Paul: 'I won't be bribed or bullied on repeal vote'

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill



BY MAX GREENWOOD - 09/22/17 08:46 AM EDT

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) pushed back on Friday against pressure from President Trump to vote for a last-ditch GOP effort in the Senate to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, saying that he "won't be bribed or bullied."

In an early-morning tweet, Trump warned Paul that if he failed to vote for Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy's (R-La.) health care proposal, he would forever be known as "'the Republican who saved ObamaCare.'" But in a series of tweets following the president's post, Paul contended that the Graham-Cassidy measure does not fulfill the GOP's longtime promise to repeal the ACA, and ultimately keeps ObamaCare's taxes and spending.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

The Graham-Cassidy measure revives the GOP's efforts to repeal and replace parts of the ACA after a slimmed-down repeal bill failed in July. It seeks to end ObamaCare's insurance subsidies and the Medicaid expansion, and instead convert those pots of money to block grants for the states.

The new proposal needs at least 50 votes to pass the Senate with a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Pence, and backers are scrambling to round up the votes before a Sept. 30 procedural deadline, after which the measure would need a filibuster-proof 60 votes.

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/351865-paul-i-wont-be-bribed-or-bullied

[RedSpartan]

1. I respect his honesty (on this issue, anyway)

and called his office yesterday to tell them that. We need every No vote we can get; I don't care at this point why anyone votes No.

[pnwmom]

12. I don't trust him. I think they're just using him to promote the idea that this bill

won't change much of anything. I think in the end he'll support it.

[not fooled]

13. And to lull opponents

of their shit sandwich into thinking they don't have the votes. Then, at the last minute...whammo.

Just look at this whole sorry episode. I think that the minute the previous repeal effort failed mcturdle and the GOPee overlords plotted this next round. They just didn't say anything so that they could spring it on everyone at the last minute. How the scheduling has transpired is no accident.

[moonscape]

14. Yes. He voted for the other attempts in the end, and

will vote for this monstrosity as well.

[Pachamama]

2. Well, I would say that his answer is pretty clear....

Message to Trump and any GOP member trying to get Rand Paul to switch votes: NO!!!!!

[still_one]

3. Unfortunately, Paul will most likely vote for it. He played the same game the last time, and then

voted for it

[dalton99a]

4. Yep.

[Honeycombe8]

18. Oh, yeah. I had forgotten that. He sure did. It was a trick. nt

[Hayduke Bomgarte]

5. Sorry, but the little (r)

He sports by his name tells me I can trust him almost as far as I can toss a locomotive. Not to mention the casual ease with which thugs lie and speak out both sides of their faces all at once.

If he holds up, fine. I just won't be surprised if/when he doesn't.

[Le Gaucher]

6. Rand Paul stance is BULLSHIT

He is just throwing a smoke screen for Moderates to hide behind ... because there is nothing moderate about this bill. And at the appointed hour he will magically vote for the bill.

[IronLionZion]

7. Lies

Watch him vote for it like always

[Skittles]

8. so he is saying he is against it because it doesn't suck enough

[Dopers_Greed]

9. So the bill isn't extreme enough for him

I hope he gets deathly ill and is refused care everywhere.

[DK504]

10. This isn't "Obamacare" lite. This is the gutting

if Medicaid and destroying insurance for those unable to pay outrageous premiums or prescriptions.

This is sadism, pure sadism.

Too bad there aren't more Rethugs that wish to protect Americans and be one of those that save the ACA and save Americans.

[Honeycombe8]

11. I disagree w/almost every position he takes, but he is unique among politicians. He can't be bought

or bribed, and he means what he says. I respect that. (And glad of it, in this instance.)

[pnwmom]

15. Don't trust him. He has changed his mind before. He is probably taking this position

so the Dems will think they need one less vote than they really do. At that last minute, he'll again switch sides.

The only way he'll vote against the bill is if his vote isn't the critical vote against it.

[Honeycombe8]

17. Well, maybe. Is that what he did last time? I can't remember. Maybe. nt

[Blue_Tires]

16. Unless Big Coal comes calling, of course...