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Citizen Action on Health Care Citizen Action on Health Care
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The Republican leadership’s strategy for repealing Obamacare has depended on secrecy.The Republican leadership’s strategy for repealing Obamacare has depended on secrecy.
No hearings. Little public debate. Few town-hall meetings. Rushed votes. And, in a depressing spectacle yesterday, a Senate vote to move a bill forward even though neither the senators themselves nor their constituents know which bill is actually under consideration.No hearings. Little public debate. Few town-hall meetings. Rushed votes. And, in a depressing spectacle yesterday, a Senate vote to move a bill forward even though neither the senators themselves nor their constituents know which bill is actually under consideration.
“I have covered every health bill in Congress since 1986,” Julie Rovner, the chief Washington correspondent for Kaiser Health News, tweeted this week. “There has NEVER been anything this nuts before in terms of process. Never.”“I have covered every health bill in Congress since 1986,” Julie Rovner, the chief Washington correspondent for Kaiser Health News, tweeted this week. “There has NEVER been anything this nuts before in terms of process. Never.”
Let’s be clear about what could happen now: More than 20 million Americans could lose their health insurance. Millions more could see the quality of their insurance deteriorate. If this happens, people would ultimately be denied medical care or receive worse care as a result. A Times editorial has more details.Let’s be clear about what could happen now: More than 20 million Americans could lose their health insurance. Millions more could see the quality of their insurance deteriorate. If this happens, people would ultimately be denied medical care or receive worse care as a result. A Times editorial has more details.
Is there anything that concerned citizens can do? Yes, there is.Is there anything that concerned citizens can do? Yes, there is.
“The next 24 hours are critical. The public blowback must be immediate and overwhelming,” Topher Spiro, a former Congressional aide who opposes the various bills, wrote yesterday.“The next 24 hours are critical. The public blowback must be immediate and overwhelming,” Topher Spiro, a former Congressional aide who opposes the various bills, wrote yesterday.
Remember: The strategy for passing the bill depends on secrecy. Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan and their allies understand that their plans are deeply unpopular. So the best way to prevent them from taking health coverage from people is to call attention to their efforts. On Tuesday night, one Obamacare replacement bill had already failed.Remember: The strategy for passing the bill depends on secrecy. Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan and their allies understand that their plans are deeply unpopular. So the best way to prevent them from taking health coverage from people is to call attention to their efforts. On Tuesday night, one Obamacare replacement bill had already failed.
Spiro suggested that people with Democratic senators call them to urge them to fight as hard as possible, by filibustering and offering unlimited amendments. Locking in the tentative no votes from the Republican senators Lisa Murkowski (of Alaska) and Susan Collins (of Maine) is also critical.Spiro suggested that people with Democratic senators call them to urge them to fight as hard as possible, by filibustering and offering unlimited amendments. Locking in the tentative no votes from the Republican senators Lisa Murkowski (of Alaska) and Susan Collins (of Maine) is also critical.
Meanwhile, people who live in Ohio, Nevada, West Virginia, Arizona, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Kansas, Colorado, Louisiana and Utah are represented by Republican senators who could provide the swing vote.Meanwhile, people who live in Ohio, Nevada, West Virginia, Arizona, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Kansas, Colorado, Louisiana and Utah are represented by Republican senators who could provide the swing vote.
Senate leadership wants to pass a bill this week, Marianna Sotomayor of NBC reported. One worrisome possibility, as Senator Chris Murphy noted, is the Senate passing a bare-bones bill, under the guise of fixing it during so-called conference negotiations with the House. That would almost certainly lead to massive losses in insurance coverage.Senate leadership wants to pass a bill this week, Marianna Sotomayor of NBC reported. One worrisome possibility, as Senator Chris Murphy noted, is the Senate passing a bare-bones bill, under the guise of fixing it during so-called conference negotiations with the House. That would almost certainly lead to massive losses in insurance coverage.
If you were ever tempted to get involved in politics, now would be a good time — to make a phone call or urge friends and relatives to do so. And if you’re a United States senator who is tempted to put Americans’ well-being above partisan loyalty, now would be a really good time.If you were ever tempted to get involved in politics, now would be a good time — to make a phone call or urge friends and relatives to do so. And if you’re a United States senator who is tempted to put Americans’ well-being above partisan loyalty, now would be a really good time.
The McCain moment: John McCain, who rushed back to Washington from a diagnosis of aggressive brain cancer, faces an especially stark choice.The McCain moment: John McCain, who rushed back to Washington from a diagnosis of aggressive brain cancer, faces an especially stark choice.
He suggested yesterday that he was disgusted by the process so far and blasted it for violating the Senate’s “regular order” — but he also voted to move ahead. For him, “voting against any bill produced by this process would be the most consistent stand in favor of regular order,” Adam Jentleson, a former Democratic Senate aide, wrote. “If I’m wrong & McCain votes for whatever monstrosity comes out of this process, he’ll lose all authority on the Senate as an institution.”He suggested yesterday that he was disgusted by the process so far and blasted it for violating the Senate’s “regular order” — but he also voted to move ahead. For him, “voting against any bill produced by this process would be the most consistent stand in favor of regular order,” Adam Jentleson, a former Democratic Senate aide, wrote. “If I’m wrong & McCain votes for whatever monstrosity comes out of this process, he’ll lose all authority on the Senate as an institution.”
David A. Graham, in The Atlantic, was struck by the same tension: “Senate floor speeches can stir the heart strings. But if McCain intends to return the body to regular order, at some point, he’s actually going to have to vote to do that.”David A. Graham, in The Atlantic, was struck by the same tension: “Senate floor speeches can stir the heart strings. But if McCain intends to return the body to regular order, at some point, he’s actually going to have to vote to do that.”
Intriguingly, FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver argues that younger political writers were more critical of McCain’s speech than older writers.Intriguingly, FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver argues that younger political writers were more critical of McCain’s speech than older writers.
the future of the Democratic Party.