Hell. Even Graham and Cassidy didn't want Graham-Cassidy to pass.

[Jakes Progress]

It was Kabuki for the donors that were threatening them - the evil rich that are trying to remake America into an autocracy.

All (except for the truly stupid) republican congressmen know that passing ACA repeal would cost them both houses in 2018. I'll bet that they were sweating bullets until they could get a sacrificial volunteer to say they would be the third "no" vote. Their collective sighs of relief at not having to actually kill old and sick people just before an election must have been mighty.

Now they can lick the hands, boots, and asses of their moneyed overlords and point fingers at the evil three that kept them from carrying out their threats. It will work too. The moneyed evil asses will try again next year. The idiots who are stupid enough or deplorable enough to vote republican will ignore how their congress critter tried to kill them and vote to put them back in office so that they can be protected from all the non-white hoards.

The republican congress is truly relieved today.

[ProfessorGAC]

1. Yep, This Was A "Don't Blame Me" Screenplay

I like your Kabuki description, btw.

This was a set up for an "i admit it was him" scenario.

[Jakes Progress]

2. They did it again.

It would seem that many of us are very easily duped.

[maxsolomon]

3. I don't think it would cost them both houses of Congress.

It cost DEMS the House in 2010, and multiple State Legislatures, probably for 20 years. Hell the Dems lost the WA State SENATE for the 1st time in decades and haven't snagged it back yet.

The GOP will control re-destricting in a majority of the states AGAIN after the 2020 Census. They've tilted the playing field to them, and will continue until the SCOTUS says it has to stop.

Which will be approximately never as long as it's 5-4.