Despite the recent ham-fisted profanity laced tirade of the new White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, I assure you the title of this piece is not what you may be thinking.
I sat on the edge of my bed last night until 2:30 am biting my lip. Having had cancer surgery this past September and faced with many months of postoperative aftercare, I have a real concern about my health care. I am a retiree with a disability that qualified me, after many years of working, for both Medicare and my state’s Medicaid program. Yes, I had a personal stake in the “skinny repeal” Senate vote outcome.
I would like to think that in the face of his own mortality; morality left a scar on John McCain’s heart deeper than the surgical wound over his left eye. As part of his hero persona, he literally gave Trumpcare the thumb. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky), as I expected, blamed recalcitrant Republicans, Democrats and the liberals for the failure of a bill with somewhere between 12 and 25 percent, public support.
McConnell long ago exposed his hole card when he set the parameters for his party leadership as strictly a force of, nope to change. We have all heard the story of McConnell’s famous post-2008 Presidential election meeting to stop Obama, but what was lost in that scenario was his lack of a positive governing strategy. What will it take for the American public to stop relying on people who do not believe in government to govern? Two hours prior to the Republican’s version of, “The Biggest Loser” McConnell revealed this monstrosity of a bill, hoping to bamboozle his own colleagues with some vague promise of Ayn Rand devotee Paul Ryan’s cooperation.
Mitch McConnell took, what must have seemed to him, the last mile walk to the microphone following the failed vote, to admit and own the guilt of failed leadership. I suspect the calls for his ouster will start post-haste. If you look at Sen. McConnell’s website he spouts all the GOP anti- Democratic health care talking points to help sick people https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/. What he does not tell you is that the Republican plan covers fewer people, at a higher cost and with less quality care.
I have heard for seven years that Obamacare is not good insurance. The GOP is technically right because you cannot get an Obamacare card to present to your care facility or doctor. The Affordable Care Act is not insurance it is legislation to set standards of care with a financial mandate for participation. That forced participation so mocked by the GOP is the same mandate for car owners all over America. The next time a cop stops you and ask for license, registration, and insurance try, “no insurance, I don’t believe in mandates” and see how that works out.
My warning, do not relax, Mitch McConnell is wounded by fully capable of more terror on a sick, poor, pre-existing conditioned, disabled, 26 and under, health starved public.
McConnell tried to bring the House down on the Senate, but it fell on him. Mr. McCain, I am glad you heard Senators Murkowski and Collins clicking their heels.
Vote in 18’ for Change.