Trumpcare Megathread: It's dead (for now)

[Indy Texas]

But seriously what does the GOP do if this fails? They need the cuts from this to do tax reform

Then they just do deficit spending, and if recent reports are to be believed, they will change the Senate rules to have reconciliation over-spending sunset at 20 or 30 years as opposed to 10 years.

It's not like they truly care about the debt. That's just a political weapon to beat Democrats with. Regardless of what happens with healthcare, they will get their tax cuts come hell or high water. Their wealthy backers demand it.

You'll still have dead-enders like Cruz and Paul who won't vote for it because it doesn't cut spending [enough].

To be honest, I don't see how the GOP can get anything meaningful accomplished if things continue as they are. Their POTUS is completely disengaged and Congress is in a vise between the Tea Party fundies who have zero interest in governing and the purple state Republicans who know their voters aren't going to be enthused about an agenda that offers absolutely nothing to anyone who is not in the 0.1%.

[Indy Texas]

Is anyone else noticing the irony of how many of the delays in repealing the ACA are being caused by Republican members of congress requiring medical care?

[Indy Texas]

They were elected on a promise to repeal and replace ObamaCare.

I thought a lot of GOP Senators ran on just repealing it - such as those from 2012 and 2014. Didn't repeal and replace come later?

If you go by what they said for years prior to 2017, it was mostly just repealing ObamaCare. It was quite foolish to think that alone would fly, but politicians rarely favor practical long-term solutions when it is not convenient.

Maybe for some congressional people, but both Romney and Trump had the "replace".

Donald Trump explicitly stated "We're going to take care of everybody" and promised no Medicare or Medicaid cuts.

So, no, there is no overwhelming mandate to repeal and replace the ACA.

[Indy Texas]

They were elected on a promise to repeal and replace ObamaCare.

I thought a lot of GOP Senators ran on just repealing it - such as those from 2012 and 2014. Didn't repeal and replace come later?

If you go by what they said for years prior to 2017, it was mostly just repealing ObamaCare. It was quite foolish to think that alone would fly, but politicians rarely favor practical long-term solutions when it is not convenient.

Maybe for some congressional people, but both Romney and Trump had the "replace".

Donald Trump explicitly stated "We're going to take care of everybody" and promised no Medicare or Medicaid cuts.

So, no, there is no overwhelming mandate to repeal and replace the ACA.

Trump also stated "We're going to repeal Obamacare and replace it something so much better."

This isn't better!

[Indy Texas]

Moran does not surprise me. He had been hearing from rural Kansas and I mentioned a couple of pages back he was a potential vote to look at it. Lee surprises me though.

Moran, from what I know of his concerns, is a hard no if he came out. It's not that the bill is too liberal or whatever. He is more worried about Kansas hospitals.

TrumpCare is probably dead if they stick to their guns.

It's actually kind of admirable of Moran to be so concerned for his constituents.

Sam Brownback proved there is no electoral price to be paid in Kansas for running your state into the ground.

[Indy Texas]

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Win at all cost.

I don't understand what that even means. Trump has made zero effort to sell this bill to the public.

Why isn't he holding events telling people how great it's going to be? Why isn't he doing something reasonably approximating effort to make the bill less terrible?

He's like a fat middle aged man yelling at the TV while watching a football game as professional athletes execute plays he has no ability to do himself.

[Indy Texas]

It kind of makes you wonder why Mitch McConnell even wants to be majority leader in the first place.

He was supposed to be an institutionalist, but he has been desecrating Senate norms left and right.

He's an insider's insider, and yet it's abundantly clear that he's despised by the members of the elite club that he now leads.

He represents one of the poorest states in the country, and repeatedly tries to pass legislation that almost goes out of its way to do harm to his own constituents.

What is it all for? What does he want from all of this?

[Indy Texas]

Politically, is it better for the GOP that this bill didn't pass and they don't have to deal with the massive downsides of Skinny Repeal?

The House GOP has to deal with the downside of the atrocious healthcare bill that they voted for and passed.

[Indy Texas]

At this point, I'd want single payer to pass simply because it would be impossible for the GOP to repeal it in one fell swoop - since they seem determined to attempt to wreck the healthcare system on a nearly monthly basis whenever they control the government.

[Indy Texas]

UPDATE: The GOP is finished!

LMAO Trump's tax cut is more unpopular than Poppy Bush's tax increase.