, those two wings came together in their sheer, utter contempt toward a Republican-controlled Congress that could not back up its most basic promise, to repeal Obamacare. Trump’s hectoring via social media egged them all on.

That’s the driving reason behind Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s decision to at least “consider” holding votes next week on new legislation to repeal the ACA. Stuck in what might become the greatest damned-if-he-does, damned-if-he-doesn’t moment of his political career, McConnell (R-Ky.) is, for now, siding with those clamoring for another vote to repeal the health law.

more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/behind-the-senate-gops-high-stakes-health-care-gamble-unrelenting-criticism-back-home/2017/09/21/fad330da-9e44-11e7-8ea1-ed975285475e_story.html

[Wellstone ruled]

1. Lindsey Grahman said the most honest thing in his life two days ago.

Little Lindsey said,I want Federalism and not Socialism. He could care less about who he represents.

Or,is someone ready the Tea Leaves and they know they are going to be back benchers for the next fifty years.

[world wide wally]

2. And he pretends there is a public outcry over Obamacare

I don't here anyone bitching about it beyond a handful of Teabaggers... Till they need it

[LonePirate]

3. The donors and lobbyists pulling the GOP's strings want the ACA taxes repealed. Hence the new vote.

They don't give a damn about campaign promises, let alone the lives of regular or other Americans. They simply want the taxes repealed. Repealing the taxes destroys the ACA because there would be no subsidies or Medicaid expansion. Destroying the ACA without any sort of replacement would be the absolute dumbest thing they could do and they know it. So, they craft some bullshit block grant bill and load it with wishes and buzzwords from right wing interest groups. This law is easily the most reprehensible bill to be voted on in a very long time.