McCain May Have Saved House Republicans A World Of Pain Over Obamacare Repeal

[DonViejo]

By CAMERON JOSEPH and ALICE OLLSTEIN Published SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 6:00 AM

A lot of House Republicans probably heaved a sigh of relief when they learned that a Friday defection by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) may have saved them from another round of Obamacare votes.

“If you’re in a congressional swing district, this was not a vote you were looking forward to taking,” said Ken Spain, a GOP strategist and former top staffer at the National Republican Congressional Committee. “McCain did Republicans a favor — this was going to be a very difficult vote that was going to have significant political consequences in 2018.”

That’s especially true for the House Republicans in states that expanded Medicaid, since the Senate bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act would be particularly devastating to those states, and since a number of those lawmakers are already facing brutal reelection fights.

Seventeen states face drastic cuts of 30 percent or more of their federal funding for premium subsidies and Medicaid, according to the Trump administration’s own numbers, with some of the hardest-hit states represented by vulnerable GOP incumbents who are already staring down tough reelection fights in 2018.

If McCain and other Senate Republicans had kicked the bill back to the House, that would have left members with a dire choice: Break with their party over a seven-year promise and be labeled — in President Trump’s words — “the Republican who saved Obamacare,” or vote for a bill that would be particularly harmful to their own constituents and their own electoral hopes. Due to that, a number of House Republicans are likely hoping the bill dies in the Senate before they have to take another career-damaging vote. Instead, McCain gets that dubious title — and Republicans can hope to move onto safer ground.

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http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/john-mccain-saved-house-republicans-a-world-of-pain-over-obamacare-repeal

[Wounded Bear]

1. Yeah, McCain is falling on his sword for the party...

not so much for the country.

[WyattKansas]

5. Until all possibility is lost for republicans, I will never lose doubt of any of them...

Although I also have a suspicion that McCain may be providing cover or protection from the onslaught of torment, threats, and hostile acts the republican party was about to unleash on the two female Republican Senators that voted NO on the repeal last time. I don't think he was impressed with how other republicans treated his fellow female Senators then and didn't want to let it get that far again. Keep in mind, I still do not trust anyone who refuses to say that health care is a right that should never be questioned and/or leveraged/perverted.

While I find it insulting that a man who has had government health care his entire life can dictate who else can have health care, I do think he comes from a generation that clearly also realizes how extremist the republican party has become. Keep in mind, he also stood up to the those who attacked Obama and questioned Obama's religion during the 2008 Presidential Election.

[Eliot Rosewater]

2. Saving the party from itself, this way 40 million or more of them can still vote for the

same person who voted to kill them.

Weird, stupid, but that is the GOP

[LakeArenal]

3. It took two

Olympia Snow needs a nod.

[Jim Lane]

6. You're thinking of Susan Collins

Olympia Snowe retired from the Senate a few years ago. On the most recent vote, it was Susan Collins (R-ME) who joined McCain and Lisa Murkowski in providing the critical Nay votes to defeat the bill.

[LakeArenal]

7. Yep. I knew after I left for town...

Hoping I'd slide. Anyway thanks for the correction. Brain fart..

[RDANGELO]

4. The Republican Party is in pickle over health care.

For years they have been telling their highly manipulated base that they can produce a better plan with less or little government involvement. It's a lie. None of the plans they come up with help anyone. If they actually ever passed one of these plans, the backlash would be devastating. On the other hand the base is frustrated because they haven't repealed and replaced the hated Obamacare. The fact that they are putting forth these bad bills is hurting them, but not as much if they ever passed one. The Senators who are against the bill, are saving Trump form himself.