A Democratic Senator Just Dropped A 100 Amendment Mega Bomb On The GOP Plot To Kill Obamacare

[babylonsister]

http://www.politicususa.com/2017/09/22/democratic-senator-dropped-100-amendment-mega-bomb-gop-plot-kill-obamacare.html

A Democratic Senator Just Dropped A 100 Amendment Mega Bomb On The GOP Plot To Kill Obamacare

By Jason Easley on Fri, Sep 22nd, 2017 at 7:01 pm


Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) warned Republicans that if they try to bring up Graham-Cassidy for a vote, he has 100 amendments ready to go that will keep the debate going until the reconciliation language expires on September 30.

Sen. Murphy tweeted:

Link to tweet

Murphy and the Democrats are ready to act, and it looks like they are gearing up to potentially hold the floor until the reconciliation language expires at the end of September. Sen. Murphy was correct. It looks like Graham-Cassidy may be on the ropes, but people can’t let their guard down and stop fighting. Republicans have made their intentions clear. They aren’t going to stop until they have taken health care away from millions and made health insurance and income based luxury where the people who earn the most money will get the most care.

Democrats are not going to sit back and just let McConnell, Trump, and company harm millions of people. It is projected that if Graham-Cassidy becomes law, 41,600 additional Americans will die each year.

The fight won’t be over until this bill is dead and a bipartisan fix of Obamacare is signed into law.

[saidsimplesimon]

1. Thank you, Senator Murphy

[MoonRiver]

32. Murphy is a definite player in the 2020 presidential election!

[BigmanPigman]

47. YEAH!!! I will call him on Monday before I start my daily

begging/crying calls to the GOP bastards. I asked DU people earlier if the Dems could filibuster for the 4 straight days before the calendar expires on Oct 1st but was told that you can't filibuster under the reconciliation process. Is Murphy the one who held the Senate floor for about 8 hours last spring? He is a hero to me, and Hirono who came from Hawaii to vote while she has stage 4 cancer. The Dems deserve the hero title much more than grandstander McCain. He was a war hero but has always been 100% GOP while in politics.

[connecticut yankee]

68. I'm so proud of my Senator

Actually, I'm proud of them both. And my Congressman, Jim Himes. And the rest of the Connecticut delegation.

[Demsrule86]

2. Now, I am a Democrat because of people like Sen. Murphy.

No grandstanding, no running to a microphone...just a plan to stop the evil Republicans...
hats off.

[George II]

10. I think I told this story before here....

Back when he was first running for Senator against multi-millionaire Linda McMahon, a debate was scheduled at the television station about 2 miles from me. We all went to the station with signs to rally outside.

McMahon showed up in a huge chauffeured limousine with tinted windows.

A few minutes later Murphy showed up in his family Subaru station wagon, his wife was driving. He stopped, waved to us all with a big grin, and then went up the hill to the station.

I've met him a number of times, he's a really normal, down to earth, hard working guy. No flourishes, no fanfare, just a "get the job done" type of guy.

[barbtries]

19. that's a good story

and the first time i've heard it

[calimary]

57. Ad an EXCELLENT metaphor, too!

Little things mean a lot, and SAY a lot, too. And they REVEAL a lot more.

[Demsrule86]

72. Yes they do...you always look up to people who are genuine.

[not fooled]

20. The choice of vehicles

is a perfect metaphor for the difference between the two parties: limo occupied by trashy poseur with money gained from sleazy, shady endeavors providing diversion to morans vs. family car occupied by genuine good guy.

[Ninsianna]

36. Really underscores the basic dishonesty of those who

tried to pretend the two parties are the same.

[Alice11111]

63. !!!

[Demsrule86]

73. Good old Linda encouraged/forced her wrestlers to use steroids..she is steeped in blood.

[First Speaker]

21. CT has two great senators--Blumenthal is terrific, too...

...and has done a *lot* of good, quietly, for people over the years. (Including my late partner--he helped her once, when no one else seemed able to.) I'd like to see Blumenthal run for President...

[Demsrule86]

71. I like then both. I went to High School in Ridgefield Connecticut and college at UConn so I

have a soft spot for that state.

[BarbD]

34. So proud that he's my Senator!

[Demsrule86]

74. You have as another poster noted two great senators...I have Sherrod Brown (love him) and that

moron...Portman.

[Demsrule86]

70. McMahon the murderous WWF monster who kills wrestlers for profit. Thank

God she lost...She is a horrible person. What a great story.

[Alice11111]

64. Me too.

[Demsrule86]

69. He is a good guy...I really like him and respect him.

[ananda]

3. Excellent!

Do it!

[dalton99a]

4. Make every amendment a Rube Goldberg machine

Run out the clock by any means necessary

[BadgerKid]

5. Damn. That's clever.

Especially timely to see this article as NPR yesterday was outlining how Republicans are likely trying to repeal health care this fiscal year (ending September 30), saving tax reform for next fiscal year.

[George II]

6. Chris Murphy has been doing a lot to defeat this next week, working in the the background...

...without fanfare.

No speeches, no rallies, no barnstorming tour, just good ol' "roll up your sleeves" hard work.

[Blue_Adept]

9. The hard work of policy and procedure

There's a reason I like him and his straightforward Twiter side.

[Ninsianna]

38. This is how Democrats work. Sadly those who just started paying attention

don't realize that and bought the lies fed to them hook, line and sinker.

[spanone]

7. K&R...

[JNelson6563]

8. He's really one to watch.

I follow him on Twitter and he's awesome.

[LittleGirl]

11. This is why I love DU

I didn't know that the Ds were fighting hard enough until I read this. This makes me feel much better.
I appreciate that there are DUers that post these announcements that are missed elsewhere.

Thanks for posting!

[mountain grammy]

12. Fighting for all Americans.

Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT).. one of the champions of the Senate! As a former resident of CT, i just sent him an email thanking him for his excellent work.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

13. K&R nt

[NastyRiffraff]

14. Chris Murphy is a good, hard-working Democrat

He's not flashy or self-promoting, just working hard for the country.

[brooklynite]

15. Storys a luttle late under the circumstances...

[brush]

33. How so?

[brooklynite]

49. With McCain a no, theres no likelihood itll pass.

[WinkyDink]

54. Like the man said, vigilance is all.

[Demsrule86]

77. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. You can bet the GOP has a trick or two up their

sleeves.

[brush]

58. Hope so. Doesn't hurt to have a plan B. We know the repugs are going try a trick or two.

[Demsrule86]

76. You can't count on that...we don't know if Lisa will hold firm...she has said little and Rand

Paul said the same thing last time and voted for it.And if the debate blows up in our faces we may lose a wavering Senator...running out the clock is a good thing to do to ensure this monstrous murdercare bill does not pass.

[Demsrule86]

75. It is not possible to do what he is doing until the process is under way.

Thanks to what I consider a betrayal by the Greens and left left riffraff...we have no power until then...what he is doing has a chance to succeed.

[MuseRider]

16. This is good work!

I love it.

Not only can we hold it back we have a longer time to promote our ideas that are surely closer to what the public would love to have.

Everyone against Graham-Cassidy should be doing what they can do to show the public what the R's are willing to do to them to fill their own pockets with Koch lucre.

[Ninsianna]

39. Exactly.

[MuseRider]

42. Senator Murphy holds it back

and we get out our ideas as they fight it in the Senate. Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobucher on Monday take it to the airwaves in a big way. The longer this is held up the more pro ACA rallies Bernie can do, the more speaking out all the Dems can do and we can pull it together using all our guns IF our people actually get out to do this. We need to make calls and we need to talk about this. Senator Murphy will hopefully be able to buy the time that we should have had to discuss and review this. All hands on deck.

[Ninsianna]

43. We shouldn't have to rely on a single senator to hold things back.

I don't think this Monday night thing is going to help us. It's more helpful to the the GOP, when they can advance the strategy they unveiled during the press conference.

It's going to be about showcasing Bernie and their lies.

Rallies literally won't do a damned thing. What has been effective is the resistance and the indivisible groups haunting the offices of their reps and and clogging up their phone lines.

It's actually a poor strategy to divert these bodies to rallies built around Bernie. This isn't a campaign, it's a fight against a policy and a bill that Americans, including Republicans *hate*. Making this about Bernie rallies, makes this a Bernie thing, and that's just distracting and pointless. It's not about a personality, it's about this destructive policy that the GOP is engaging in, at the behest of their donors and at the expense of the lives of Americans.

I think you're not getting why the timing is an issue. After September 30th, the fiscal year is done, and GOP goes back to needing 60 votes to pass anything, until then they only need 50 + Pence. This is why introducing Bernie's bill should have waited, we're going to have plenty of time to talk about it, without it distracting us from fighting this atrocity.

Our Revolution is busy pushing that rather than helping to mobilize against GC,and that's a problem.

We need all hands on deck, we can't just leave it to Murphy and people having fun at rallies. We need bodies in offices, on the phone, tweeting, sending mail etc. etc.

[MuseRider]

44. Oh I get it

and I was pretty certain this was the response I was going to get.

I never said we should depend on one senator to hold it back. He has the amendments to bring up, there will be others if he runs out I am sure. He has done a wonderful job coming up with a list to start with and I am grateful for that.

Getting out the differences of the left from the right is not helpful? LOL neither is kumbaya and if we don't have people out talking about these things we are going to be seen as part of the problem the rightwing is causing. Oh yes, we will vote against it but people want to see action. People want to hear alternatives. Rallies are good for a lot of things but they also show us out working, they get our ideas out having someone in our government coming to our areas and working. I disagree highly with your comment that rallies do not help. They keep people together, they inform them, they keep them feeling motivated and they motivate those who have not been entirely in the know about what is offered by our side. People love to get together and join each other with like ideas. It is also fun and fun helps attitudes.

I agree that groups and people going to offices and calling and attending when their representatives come home to speak with them is needed. That is very very important too.

These rallies were not built around Bernie it was Bernie building rallies around health care. I know you dislike Bernie but you do not have to like Bernie or support him to give him kudos for being an old guy not sitting on his ass just voting for things. I seriously doubt he is glad he has to do this. Before you say he does not have to do this just look at his history, he takes his job and his need to bring good things to this country seriously. He was doing this when nobody but Vermonters knew who he was. I do not care who it is, I do not have to like someone who is doing the right thing and trying to move things in a positive direction for us. I am sorry he "spoiled" things for you last year. At least he is not sitting around boo hooing about losing the primary. We all know what this is about, this is not about his personality. Is he saying that things would be different if HE was in charge? Is he telling people that they were stupid for not voting for him? No he is not, he got right back up and went about doing what he does for this country. I do not always agree with Bernie and I do not "love" Bernie although I have probably said something similar to that before this is not about Bernie. Chuck Schumer gave him a place, you really did not think he would not use that or not do what needed to be done did you? He is doing what he was asked to do. Maybe he is thanking the party for giving him a place?

I don't see Bernie's bill being a problem. This is about saving the ACA from the Republicans. Bernie's issue is separate from that. Working toward a better idea is not a bad thing, it keeps people motivated. I sure would not vote against the ACA wanting M4A at this point although I would sure love to see it. Give people some credit for knowing what is going on. We don't get to vote on this anyway. We call and if we like M4A we will also like ACA. The choice right now is Death with the R's and saving the ACA. I hardly think anyone will say, get back to me when there is the M4A.

Really, not agreeing with you does not make me too stupid to get it. LOL.

What Our Revolution is doing I have not a clue and I don't give a crap at this moment. If we cannot even win one with people on our side pushing for more then we are just fucked anyway. Anyone pushing for M4A is not going to pressure for a vote against the ACA. We are not talking about creating something new here.

1)Senator Murphy has done a great job with the amendments.
2)Others are working phones, writing and visiting.
3)Bernie is doing rallies.
4)I assume all Senators are talking to their constituents

Bernie was asked to do the debate with Amy Klobucher. How did he manage that one? Seems the party in Washington thinks he is doing just fine. I would take a clue from them rather than waste all your time being upset about Bernie. He is not going to try to defeat the ACA he is trying to build the excitement and camaraderie and get out the information for others to be involved.

Looks to me that we are hitting almost all the points that need to be hit and working as hard as they can to their own best abilities. Just because a few of you here would not like Bernie even if he dropped out of sight does not mean he should not be thanked for doing his part. We are using everyone, if we cannot win this you know things are almost if not already beyond repair.

[Ninsianna]

45. So you understand the specific issue about time and still went on

to attack anyone suggesting that it was a poor idea?

No, he's not getting out the differences between the left and the right at all. In fact his folks are busy punching left. We actually have plenty of people talking and getting out things, but the message needed to be focused on this terrible bill in these two weeks, and it had nothing to do with "kumbaya" and everything to do with uniting to destroy a bill that has EVERYONE united against it.

Rallies are not about educating people, they're about pumping them up, that's why they're usually used during campaigns etc. Not for informative purposes. They're literally the worst way to educate people. Think of the rallies you've been to, was there a lecture or a discussion going on, or was it more about the cheering and firing up of people. There is a difference between a pep rally and getting out information and taking action. This is not the time for rallies, but it seems some people can't get enough of them.

Um, Bernie Sanders as been in congress for literally decades, people outside of VT have known about him for a long time. When we have a week and need all the bodies out there calling and camping out in offices, rallies don't do much to "motivate" anyone. Even if they're "motivated" then what? Lost hours of action time.

Rally AFTER this bill is gone. Educate on what Bernie's plan is and answer questions, small town halls, not large rallies where people can't ask questions and get answers. Talking at people, rally style doesn't work.

I'm not sure why you keep fighting the primaries, but it's clear that until people get over this game of playing victim, we're not going to be united.

Looks like it's the Bernie wars forever, forget working together to actually fight for the ACA or the millions of people who cannot wait for a bill Bernie himself says isn't going to pass.

Thanks anyway, you have fun at your rallies, Democrats, Americans and even Republicans will be doing the hard work to fight for our healthcare. We don't have time for the bitterness, the hostility and the animosity that privileged pep rally attendees can indulge in.

We've got work to and since helping us is not on the agenda, I'll get back to work, leave you guys to sigh dreamily and paint your faces for that all important rally!

You can all thank your star and throw roses and celebrate birds. Apparently doing the hard work is still not of interest, just division, hostility and bitterness.
Have fun with that. I for one, am tired of being used to service egos, abused and blamed while credit for my work goes to those who don't do any of it.

Bye now.

[MuseRider]

50. Attacking?

THIS is what you call attacking?

Wow, lol.

[Ninsianna]

53. There seems to be a lack of calibration with people they never see their own

behavior while being hyperreactive to what they imagine someone else is saying.

It's all a fascinating psychological study.

Yeah, I'm finding this all to be wow too. Really funny, but not ha ha funny, rather sad really.

[Ninsianna]

46. Oh, and the party didn't ask him to do anything, CNN did

Bernie jumped at the chance. One hopes he's doing now what he failed to do for town halls and debates in the past and prepares for them. He's the foil the GOP is going to use to deflect from their plan and he doesn't have the chops to counter that. I hope Klobuchar will not be shoved to the side and talked over and is allowed to do more of what she did on the floor to make intelligent, well researched points.

I mean a fun party is cool and all, but excitement and carmrderie when people's lives are in literal danger and even Republicans are on board? How tone deaf is that?

I don't thank him for this sort of asinine lack of strategy, but I will credit him on his actions, either way. If we cannot win this, it will not be for lack of trying, if we let the GOP argument win, we know who will have facilitated it.

I sincerely hope he's boning up on his points and not planning on just shouting stuff. He's going to be attacked, personally, in a way that is completely alien to him, and it's not going to be pretty, brace yourself.

[MuseRider]

48. Brace myself?

I get it now.

I am not personally involved with Bernie. I like Bernie. I can deal that some do not. I don't particularly respect what they say about him but I don't really give a shit so please, this is not personal and whatever you say to demean what I say or what others say or what Bernie or anyone left of center says says a lot about you.

I do not need to brace anything. I am perfectly AOK and will continue to do what I do.

Good lord, brace myself. Now I understand.

[Ninsianna]

51. People seem to be extraordinarily sensitive to anything less than 100%

worshipful coverage of Bernie, they're going to be in shock.

See, they see everything as "demeaning" them when an objective reading of what they're referring to reveals no such thing. There seems to be a lot of denial and then a statement that shows very much how personal they make it as they demean anyone they think has attacked their personal hero.

Seems like bracing yourself is necessary, and no understanding seems to be the very last thing these people with their hair trigger victimization complexes and their vivid imaginations are able to do.

Everything is seen through the distorting lens of the forever Bernie war. Brace yourself, it's not going to be pleasant when he's actually attacked.

[Demsrule86]

78. The public wants to have an improved version of the ACA...they now view healthcare as a right

because of the ACA...so let's give them what they want...and down the road add public option and lower the age of medicare.

[MuseRider]

79. As far as I can tell that is what is happening and what I was supporting.

Putting ideas out in the public airwaves should not be a threat, it is an idea whose time is in the future. People can vote incrementally. This then that. Sounds pretty normal to me.

We need to see the constant repeal and replace go down again. We need to keep the ACA because it is good. We need to let people know the places where it is not so great, Kansas where I live is not so great, is because of the Republican governors who don't give a damn about your health care needs. It tips things all crazy when they don't cooperate. It isn't the ACA as much as it is letting the governors have power over it in their state. The Republican governors are the problem.

I still do not think putting ideas for future possibilities out to people a bad thing. For me it would motivate me to support the ACA because it would be easier to have that and work from there.

I was here to support Senator Murphy and what he is doing and what everyone else is doing, the simple mention of what Bernie is doing for the ACA causes the crazy to come out full blast and twist everything all around.

I agree with you on this. I agree that people see health care is a right, partly because of Bernie and others like him saying that over and over and over again and partly because the ACA made it possible for people to have it. We have come that far with M4A a possibility in the future. I say Hooray for everyone, and that includes Bernie, who is working for this.

I won't be responding, it is not because I do not want to, I have to be gone. If you respond I will likely find time to read it but will not be able to answer. Have a great day, keep on working for the ACA and against the damned Republicans.

[Demsrule86]

80. Having health insurance is what made people believe it was a right...Sen. Sanders and others

have said it over and over to no effect...but the experience did the trick. This is why we must save it. We can use it to move towards...universal coverage which may not be MFA...we will have to see...but if everyone can afford good care...it really doesn't matter.

[Mr. Ected]

17. I love the symmetry of this as well

Remembering that the Republicans were able to add over 100 amendments to the ACA before voting against it and then claiming they had been shut out of the debate entirely.

[Wounded Bear]

18. K & R ......for visibility..nt

[Paladin]

22. So nice to see a Democrat, willing to get down in the procedural gutter.

Well done, Senator Murphy.

[Texin]

23. Go Dems, but McConnell will pull something out of his ass at the last minute.

Bet on it. He'll shut the senate down or have them physically removed by the Capitol Police or something. They did something similar back when they held both chambers during W's presidency. I can't recall specifically what it was (and it might have actually happened during the first couple of years when Obama was POTUS), but they ended up convening a special closed door meeting, blocking Dems, and took the vote with just rethugs present.

[WinkyDink]

55. He didn't the previous times.

[andym]

24. A good, but flawed tactic that can be easily stopped by McConnell

Murphy already prepared this tactic for the July repeal (Merkley too), but McConnell has a way to stop the flood of amendments.
From an article about the July vote:
https://theintercept.com/2017/07/25/jeff-merkley-jam-up-aca-obamacare-repeal-amendments-vote-o-rama/
HOW DEMOCRATIC SENATORS PLAN TO JAM UP REPEAL WITH HUNDREDS OF AMENDMENTS
Ryan Grim
July 25 2017, 3:22 p.m.

"Along the way, however, the Senate will have a period of time known as a vote-a-rama, where an unlimited number of amendments can be offered. Merkley plans to take advantage of that process and offer as many as physically possible.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., also said he has a huge stack of amendments ready to go. “It’s safe to say there’s not a lot of enthusiasm for a short process,” he told Politico.

Ultimately, McConnell could demand that the tactic be ruled dilatory and, even in the absence of such a ruling, could shut it down with a majority vote. But previously he and other majority leaders have preferred to try to wait it out, hoping that fatigue sets in."

[mucifer]

30. I remember they were planning to do this in one of the last wealthcare bills and it didn't happen

[UCmeNdc]

25. K&R

[L. Coyote]

26. STOP #WealthyCare

[Rollo]

27. Or maybe it's just "Wealthcare"... scans smoother...

.

[L. Coyote]

29. People like Trump are the problem, not wealth per se. which is also a national asset.

We are a nation of immense wealth, not a bad thing, with greedy individuals manipulating the government, a bad thing.

[WinkyDink]

56. People of "immense wealth," though, didn't get there without greed.

[wryter2000]

28. Can we stop picking on Dems

For bringing a knife to a gun fight now?

[Hekate]

31. KnR. We've got some fine Dems. Can we stop ragging on them for being in the minority...

...and concentrate on 2018?

[ancianita]

35. Whew. Thank you for news that just made my day.

I'll save my thanks to Murphy and the Party when this Koch/Trump healthcare grift gets kicked to the curb.

[smirkymonkey]

37. Thank you Senator Murphy!

Well done!

[workinclasszero]

40. YES!

Thank you sir!

[Motley13]

41. Chris Murphy is a front runner for prez

[haveahart]

52. OK, I am excited but is there a way to stop the Dems from doing this? I don't trust turtle.

[lapucelle]

59. Chris Murphy...Amendment Emperor of the Senate!

I wonder why no one else thought of this strategy.

[guss]

60. Who are the Republican donors?

Someone started this thread and i couldn't find it again.
Who Politically donates to to Mitch McConnell, and Ryan, the GOP?
How Much Money does it take For them to willing to abort Millions of Americans?
Are they and who they represent (the 1% or Corporations) Are so soulless to let a %
of American die for them to save Face or Appease the Donors.
They Weaken America and Strengthen All Foreign and financial
powers who want to take The US Down.
The Puppets Need their Strings to be cut and be Held accountable!
I Want to Know whats the Motive as in any crime scene

[SergeStorms]

61. This is exactly what we need.

More Democrats who have the guts to stand up to these thieving bullies!

[guss]

66. I love your tag line

[oasis]

65. That's how we roll, baby.