As I write this, Senator Susan Collins (R – Maine) has declared her opposition to the Cassidy-Graham Healthcare Bill. That opposition along with Senator John McCain (R – Arizona) and Senator Rand Paul (R – Kentucky) should end the possibility that this version of repeal and replace Obamacare will fail.
But not without the GOP first trying to put in a fix by trying to buy the votes of Senator Collins and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R – Alaska) by increasing the value of federal support for healthcare in their respective states:
According to a summary obtained by The Washington Post, Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) will propose giving Alaska and Maine more funding than initially offered. Those states are represented by Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine), who have expressed concerns about the bill but have yet to say how they would vote.
The Cassidy-Graham legislation would overhaul the ACA by lumping together the current law’s spending on insurance subsidies and expanded Medicaid and redistributing it to states in the form of block grants. Alaska would get 3 percent more funding between 2020 and 2026 than under current law, and Maine would get 43 percent more funding during that time period…
Now granted trade offs and pork are the stock and trade of compromise in getting bills passed, but this is so blatant as to reach a status of unbelievable gall.
Apparently Senator Collins has more integrity than Senators Cassidy and Graham…thank goodness!
name correction 9/26/17 h/t Nemo
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