"I COULDA BEEN A CONTENDER", Terry in "On the Waterfront" (1954)

THREE STRIKES, YOUR OUT!!!

 

The Senate/McConnell Trumpcare legislation failed last night - to the relief of millions of Americans across the nation.  From coast to coast and from Eastern and Western Mountain states to the Midwest plains, each of the votes taken by the Senate late last night - repeal and replace, repeal and wait 2 years, and the "skinny bill" - would have stripped away healthcare coverage from millions of Americans, potentially ending coverage of pre-existing conditions, adding lifetime caps, and raising premiums by 20% or more, according to the CBO.  In fact, the "repeal only" bill - considered and voted down second last night - would have also stripped away young folks carried on their parents policies until age 26, and the "essential" coverage elements contained in the ACA - from maternity services to mental health.  All three measures eliminated the participation of Planned Parenthood in providing health services for women across the country. "Shameful," as many chanted from the Senate Gallery early last night before being escorted out of the Chamber. As the old baseball song, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" goes - "one, two, three strikes your out at the old ball game." 

HEALTHCARE HEROES 

Many Americans played a part in saving healthcare last night.  These include:

   * The millions of Americans who marched, called, wrote letters, sent e-mails, protested, 

       attended Town Halls and raised their voices in support of the ACA. From the Women's

       March on Washington on January 21, 2017 to the hundreds of follow-on marches and

       demonstrations involving millions of people who felt at-risk from the Trump policy.

   

   *  House and Senate Democrats who stood tall and united to stop the Trumpcare effort to

       strip away healthcare coverage from MILLIONS of Americans, deny coverage for

       pre-existing conditions, re-institute lifetime caps, eliminate "essential services", and
       substantially raise rates by 20% or more, according to the CBO.

   * The patient advocates - the AMA, Nurses Associations, other Medical Societies, the AARP,

       the American Hospital Association and other hospital-based associations, and even
       several insurance associations, including the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Society - who had
       the courage to stand up and be counted in defending the ACA and the patient access that
       it provides, especially through the expansion of Medicaid.

   * And, especially the handful of Republicans who stood up for their constituents instead of

      voting their Party or for a self-serving Trump demand that they "tow the line." Last night
      was a profile in courage for three Republican Senators - especially in the face of threats
      from Trump and high pressure from the Republican leadership, including V.P. Mike Pence.
      These Republican Healthcare Heroes include:

         1. Senator Susan Collins of Maine.  Senator Collins was challenged to a "duel" and 

             threatened with political retribution if she opposed the Trump agenda.  She voted

             her conscience and stood up for tens of thousands of her constituents instead.

         2. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Senator Murkowski, who won her primary

             election last year as a "write-in" candidate against the party regulars and who has 

             had a strained relationship with the Trump White House, also voted against the

             "motion to proceed." Like Senator Collins, Senator Murkowski, ignored threats to

             a variety of economic development projects and policies that were made by Secretary

             of the Interior, Ryan Zinke.  At the urging of the White House, Zinke called Murkowski

             to let her know that her vote "put some of their state-specific projects in jeopardy." 

             Nevertheless, Murkowski stood up to the pressure and defended her constituent
             voter's access to healthcare, ignoring the Trump threats.  Murkowski commented
             before the 2 AM vote, "We're here to represent the people who sent us here."
             Murkowski, as Chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, cancelled
             a committee vote on six Trump nominees slated for Thursday.  The Senator denied
             that the delay in Committee consideration of Trump's appointments was retaliation.

        3.  Senator John McCain of Arizona. John McCain is a true American hero.  After
             being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer, he traveled 2000 miles
             to be present for the debate and the votes on Trumpcare.  His vote "to proceed" got
             praise from President Trump who had derided McCain's heroism during the
             campaign. McCain made it pretty plain that he would not vote to deny coverage
             to hundreds of thousands of his state's residents and viewed the expansion of
             Medicaid in Arizona as a net plus. His speech on the Senate Floor - begging for a
             bi-partisan and open approach using "regular order" complete with Committee
             hearings, mark-ups, offered amendments and a vote to release the committee work
             product legislation to the floor - went unheeded. After being pressed by the Senate
             Republican Leadership, the Vice President, and President Trump, Senator McCain
             refused to abandon his principles. He walked up to the Senate Podium, got their
             attention, raised his hand, and gave the thumbs-down, voting no. Along with Collins
             and Murkowski, John McCain's vote was the third strike... and the many Republican
             attempts to repeal the ACA were over.  

"I coulda been a contender" - "On the Waterfront"

The Trumpcare vote and the repeal of the ACA didn't have to be this way.  President Trump "coulda been a contender."  Had the President simply kept his campaign promises on healthcare and have crafted legislation reflecting those promises, the outcome might have been quite different.  Why, it was even possible that some Democrats might have joined with their Republican counterparts in voting for the ACA replacement measure.  Trump made  a number of promises during the campaign including that he would "expand healthcare to cover everyone at lower premiums and with better coverage; keep coverage of pre-existing conditions, avoid lifetime caps, lower premiums, and protect Medicare and Medicaid." The House-passed bill and the various Senate versions failed to do any of that.  Yet, Trump pretended that these bills were somehow "better than sliced bread."  Instead, according to the CBO, all of them would have increased premiums, removed various elements including those protecting people with pre-existing conditions, and dropped expanded Medicaid costing 15 to 30 million Americans their healthcare.  Had Trump only kept his word, he might be signing an improvement for the ACA today instead of tweeting his displeasure and more
threats, often aimed at his own staff.  Trump has argued that the Republicans in the Senate
should have kept "their word."  I guess that it didn't dawn on him that the same rules should
apply at home.  Sad...