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John McCain will not vote for the latest version of "trump I don't care" (Original Post) Motley13 Sep 2017 OP
Woohoo! 🙌 🎉 nt LostOne4Ever Sep 2017 #1
Often disagree with him, but he's a truly honorable man - his statement is great Alhena Sep 2017 #2
This should kill this horrible bill Gothmog Sep 2017 #3
Depends on what Murkowski and Collins do MiniMe Sep 2017 #5
He is not looking good these days. Thank-you John McCain! MiniMe Sep 2017 #4
Here's his contact information. I already sent my thanks. OregonBlue Sep 2017 #6
Thanks MiniMe Sep 2017 #8
Rand Paul is not voting for it, not for the right reasons, but it's a no Motley13 Sep 2017 #7
We need at least three HARD no votes. musicblind Sep 2017 #10
Yeah Gothmog Sep 2017 #9

Alhena

(3,030 posts)
2. Often disagree with him, but he's a truly honorable man - his statement is great
Fri Sep 22, 2017, 02:08 PM
Sep 2017


"As I have repeatedly stressed, health care reform legislation ought to be the product of regular order in the Senate. Committees of jurisdiction should mark up legislation with input from all committee members, and send their bill to the floor for debate and amendment. That is the only way we might achieve bipartisan consensus on lasting reform, without which a policy that affects one-fifth of our economy and every single American family will be subject to reversal with every change of administration and congressional majority.

"I would consider supporting legislation similar to that offered by my friends Senators Graham and Cassidy were it the product of extensive hearings, debate and amendment. But that has not been the case. Instead, the specter of September 30th budget reconciliation deadline has hung over this entire process.

"We should not be content to pass health care legislation on a party-line basis, as Democrats did when they rammed Obamacare through Congress in 2009. If we do so, our success could be as short-lived as theirs when the political winds shift, as they regularly do. The issue is too important, and too many lives are at risk, for us to leave the American people guessing from one election to the next whether and how they will acquire health insurance. A bill of this impact requires a bipartisan approach.

"Senators Alexander and Murray have been negotiating in good faith to fix some of the problems with Obamacare. But I fear that the prospect of one last attempt at a strictly Republican bill has left the impression that their efforts cannot succeed. I hope they will resume their work should this last attempt at a partisan solution fail.

"I cannot in good conscience vote for the Graham-Cassidy proposal. I believe we could do better working together, Republicans and Democrats, and have not yet really tried. Nor could I support it without knowing how much it will cost, how it will effect insurance premiums, and how many people will be helped or hurt by it. Without a full CBO score, which won't be available by the end of the month, we won't have reliable answers to any of those questions.

"I take no pleasure in announcing my opposition. Far from it. The bill's authors are my dear friends, and I think the world of them. I know they are acting consistently with their beliefs and sense of what is best for the country. So am I.

"I hope that in the months ahead, we can join with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to arrive at a compromise solution that is acceptable to most of us, and serves the interests of Americans as best we can."

OregonBlue

(7,754 posts)
6. Here's his contact information. I already sent my thanks.
Fri Sep 22, 2017, 02:25 PM
Sep 2017
https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form

For all the nasty notes they get, I think we need to let them know when they do something brave.

musicblind

(4,484 posts)
10. We need at least three HARD no votes.
Fri Sep 22, 2017, 05:16 PM
Sep 2017

If only two of the Republicans vote no, then Pence can come in and break the tie.

I think the Alaska bribe flipped Murkowski yesterday and that is why McCain decided to go ahead and announce his position. By announcing his position now, he takes on the heat of the far right and it allows people like Murkowski to make more "comfortable" decisions.

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