Sen. Rand Paul: Graham/Cassidy does NOT repeal ObamaCare and I oppose it

[txradioguy]

No one wants to repeal ObamaCare more than I do.  As a career physician, there are few in Congress who have as much firsthand experience on all sides of the health care debate as I do.  I’ve voted for repeal.  I’ve sponsored my own Repeal and Replace plans.

But I’ve also led the fight to stop and block “ObamaCare Lite” plans offered in both houses of Congress this year.  These have been plans that have spent nearly as much money as ObamaCare, that left most of the taxes and regulations in place, and basically failed to honor our promise of repeal.

Unfortunately, they’re back again, and I must add to the list of ObamaCare Lite plans to oppose the new Graham/Cassidy bill that was introduced last week in the Senate.

In all ways, this bill is also ObamaCare Lite.  In no way is it repeal the way we promised.  I will oppose this bill as I did the other fake repeal bills, and I urge those who want repeal to do so, as well.

Make no mistake – Graham/Cassidy keeps ObamaCare funding and regulations in place.  Oh, it rearranges the furniture a bit, changes some names, and otherwise masks what is really going on – a redistribution of ObamaCare taxes and a new Republican entitlement program, funded nearly as extravagantly as ObamaCare.

Graham/Cassidy doesn’t repeal a single ObamaCare insurance regulation.  All of the Title 1 rules, the Essential Health Benefit rules, all of them - they’re still in place here.

States may grovel on bended knee for some relief to the federal government, with no guarantee of success and no permanent solution beyond the current administration.


http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/09/18/sen-rand-paul-grahamcassidy-does-not-repeal-obamacare-and-oppose-it.html

[jmyrlefuller]

So, given a choice between Obamacare and Less than Obamacare (with the option to pursue even less later down the road), Senator Paul, with only two weeks left before reconciliation expires, chooses Obamacare.

Some Tea Party conservative he is.

[txradioguy]

So, given a choice between Obamacare and Less than Obamacare (with the option to pursue even less later down the road), Senator Paul, with only two weeks left before reconciliation expires, chooses Obamacare.

Some Tea Party conservative he is.

No he didn't say that.  Nor did he imply it.

IIRC he believes like many of us do that the only way to "fix" Obamacare is to scrap the entire thing "root and branch" and put healthcare and healthcare providers and insurance back into the free market where it belongs.

[driftdiver]

No he didn't say that.  Nor did he imply it.

IIRC he believes like many of us do that the only way to "fix" Obamacare is to scrap the entire thing "root and branch" and put healthcare and healthcare providers and insurance back into the free market where it belongs.

@txradioguy

Are there any of those kinda bills currently in the works?   If not then he chose to keep Obamacare.

[jmyrlefuller]

No he didn't say that.  Nor did he imply it.

IIRC he believes like many of us do that the only way to "fix" Obamacare is to scrap the entire thing "root and branch" and put healthcare and healthcare providers and insurance back into the free market where it belongs.

If you think, as long as the current Senate is in power, that a wholescale repeal is ever happening in one fell swoop, you're wrong. There are too many turncoats.

It is perfectly fine to say that this does not repeal Obamacare. It is NOT OK to reject any and all efforts to scale back Obamacare until it is repealed, because it doesn't do it all at once (something that, again, was rejected once by the Senate and will be rejected again).

It is long past time for the Republican Party to start thinking about the Long War. Obamacare was, to the Democrats' far-left wing, a stepping stone for the coming push for government monopoly on health care payment (single payer). They did not push single-payer on us at once. They are chipping away, bit by bit, piece by piece. We on the right need to start taking the same approach.

[ABX]

@txradioguy

Are there any of those kinda bills currently in the works?   If not then he chose to keep Obamacare.

Yes, Paul actually keeps submitting really good repeal bills but it keeps getting shot down.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/07/26/moderate-senators-shoot-down-rand-pauls-clean-obamacare-repeal-bill/

By opposing the half assed measures, that allows him to continue to resubmit his own bills (one of those convoluted Congressional rules).

[txradioguy]

@txradioguy

Are there any of those kinda bills currently in the works?   If not then he chose to keep Obamacare.

That's crap and you know it.

[Jazzhead]

Give it up, Congressional Republicans.  You're incompetent to lead.

I stand with the President.  Do what you have to do, make deals with the Dems, anything rather than having to kowtow to these flippin' idiot Republicans who won't take yes for an answer.   

[ABX]

Give it up, Congressional Republicans.  You're incompetent to lead.

I stand with the President.  Do what you have to do, make deals with the Dems, anything rather than having to kowtow to these flippin' idiot Republicans who won't take yes for an answer.   

So you support deals with the Democrats to get more Democrat policies?

You do know you can oppose both, right? You can be pissed at Republican's lack of spine but still oppose dealing with Dems.

[Jazzhead]

So, given a choice between Obamacare and Less than Obamacare (with the option to pursue even less later down the road), Senator Paul, with only two weeks left before reconciliation expires, chooses Obamacare.

Some Tea Party conservative he is.

He's a narcissistic idiot.  Unfortunately, like McCain he's dragging the rest of the GOP Congress down with him. 

[Jazzhead]

So you support deals with the Democrats to get more Democrat policies?

You do know you can oppose both, right? You can be pissed at Republican's lack of spine but still oppose dealing with Dems.

I stand with the President at this point.   Whatever needs to happen.  I am disgusted beyond words at the Congressional GOP.   

[Sanguine]

I stand with the President at this point.   Whatever needs to happen.  I am disgusted beyond words at the Congressional GOP.

And, where does the President stand this afternoon, @Jazzhead?

[GtHawk]

I stand with the President at this point.   Whatever needs to happen.  I am disgusted beyond words at the Congressional GOP.

Hmm, that's like standing on sand in front of a rising tide.

[ABX]

I stand with the President at this point.   Whatever needs to happen.  I am disgusted beyond words at the Congressional GOP.

Let's see the logic here.

I'm angry at the Congressional GOP because they lack spines and give into the Democrats and not accomplish anything.
But I'm also angry at Rand Paul for not compromising and submitting a clean bill that does fully what we want.
So I'm going to stand with the President at this point in his compromising with Democrats because I'm disgusted with the GOP for compromising with Democrats.

Allrighty then.

[txradioguy]

Let's see the logic here.

I'm angry at the Congressional GOP because they lack spines and give into the Democrats and not accomplish anything.
But I'm also angry at Rand Paul for not compromising and submitting a clean bill that does fully what we want.
So I'm going to stand with the President at this point in his compromising with Democrats because I'm disgusted with the GOP for compromising with Democrats.

Allrighty then.

That's how we end up with Trump cutting deals with the Democrat leadership in Congress.

And no one wins when that happens.

[Jazzhead]

ObamaCare is a serious problem.  It cannot be permitted to ruin the insurance markets.  If the GOP caucus cannot fix it or repeal it,  then I support the efforts of centrists from both parties to hammer something out.   The President should encourage the work of bipartisan centrists.  Conservatives had their chance, and blew it.  Idiots like Rand Paul deserve to be backbenchers - they lack the responsibility to govern.   

[XenaLee]

So, given a choice between Obamacare and Less than Obamacare (with the option to pursue even less later down the road), Senator Paul, with only two weeks left before reconciliation expires, chooses Obamacare.

Some Tea Party conservative he is.

No....he probably just doesn't want to put the GOP label on a sure-fire FAIL (another one, that is).  Offhand, I'd say that's pretty smart.  Unfortunately, smart people in politics is a very rare commodity in this day and age.  I've been no Rand fan, but on this he is 100% correct.  Either repeal the damned thing or leave it alone and let it collapse.  It ain't rocket surgery.

[Jazzhead]

That's how we end up with Trump cutting deals with the Democrat leadership in Congress.

And no one wins when that happens.

You're right - no one wins.  But I have lost all patience that conservatives will ever get their act together.   There is no sane reason that any conservative should oppose Graham/Cassidy as a viable alternative to O-Care.  It's better than the status quo, because it shuts down the permanent entitlement that O-Care represents.

You're right, no one wins when you have to deal with idiots.  Jmyrlefuller is right:

  So, given a choice between Obamacare and Less than Obamacare (with the option to pursue even less later down the road), Senator Paul, with only two weeks left before reconciliation expires, chooses Obamacare.

Some Tea Party conservative he is

To hell with Rand Paul.  Cut the best deal with centrists that you can, Mr. President. 

[GrouchoTex]

So, I heard some expert talking about the future of Government healthcare.
Obamacare would lead us to single payer in about 5 years.
Reforms that have been voted on this years would lead us to single payer in about 8 years.

Do nothing, it leads us to single payer.
Do something, it leads us to single payer.

The only real solution is to repeal.

We were always told by these politicians that it would be (1) Repeal, and (2) Replace.
Some said repeal only.

Nothing says it has to be done at the exact same time.

[roamer_1]

So, given a choice between Obamacare and Less than Obamacare (with the option to pursue even less later down the road), Senator Paul, with only two weeks left before reconciliation expires, chooses Obamacare.

Some Tea Party conservative he is.

Right. The guy standing on sound principle is in your way. Go figger that out, why not.

[Applewood]

So, I heard some expert talking about the future of Government healthcare.
Obamacare would lead us to single payer in about 5 years.
Reforms that have been voted on this years would lead us to single payer in about 8 years.

Do nothing, it leads us to single payer.
Do something, it leads us to single payer.

The only real solution is to repeal.

We were always told by these politicians that it would be (1) Repeal, and (2) Replace.
Some said repeal only.

Nothing says it has to be done at the exact same time.

None of the plans proposed, including this one, is anything even remotely close to repeal.  Essentially, they are the equivalent of putting lipstick on a pig. 

Republicans, including Trump, promised us repeal. They aren't delivering on that promise and they should all be held accountable. 

[Sanguine]

And, we know how useful that is.

[ABX]

None of the plans proposed, including this one, is anything even remotely close to repeal.  Essentially, they are the equivalent of putting lipstick on a pig. 

Republicans, including Trump, promised us repeal. They aren't delivering on that promise and they should all be held accountable.

Paul's is the only full, clean repeal bill. He has been submitting this over and over. This wasn't just 'the last two weeks' we've been hearing from him as some implied.

[GrouchoTex]

None of the plans proposed, including this one, is anything even remotely close to repeal.  Essentially, they are the equivalent of putting lipstick on a pig. 

Republicans, including Trump, promised us repeal. They aren't delivering on that promise and they should all be held accountable.

True

[Smokin Joe]

@txradioguy

Are there any of those kinda bills currently in the works?   If not then he chose to keep Obamacare.

It is pretty much guaranteed that if the GOP gets to pass a bill that does little to nothing to remove the onerous provisions which eliminated insurance for many of us, and then rebrand it as their 'fix' that no meaningful progress will be made on the issue. Period. They will deem it "fixed", and that, as they say, will be that.