1671

Yes.

We are so far over the rainbow at this point, that people have lost any context. We’ve forgotten what normal is, to the extent that literal Insanity is just “pretty bad”.

1672

H: We passed our bill, so you guys can fix it in your version.
S: We can pass our version, but you have to promise you won’t use our version and make it law!
H: What?! We aren’t going to write another one, we will just pass whatever you send us!
S: NO, you can’t use our version, you have to write the real one, because the one we will pass is terrible too!
DT: I’m not going to own it!

1673

Man, if they ever reboot Schoolhouse Rock this one will be really complicated.

1674

“It is now obvious that the only path ahead is for the Senate to pass the narrow legislation that it is currently considering. This package includes important reforms like eliminating the job-killing employer mandate and the requirement that forces people to purchase coverage they don’t want. Still it is not enough to solve the many failures of Obamacare. Senators have made clear that this is an effort to keep the process alive, not to make law. If moving forward requires a conference committee, that is something the House is willing to do. The reality, however, is that repealing and replacing Obamacare still ultimately requires the Senate to produce 51 votes for an actual plan. The House remains committed to finding a solution and working with our Senate colleagues, but the burden remains on the Senate to demonstrate that it is capable of passing something that keeps our promise, as the House has already done. Until the Senate can do that, we will never be able to develop a conference report that becomes law. We expect the Senate to act first on whatever the conference committee produces. Obamacare is collapsing and hurting American families. We have to keep working at this until we get the job done.”

1675

So Paul Ryan essentially tells the Senate: if you don’t pass our conference bill, we may take up skinny repeal and pass that.

And if that happens, it goes to the desk of the President.

1676

But would the House actually pass skinny repeal? It doesn’t have much to offer. Basically just eliminating the mandate. Which Trump could do all by himself, by not enforcing it. Which he said he would do. And then he changed his mind. So who exactly wins here?

1677

“We repealed Obamacare.”

That’s all they’d have.

1678

But Trump could have done that already. And he didn’t. So clearly there is a price to be paid. Why would Congress pick up the tab?

1679

It’s crazy that given all of this insanity there’s still not even pretending that they have a sub-60 vote variant of the Bill to consider. I feel like this is all just an elaborate act that makes 50 votes + VP seem like a rational target and wear everyone out for when they either destroy the parliamentarian or the filibuster or both.

This should absolutely require 60 votes and they know it so nothing they do has a shred of respect for our government or the American people.

1680

The obvious fix for the senate to get their vehicle is to stick a poison pill in there. Something that Ryan won’t dare put to the floor.

1681

Yes, I don’t understand why they don’t do that. Or just the opposite, make it complete innocuous. For instance, it gets rid of the medical device tax and does nothing else. Hell, even Franken and Warren could vote for that.

1682

What you are seeing is that no one wants this.

McConnell just wants it the hell out of the Senate. He wants it to be someone else’s problem.

But Ryan already saw this show. He doesn’t want this garbage coming back into the house. He knows he won’t be able to pass anything. They only passed out the first time with the promise that the Senate would never pass it. Basically the same fucking promise that GOP senators are now asking for!

So now he’s saying that after it goes to conference committee, the debate had to deal with whatever comes out… Because he knows they won’t be able to pass it! He just sits not want any of this shit coming back into the house. And McConnell just wants it out of the Senate.

1683

I’m also sure he will become more presidential soon, just wait…

1684

Aha, taking a page from the North Carolina legislature “Pass the ugly bills in the middle of the night” playbook.

1685

Likes should be re-enabled just for that post.

1686

We finally have the bill text.

8 pages.

It prevents Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood (somehow got that through parliamentarian.)

Allows states to waive requirements that qualifying health insurance cover “essential healthcare benefits”. (Also previously kicked by parliamentarian, allowed under new language.)

Repeals individual mandate, employer mandate, medical device tax.

It’s a shit bill.

It’s going to pass in the Senate sometime between 2 and 3 in the morning.

1687

What we really need are Democrats brave and patriotic enough to stand by these shining pillars of morality and duty in order to remind the American people of the promise of comprom–

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I just can’t hold it together.

Have I said “go fuck yourself” to those of you on this board who helped elect the murderous cowards who are gonna pass this shit today? No? Well, kindly go fuck yourselves.

1688

BTW, the essential healthcare benefits waivers and stripping of Planned Parenthood funding?

Yeah, that’s to get the House to pass this thing AS IS. No conference committee.

When this thing hits Trump’s desk on Sunday, look for cries of “I had NO IDEA” in the Senate, pearl clutching…

…and then “Now lets do tax reform.”

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1690