McCain Comes Through for Democrats, Casts Deciding ‘No’ Vote on GOP Health Care Bill

[rangerrebew]

McCain Comes Through for Democrats, Casts Deciding ‘No’ Vote on GOP Health Care Bill

(CNSNews.com) – Gasps erupted in the Senate chamber early Friday morning when Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) cast the deciding “no” vote that killed the Republicans’ so-called “skinny repeal” bill – their final effort to lift some elements of Obamacare while leaving some of it in place.

McCain, recently diagnosed with a deadly form of brain cancer, returned to Washington this week so Republicans would have enough votes to open debate, and amend, the House-passed bill.
 

Source URL: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/mccain-comes-through-democrats-casts-deciding-no-vote-gop-health-care-bill

[rangerrebew]

This tells me Benedict McConnell wanted the vote to fail, too.  He had to know how Benedict McLame would vote and he delayed the vote until McLame would be there.

[Snarknado]

This tells me Benedict McConnell wanted the vote to fail, too.  He had to know how Benedict McLame would vote and he delayed the vote until McLame would be there.

If he wasn't there it would have failed 49-50 instead of 49-51.

Let's just get on with doing whatever can be done to loosen the mandates and penalties, lower subsidies and allow cheaper plans that aren't loaded with garbage like free birth control...

[edpc]

This tells me Benedict McConnell wanted the vote to fail, too.  He had to know how Benedict McLame would vote

Did they go on to have Eggs Benedict with Benedict Cumberbatch?

[skeeter]

This tells me Benedict McConnell wanted the vote to fail, too.  He had to know how Benedict McLame would vote and he delayed the vote until McLame would be there.

McCains got nothing to lose and McConnell knows it.

Nobody expected any better from Murkowski and Collins, I guess.

[Jazzhead]

If he wasn't there it would have failed 49-50 instead of 49-51.

Let's just get on with doing whatever can be done to loosen the mandates and penalties, lower subsidies and allow cheaper plans that aren't loaded with garbage like free birth control...

No, it would have tied at 50-50 and Pence would have broken the tie.

But I agree with your comment.  The GOP has failed, and the ACA will remain in place.   The Trump administration needs to address the ACA's problems from the regulatory side.   

[cato potatoe]

McCain should have disclosed his support for Obamacare during his reelection campaign.  But then again, the people of Arizona should have known he was a LIAR.

[mystery-ak]

https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A952CCCA-66D2-4570-9D57-514561BF3D4D

STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN McCAIN ON VOTING “NO” ON “SKINNY REPEAL”

[Oceander]

https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A952CCCA-66D2-4570-9D57-514561BF3D4D

STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN McCAIN ON VOTING “NO” ON “SKINNY REPEAL”

Not sure if I buy that. 

[Bigun]

Obamacare was brought to you by the 17th amendment and continues to live for the exact same reason!

31 states rejected it!

[anubias]

https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A952CCCA-66D2-4570-9D57-514561BF3D4D

STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN McCAIN ON VOTING “NO” ON “SKINNY REPEAL”

In other words, it didn't include single payer and increase taxes for all.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Not sure if I buy that.

I don't.  McCain wasn't someone like Collins or Murkowski who just cast obligatory, pro forma repeal votes they knew wouldn't matter.  He actively and aggressively campaigned against ObamaCare for years, especially in his most recent election.  This is basically a complete 180.

The reason McCain didn't vote for that bill is pure personal pique.  He's pissed at Trump and didn't want to hand him a victory of any kind.  McCain's behavior on the floor, etc., all point to an emotion-based decision.  Anything he can do to sabotage Trump, he'll do, and I'm sure he celebrated knowing how much he pissed Trump off.

The silver lining in all this is that the bill would have failed even without McCain's vote, and we may well have gotten some Democrat-alternative when the moderate Republicans join Democrats in the House and Senate.  Trump may even have signed such a "compromise" bill prior to this vote.  But I have to think that McCain so openly spitting in Trump's eye will lead Trump to make an emotion-based decision.  Rather than letting McCain "win" by getting some moderate Dem bill through, Trump will dig in his heels and likely promise a veto, just to ensure that McCain doesn't win.

So though it would have been better had the bill passed, I'm glad that if it was going to fail, it would fail in the way it did.  And I don't buy for a second that McConnell knew this was going to happen when McCain was in Arizona.  He probably learned when the "Maverick" decided to start venting.

[Frank Cannon]

This tells me Benedict McConnell wanted the vote to fail, too.  He had to know how Benedict McLame would vote and he delayed the vote until McLame would be there.

Exactly. The dead Senator just gave cover for the 10 or so others who had to vote for the repeal, but love Obamacare.

[mystery-ak]

http://dailycaller.com/2017/07/28/heres-the-moment-protesters-learned-the-skinny-repeal-wouldnt-pass/
Here’s The Moment Protesters Learned The ‘Skinny Repeal’ Wouldn’t Pass

[XenaLee]

A pox on McCain.  Well... ok.  More specifically, a faster-working pox.  And that goes for the other RINOs in the GOP, too.   They all will have blood on their hands as we slide inevitably faster towards single-payer, thanks to them and their friends, the Democrats.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

No, it would have tied at 50-50 and Pence would have broken the tie.

No, that is incorrect.  If McCain was not there and did not vote, the vote would have failed 49-50, so no tie.  That's relevant because of those who buy into the McConnell conspiracy theory that he wanted the vote to fail, and so held it open for McCain's vote to sink it.

But I agree with your comment.  The GOP has failed, and the ACA will remain in place.   The Trump administration needs to address the ACA's problems from the regulatory side.

Trump needs to do what he can on the regulatory side, but oppose -- with a veto if necessary -- any attempt to shore up collapsing exchanges with more federal money.  Dismantle what you can by regulation, and let the rest implode.

See how Murkowski, Collins, and McCain like that.

[dfwgator]

Let's not forget Chief Judas Roberts for giving us this turd sandwich.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

No, it would have tied at 50-50 and Pence would have broken the tie.

how can you get 100 votes when only 99 are voting?  Math problem for you?

[austingirl]

Let's not forget Chief Judas Roberts for giving us this turd sandwich.

I sure won't forget that.

[bilo]

I don't.  McCain wasn't someone like Collins or Murkowski who just cast obligatory, pro forma repeal votes they knew wouldn't matter.  He actively and aggressively campaigned against ObamaCare for years, especially in his most recent election.  This is basically a complete 180.

The reason McCain didn't vote for that bill is pure personal pique.  He's pissed at Trump and didn't want to hand him a victory of any kind.  McCain's behavior on the floor, etc., all point to an emotion-based decision.  Anything he can do to sabotage Trump, he'll do, and I'm sure he celebrated knowing how much he pissed Trump off.

The silver lining in all this is that the bill would have failed even without McCain's vote, and we may well have gotten some Democrat-alternative when the moderate Republicans join Democrats in the House and Senate.  Trump may even have signed such a "compromise" bill prior to this vote.  But I have to think that McCain so openly spitting in Trump's eye will lead Trump to make an emotion-based decision.  Rather than letting McCain "win" by getting some moderate Dem bill through, Trump will dig in his heels and likely promise a veto, just to ensure that McCain doesn't win.

So though it would have been better had the bill passed, I'm glad that if it was going to fail, it would fail in the way it did.  And I don't buy for a second that McConnell knew this was going to happen when McCain was in Arizona.  He probably learned when the "Maverick" decided to start venting.

I do appreciate finding lemonade in a field of lemons.

However, I'm so mad at the Pubs that I won't forgive them, or forget, that they've lied to me for 7 long years. At this point, I say to heck with all of them. There is never any consequence when a lib Pub breaks with the party. If they won't keep their promises, or punish those who lie, then what good are they?

[dfwgator]

Now I'm really glad Obama beat McCain.

[bilo]

Exactly. The dead Senator just gave cover for the 10 or so others who had to vote for the repeal, but love Obamacare.

Exactly right!

[bilo]

Let's not forget Chief Judas Roberts for giving us this turd sandwich.

This illustrates why the argument about voting for Pubs to protect the courts really isn't true.

[dfwgator]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_UBUmqUGA

[Maj. Bill Martin]

However, I'm so mad at the Pubs that I won't forgive them, or forget, that they've lied to me for 7 long years. At this point, I say to heck with all of them. There is never any consequence when a lib Pub breaks with the party. If they won't keep their promises, or punish those who lie, then what good are they?

I'd point out that they all held firm in preventing a vote on Obama's Supreme Court nominee, and in approving Gorsuch.  Had that vote gone differently, the Second Amendment and Citizens United probably would have been toast within three years at the latest.  That's a very big deal.

That being said, we need to emphasize conservativism in primaries.  Unfortunately, there just weren't enough conservative voters to unseat Murkowski, Collins, or even McCain in their last elections.