let's just take a moment to appreciate just how impressively epic this fail is

[DefenseLawyer]

59. I still think it's possible they failed on purpose

I think McConnell knew that repealing the ACA would cause chaos and hurt Republican Senators in purple states if it passed. If it failed, Senate republicans in red states risked being primaried. Ryan knew that the House had to push to repeal immediately or they would all get branded as RINOs (even more than they are already) by the rabid far right that comes out and votes in the House midterms. So, they were in a no win situation. The House had to push repeal and the Senate Republicans wanted no part of having to vote on the thing either way. The solution, while not painless, was to put something forward that wouldn't pass the House. And it was supposedly brought down by the ultra conservative "Freedom Caucus". But honestly, can we think of a time ever when those people didn't ultimately fall in line? Especially on something that was this important? That's why I think it was orchestrated to begin with. But it's just a theory, of course.