Republicans rip Rand for rejecting Obamacare repeal

They're not happy with Rand I tell ya. It's not a good sign when one of the most conservative members in congress backs out of support for this 'replacement'. Looks like support is going to be lower than the previous failed bill:

Rand Paul might soon go down as the Republican who saved Obamacare — and he couldn’t care less.

"I'm actually happy to be out there as the leading advocate for repealing Obamacare, not keeping it," the Kentucky Republican said in an interview. Of his GOP colleagues, Paul added: "These people, they so totally do not get it."

Despite being one of the Senate’s most conservative members, Paul has been the loudest GOP critic of legislation to repeal the health care law that Republicans are desperate to jam through before a Sept. 30 deadline. His recalcitrant opposition left GOP leaders with virtually no breathing room as their whipping got underway,

www.politico.com...

Paul's main gripe is that the bill doesn't go far enough. Remember this bill only repeals a portion of Obamacare and to Rand, this isn't acceptable. I think Rand is being unrealistic however. Given his Libertarian leaning views, I'd think he'd advocate for full repeal and to leave it to 'freemarket forces'. What Rand has to understand though is that there is simply little to no support for that kind of thing in DC. The vast majority of Americans want a solution beyond 'freemarket forces' hence the reasoning so many other Republican bills on healthcare have failed time and time again over the years. But then again maybe Paul is playing maverick for the next election?

It doesn't help that this bill will be costly to States as well:

The GOP's Newest Obamacare Repeal Plan Would Cost Billions Of Dollars

The GOP is rallying to secure the votes needed to pass their latest attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA, aka Obamacare). But while the Congressional Budget Office hasn't yet given a report on the financial impacts of the bill, a study by nonpartisan consulting firm Avalere models the potential cost of the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill, and it doesn't look good. The health care bill would cost states $215 billion dollars in funding collectively over the next ten years, and up to $4 trillion over 20 years.

elitedaily.com...

If two more senators come out in opposition to this bill, it's dead in the water..... again.... for the nth time.... over 7 years... with a GOP majority held congress.

I'd like to have the same kind of Health care that Rand Paul and his family enjoys for life...at the expense of my taxpayer dollars.

Is that to much to ask or should we just accept that they are privileged and we're POS in their eyes?

a reply to: Southern Guardian


The fact that Rand is willing to stand alone impresses me! Also the fact this new bill has Lindsey Grahams finger prints on it, makes me really like Rand a bit more.

But then again, it could just be more circus antics to keep us Feudalist slaves occupied with fighting amongst ourselves rather than tearing down the KEEP....

a reply to: Southern Guardian

Paul's main gripe is that the bill doesn't go far enough.

Not to mention, the Bill allows Alaska and Hawaii to keep their "ObamaCare"!

theweek.com...

a reply to: Southern Guardian

I'm torn on this. On one hand, I absolutely agree with Paul, the replacement bill isn't a good deal and we should be purely voting on an across the board repeal. On the other hand, I'd rather have some of my money and freedom of choice back than none of it back, so anything is better than keeping Obamacare on the books.

a reply to: windword

Aaah I did not see that one.... so you have a choice between very cold or very hot.... I'd go Hawaii...

a reply to: burdman30ott6

Didn't Paul's father Ron introduce a healthcare bill not too long ago? One involving tax credits? I recall he coudn't get support within his own party for that. While you may agree in part with Paul's stance, what he wants is unrealistic. Simply little support in the GOP itself, NO support in the Democratic Party.

Playing devil's advocate here for the GOP, part of being in congress is compromising and working with others from other States, other interests. You can't have it all your way. Rand is being unrealistic.

From a purely petty standpoint I want them to repeal it just so Obamas legacy will be finally and unequivocally erased...

Obamas smug grin will forever hide the utter devastation of being resigned to nothing more than a parenthesis in the history books...

-Chris

This is the very definition of inflexible. Gimme 1 million dollars or I won't take 100 grand.

Rand is the only reputable one of that bunch. The rest are sleezy and corrupt.

So in other words just pass the crappy bill nobody has time to check already.

Then when the next Democrat gets elected we can enjoy this all over again.

Yeah for mediocre failures!

Meh.

He can only try to delay the inevitable.

It will collapse on it's own.

Just a matter of time.

Doctors are privatizing, many insurance companies don't cover it anymore and premiums are through the roof.

a reply to: Black_Fox

It will collapse on it's own.

Trump's doing everything he can to see to it! (oh. I guess you think that's a good thing).

originally posted by: angeldoll
a reply to: Black_Fox

It will collapse on it's own.

Trump's doing everything he can to see to it! (oh. I guess you think that's a good thing).

If they won't kill it directly, they can at least have the common decency to allow it to die naturally (as it was destined to do the day it was passed). Yeah, part of me feels like it fully collapsing is more favorable than passing any replacement.

originally posted by: angeldoll
a reply to: Black_Fox

It will collapse on it's own.

Trump's doing everything he can to see to it! (oh. I guess you think that's a good thing).

This thing was collapsing before Trump.

Look at the premiums BEFORE Trump got elected.

In fact, how do you think he got elected?

I know, it's hard realizing that this isn't a Utopia, and the Obamacare was never gonna work.

But try to. Or not.

originally posted by: Black_Fox

originally posted by: angeldoll
a reply to: Black_Fox

It will collapse on it's own.

Trump's doing everything he can to see to it! (oh. I guess you think that's a good thing).

This things was collapsing before Trump.

Look at the premiums BEFORE Trump got elected.

In fact, how do you think he got elected?

I know, it's hard realizing that this isn't a Utopia, and the Obamacare was never gonna work.

But try to. Or not.

Oh please. It needed some tweaking. Nobody denies that.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

They won't have a decent replacement. If they ever do, Congress republicans will have to out-source to a group who have the smarts to get it done. They obviously do not.

*Duh* Who knew health care was so complicated? *Duh* (wipes mouth on sleeve of $700 shirt).

Lets put aside, for a moment, political rancor and daily talking points. Instead, lets simply discuss "right" and "wrong" outside of the lens of rationalization that happens each and every day with the political double speak.

Is Obamacare the best we can offer ourselves, as a nation? I know the answer, and im sure each of you do as well. The answer is "No". And its likely for a few reasons. But those reasons pretty much boil down to nationalized healthcare, and how people feel about that.

The fact that the GOP is trying to "ram it through" before the session ends...that scares the living hell out of me. That is what happened when we got ACA, and look at how horribly flawed it is. WIth all the hundreds of people holding legislative office, and with all the free time we know they have (they aren't voting that often)....why can it not be done right? Im wholly disinterested in trying to make it work.

DISCLAIMER: Im very, very sour about this. Yesterday I had the pleasure of reviewing the healthcare plans available with my employer. We are offering 4 separate plans. The plan Im looking at will be around 656/month (303 every 2 weeks). This is up from my 2010 premiums (the last without ACA jacking up the price) of 278/mo. It is an increase of 236%, well beyond the annual 3% cost of living (actually, its been more like 2.2% over the last 10 years). For this enormous increase, i get my copay moving from $5 in 2010 to $30 in 2018. My deductible has gone from $500 to $6000. My prescriptions have gone from $4/$8 to $50 flat.

originally posted by: angeldoll
a reply to: burdman30ott6

They won't have a decent replacement. If they ever do, Congress republicans will have to out-source to a group who have the smarts to get it done. They obviously do not.

It's not a brain issue, it's a spine and wallet issue. Congressional Republicans don't have the backbone to do what should be done: flat out repeal, because they're concerned over a very, very vocal minority in their districts fear mongering over what will happen following repeal. They also are concerned they'll lose the kickbacks the Democrats and Republicans receive from the insurance companies and particularly groups like the AMA which control all of the service coding and compliance enforcement contracts the ACA mandated. The AMA, in particular, has gone from being the nations largest union of medical professionals, to a group that far less than half of America's doctors belong to... making their big money off of policy shills rather than membership dues.