Doug Thompson: Town hall puts some starch in Cotton

[TomSea]

Doug Thompson: Town hall puts some starch in Cotton
Springdale rally may be a factor

By Doug Thompson
Posted: March 18, 2017 at 1 a.m.

Maybe -- just maybe -- that rowdy town hall in Springdale is making a difference.

Sen. Tom Cotton is giving harsh and spot-on criticism of House Speaker Paul Ryan's health care bill and its chances. Few like that bill, but Cotton's punches are notably hard.

Much of this is dismissed as Cotton raising his profile while sniping at a presidential rival. Maybe so, but I like to think the senator remembers Kati McFarland of Springdale when he says things like this on TV:

"As it's written today, this bill in the House of Representatives cannot pass the Senate. And I believe it would have adverse consequences for millions of Americans, and it wouldn't deliver on our promises to reduce the cost of health insurance for Americans."

More about McFarland in a minute. On radio, Cotton said this about Ryan's claim that the bill was just one step in a three-step process:

"There is no three-phase process. There is no three-step plan. That is just political talk. It's just politicians engaging in spin. This is why. Step one is a bill that can pass with 51 votes in the Senate. That's what we're working on right now. Step two, as-yet-unwritten regulations by [health secretary] Tom Price, which is going to be subject to court challenge, and therefore, perhaps the whims of the most liberal judge in America. But step three, some mythical legislation in the future that is going to garner Democratic support and help us get over 60 votes in the Senate. If we had those Democratic votes, we wouldn't need three steps."

Continued: http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2017/mar/18/doug-thompson-town-hall-puts-some-starc/