The GOP Asks Only Men To Draft Senate Healthcare Bill

After the House Republicans ... because, of course ... voted to repeal Obamacare they raced to the White House Rose Garden to take a victory lap—a bit premature given that the Senate will be tougher on their unread, unverified attempt at healthcare. But there they were ... Paul Ryan with a frat boy boner standing behind _____ who looked more Nuclear orange than ever standing alongside Mike Pence whose black heart skipped a beat at the vote ... meaning Mike Pence’s heart beat just once last week.

So, now it goes to the Senate and looky who’s lined up to take on healthcare ... thirteen rich, mostly white, men—Ted Cruz is of Cuban descent; but there is not one single woman, because, yeah, only rich, mostly white, men know healthcare, and these thirteen Senate Republicans will write their own version.

And here’s what the Terrible Thirteen said about the House vote and the potential loss of healthcare for 24 million Americans, the cutting of Medicaid by $880 billion, and the placement of Americans with pre-existing conditions into high-risk, grossly underfunded pools that would cost them thousands more annually ... not to mention that tasty little tax break for millionaires:

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ... Kentucky, elected until 2020:

“Today’s vote in the House was an important step,” and then he congratulated Paul Ryan, Donald _____  and Mike Pence by name “for a job well done.”

John Cornyn ... Texas, elected until 2020:

“Today is an important step in upholding our promise to give the American people relief. Working alongside the Administration… will continue to be our top priority and [_____care] sets us on a course to achieve that.”

John Thune ...South Dakota, elected until 2022:

 Thune called it a “critical step in delivering relief for the American people” because “Americans deserve better.”

John Barrasso ... Wyoming, Elected Until 2018:

Barrasso released no official statement, though of ObamaCare and previous efforts to repeal and replace it, he said the “American people are asking for our help.”

Lamar Alexander ...Tennessee, Elected Until 2020:

 Alexander congratulated the House’s passage of the bill, but was more cautious in his statement, saying the Senate “will take the time to get it right.”

Mike Enzi ... Wyoming, Elected Until 2020:

Enzi made no official statement, but that may be because he wants to stay out of the limelight after those homophobic remarks he made to school-children—see earlier post today.

Orrin Hatch ...Utah, Elected Until 2018:

Hatch also made no official statement, but said, at one time, “it’s close to near-impossible, except we’ll get it done.” He further insisted that he’s “been at near-impossible a couple of times” and “always gets it done.”

Ted Cruz ...Texas, Elected Until 2018:

Cruz said the bill was “an important step,” and found it encouraging that the House could “come together.” He praised the House Freedom Caucus for “[pressing] hard [to] reduce premiums.”

Mike Lee ... Utah, Elected Until 2022:

Lee made no official statement on the bill’s passing, but of the House’s first and failed attempt at passing _____Care, he called for ObamaCare to be “properly sent to the dustbin of history.”

Tom Cotton ... Arkansas, Elected Until 2020:

Cotton also did not release, and he also did not support the House’s first attempt. In fact, he urged his “friends in the House of Representatives… ‘Do not walk the plank and vote for a bill that cannot pass the Senate and then have to face the consequences of that vote.’”

Cory Gardner ... Colorado, Elected Until 2020:

 Gardner said he looks “forward to working with [his] colleagues” on the matter, but made no official statement.

Rob Portman ... Ohio, Elected Until 2022:

Portman has “already made clear that [he] doesn’t support the House bill as currently constructed.” He further asserted that while “Congress must take responsible action,” that “changes must be made that [do] not leave people behind.”

Pat Toomey ...Pennsylvania, Elected Until 2022:

“The House bill is merely the first legislative step,” Toomey said, in an unofficial statement.

Of note, there are five Republican women among the 52 Republicans in the Senate —Alaska’s  Lisa Murkowski, Iowa’s  Joni Ernst, Maine’s Susan Collins, Nebraska’s Deb Fischer and Shelley Moore Capito from West Virginia.

To be fair the reason Collins and Murkowski weren’t asked—besides being the wrong gender—is that they both oppose the bill’s attempts to defund Planned Parenthood, a primary healthcare provider for millions of women and low-income Americans.

No reason was given as to why none of the other three women aren’t on the committee, except, you know, Republicans and women, they don’t mix.

So, there you have it, and you might note that the Senators who didn’t really respond officially to the House victory are those Senator’s up for reelection next year; the others will have anywhere from three to five years left before we can vote them out for allowing millions and millions of Americans to lose their healthcare while millions and millions of dollars go back into the pockets of millionaires ... like the Terrible Thirteen.

Resist. Persist. Preexist.

NCRM