Do you remember back to last August where we were not in this insanity? Aetna was trying to strong arm the Obama Justice Department and FTC to approve their merger by threatening the exchanges by pulling out. One of the states that they pulled out of was Pennsylvania.
Back in August, I noticed something odd about Aetna’s rhetoric and reality in Pennsylvania:
Below is Aetna’s rate application memo for the individual market in Pennsylvania. You should look closely at the highlighted segment….
Aetna was profitable in 2015 in the individual market in Pennsylvania. It is projecting to be profitable in 2017….in all years Aetna’s individual market operations in Pennsylvania were either profitable or projected to be profitable.
That smelled fishy to me. Aetna did not get its merger approved.
And now there are lawyers involved. Modern Healthcare reports that the Allegheny County government pension fund is suing Aetna for a breach of their fiduciary duty:
The Allegheny County Employees’ Retirement Fund—an Aetna stockholder—alleges that Aetna’s retreat from the exchanges was not a “business decision,” as the insurer claimed, but a move to better its chances of closing a $37 million merger with Humana that ultimately failed.
The complaint, filed in Pennsylvania state court, says that Aetna’s alleged conduct, which came to light during its legal battle to acquire Humana, has caused the company financial harm and damaged its reputation. Moreover, the lawsuit claims that Aetna chose to forgo profits “simply to make good on their wrongful threats to the government.”
I am not a lawyer, but this looks to be on its face fairly juicy and straightforward for the plaintiffs. A blogger in a t-shirt and bunny slippers was able to pull the rate filings and call bullshit on the state rationale within hours of it being announced. I imagine that the very good lawyers that I am most likely no more than two degrees of connections away from will be able to use current public record from the anti-trust case and more sophisticated analysis than looking at screen shots to nail Aetna to the wall.
Yarrow
In case anyone is interested…
Villago Delenda Est
Aetna’s CEO should pay for this with every asset he and his family have.
Steve in the ATL
Yeah, I guess you are that close to the lawyers at LGM
Another Scott
Too many posts…
I posted this downstairs:
More Cheers,
Scott.
Steve in the ATL
@Villago Delenda Est:
Are you making a joke or are you new to America?
Omnes Omnibus
@Steve in the ATL: He meant actual very good ones.
Yarrow
? Martin
I love this new strategy of both the House and Senate passing bills they hate so they can get to conference where apparently brand new laws of economics will be invented. I don’t see how it can fail.
dmsilev
@Another Scott: That’s a lot of bad for 8 pages (especially considering how sparse the standard formatting is; there isn’t a lot of text on a page).
tobie
I gather Paul Ryan gave McCain, Graham, Johnson, and Kennedy tonight the reassurances they needed to screw over millions and millions of Americans. But heck the top 1% got a huge tax break. Does anything else matter to them? May they burn in hell.
dmsilev
@? Martin: Assuming that there is a conference and the House doesn’t simply go ahead and vote on this, the contortions when they try to pass whatever monstrous Frankenbill comes out of the committee will make tonight look like nothing.
CarolDuhart2
I already sent a fax to Portman and another fax to my R Representative. Do the same, people!
? Martin
@tobie: But getting to committee doesn’t get them over the 60 hurdle. Whatever the committee comes back with still needs to be voted on by the Senate and the House, and both chambers seem to be desperately relying on the committee to come up with something better than what either chamber could get on their own. In a bipartisan vote, that’s not unreasonable, but they’ve already voted in the best conditions they’re going to get. It’ll only get worse, not better, from here.
Yarrow
Who is David Drucker? CNN chyron says he’s a Political Analyst and Senior Congressional Correspondent from The Washington Examiner? Anyone got more info than that? He said, “premiums will go up under this, which is why I don’t really think there’s any danger of the House actually passing it, because it’s horrible policy. I don’t think they want any part of it.” Can that possibly be related to reality? Has this guy met the GOP House? If they could stomp on poor, non-white, disabled people and children, they’d do it in a heartbeat and then go have a party with hookers and blow.
dmsilev
@? Martin: Presumably they’d shoot for fifty in the Senate, either by crafting a bill that does meet the reconciliation requirements or by crafting whatever and then trashing yet another Senate norm by ignoring or overruling the parliamentarian.
Another Scott
@? Martin: If McConnell gets 50+1 in the next day or so, he’ll make sure that the Parliamentarian rules that everything is copacetic according to the Reconciliation rules.
There’s no way the Planned Parenthood provision does, but he doesn’t care. He’ll burn down the Parliamentarian and the filibuster/cloture system if he has 50+1. Obamacare is his white whale. We would die of alcohol poisoning if “Obamacare” was the drinking word on listening to him around 10 AM today…
:-/
Cheers,
Scott.
Yarrow
sharl
@Yarrow: I don’t know David Drucker, but the Washington Examiner is a conservative outlet.
Reporters I am familiar with and respect seem OK with engaging with him, for whatever that’s worth.
I just took a cursory look at his twitter feed, and I think Drucker’s saying that the House GOP wingnuts – the “Freedom Caucus” – won’t like this bill because of the higher premiums that will result. (But like I said, that’s from a very cursory look-see.)
Yarrow
@sharl: Thanks. Whoever the talking head on CNN was just said they don’t know if they have 50 votes yet.
Yarrow
sharl
@Yarrow: Yeah, I didn’t hear Drucker on CNN, but saw the chyron under his image saying that very thing.
David Anderson
@Another Scott: Re Planned Parenthood.
PARL struck the first attempt because it was blatantly obvious that the targeting requirements meant that only Planned Parenthood was going to lose money… and that is a policy provision. The 8 pager that is now the official bill broadened the targeting criteria so it will be Planned Parenthood + at least one other entity that is getting whacked — now that is an (unwise) appropriations matter.
Remember PARL has only influence and has to stay within very narrow precedent to survive.
Yarrow
Well, if anything is an indication that this Healthcrap bill is going to pass, it’s this:
Another Scott
@David Anderson: Yeah, I know she’s constrained.
But it really doesn’t matter what she does. If she does the obvious thing and says it doesn’t meet the Byrd rule, then she risks her job. If she doesn’t, then she may have a plausible reason, but it seems to violate the clear spirit of the rule.
IANAL, and I’ve been wrong before. E.g. I agreed that the rule striking ACORN funding was obviously a “bill of attainder” and unconstitutional, but they did it anyway. This language seems just as blatant to me, but they’ll do it anyway if they can wrangle up the votes.
I hope the GOP senators are reading the same tweets we are. Institutionally, they hate the House. It’s amazing to me that they’re willing to pass this garbage with the professed “hope” that it will somehow become “better” in conference. The House has them over a barrel. They lose all leverage if they go to Conference because the Freedom Caucus will simply say, “give us what we want or we’ll pass the crap you already passed”. It’s nonsensical.
(sigh)
Grr…
[ Oh, and what’s to prevent the House from passing this if the Conference report fails? ]
Thanks.
Cheers,
Scott.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
I’m sorry, but I seriously hope McConnell gets shot to death for this by someone who has either lost someone due to getting dropped from their insurance or themselves is without insurance and likely is going to die. What an evil fuck.
Major Major Major Major
You have bunny slippers? I can never find a pair that fit.
BBA
I predict the House won’t even call a conference – they’ll agree to skinny repeal as is, and Trump will sign it.
Mary G
@Yarrow: That’s terrible. McCain has already caved.
tobie
@Another Scott: That’s the irony of all this. The default option is the bill they (McCain, Graham et al) profess to hate, and yet whatever the House proposes will be so much worse that they will have to embrace this bill. I’d weep if I had any energy left…
Yarrow
Everyone is going to pay for these tax breaks for oligarchs.
sixthdoctor
@Mary G: FWIW, the Arizona gov released this statement against skinny repeal: https://twitter.com/NickAlbares/status/890772064436707329
rikyrah
Why is no one pointing out that the House has put into effect martial law?
StringOnAStick
I hate these bastards. We have to stomp their party into the mud in 2018 and 2020 or else we’ll never get the ACA benefits back.
rikyrah
@Yarrow:
Bless the CBO
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Yarrow:
The Republican Party is done in 2018 in the House at least. Fuck these people
Frankensteinbeck
Does this bill even HAVE tax breaks?
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:
Hey I fucking edited that! It was supposed to go through.
Edit: I hope McConnell pays for this somehow. Hope he gets dementia and ends up penniless and in a shitty nursing home with no Medicaid funding and aides have to pick dingleberries out of his ass. And lots of bed sores and skin breakdown
Yarrow
@Mary G: Where did you hear that? I haven’t heard any confirmation one way or another about McCain. I’m expecting him to cave, but haven’t heard.
Punchy
@rikyrah: Huh?
Yarrow
Apparently Pence is on his way over.
rikyrah
@Punchy:
Here is the article
http://www.mysheboygan.com/2017/07/u-s-congress-invokes-martial-law/
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Yarrow:
Fuck Pence. He’s going to condemn millions to death and he’ll just go on living his life like nothing happened. He’s such a waste of a human being
sharl
More from that Drucker guy:
Based on where he works, I’m guessing that House GOP members are a part of Drucker’s beat, so he probably brings some expertise to bear here. On the other hand, this ain’t the first time in recent memory I’ve seen a statement of the format This {insert wildly improbable-seeming thing} won’t happen turn out to be horribly untrue.
But her emails!!!
@rikyrah: @Punchy:
It’s not like army in the streets martial law, it’s just language that allows them to vote on a bill without the standard 24 notice before a vote.
Yarrow
Ain’t this the truth.
Tire swings 4eva!
Omnes Omnibus
@rikyrah: Because it hasn’t happened.
Yarrow
Franken is talking to protesters outside the Capitol.
Yarrow
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: I think he’ll end up in prison for collusion with Russia. The thought keeps me warm at night.
sharl
From Sen. Murphy (D-Conn.):
ETA:
GregB
Remember when Obama was history’s greatest monster because some people would need to renew their insurance because better coverage and terms were mandated?
He’s kicking millions off of insurance!
These fucking people.
Yarrow
Who the hell is this Ryan Nobles reporter guy on CNN? He seems to think the GOP will actually look at what’s in the bill and what it will do before they vote. Was he born yesterday?
Tammy Duckworth thinks they have the votes.
BBA
Welcome to the brave old world of 2008.
MisterForkbeard
@Yarrow: Sounds right to me. The McCain/Graham/otherguys threat was always kabuki. They were asking for the thinnest of assurances and then pretending they were standing up proudly for Senate traditions, etc.
They’re ALL fucking horrible people.
Yarrow
Healthcare, healthcare, healthcare, healthcare. All day, every day. it’s the Republicans who are taking away your health insurance and raising your premiums. Make them own it.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@sharl:
This is what a one-party police state looks like
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Yarrow:
I’d rather see him dead, personally. Executed for treason.
Another Scott
@sharl: They know they can’t win on the merits. So they twist the rules and every norm to make sure that the merits don’t matter.
It’s horrible.
But this is what Republicans do.
Grr…
Cheers,
Scott.
Another Scott
@Yarrow: Yup. This horrible mess is on the GOP and everyone who voted for them. Elections have consequences.
And this is just the beginning of the horrible stuff they will try to ram through Congress.
The Budget and the Debt Ceiling are coming up fast…
Cheers,
Scott.
StringOnAStick
@Frankensteinbeck: Tax breaks will be carefully and lovingly crafted with great deliberation to make sure they fit exactly what the ultra rich want. Something that bankrupts and kills us proles though, that can get whipped out over lunch and voted on hours later.
tobie
@Yarrow: 2018 will be a referendum…if we having anything resembling a fair voting process. Democrats better make sure that next summer becomes civil rights summer with thousands of interns flooding places like Milwaukee and Detroit to make sure people’s registration is valid or to help them get the documentation they need to register to vote. As far as I can tell, that’s our best hope.
BBA
@Another Scott: There is no such thing as merit. There is just the will of Mitch.
sharl
From another former Kennedy staffer, responding to the same Charlie Pierce tweet:
I don’t know what Enzi said, but since there’s sufficient consensus for me that he’s lying, I don’t particularly care.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@tobie:
If that happens I’m hoping for foreign interference in the form of Western Europe and our other allies.
Mike in NC
In the Navy we used to explain stealing shit as “midnight requisitions”, so this is what the GOP is up to with their vote.
tobie
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: No one, unfortunately, can save us from this. 30-years of rightwing palaver has done this to us. The modern-day Republican Party has consigned the US to the dustbin of history.
sharl
One more, then I’m done documenting the evening’s atrocities; it’s too goddamn depressing:
Major Major Major Major
@sharl: Whodathunk it would be a Republican filibustering the Republicans’ bill.
I’m off to Azeroth.
Chris
@Yarrow:
Our media really is the Soviet state media U.S. style – they exist to tell you how wonderful your Party leaders are, regardless of how increasingly divorced from reality they sound.
tobie
@Major Major Major Major: Let us know if there’s universal health insurance in Azeroth. We may join you there.
Major Major Major Major
@tobie: How do you feel about dying horribly, but coming back to life?
Yarrow
I fully expect McCain to vote Yes, but I’ll fall over laughing if he votes No. That would be some drama. The Republicans would not know what to do. Mike Pence glumly leaves the Senate without getting to cast the tiebreaker vote. Hilarious. I know it’s not going to happen.
Kent
I’m out of the country right now. Where are you guys following this. On CSPAN? Or some other web site?
tobie
@Major Major Major Major: Haven’t we all died a thousand deaths since November 8th in a never ending cycle? All this is to say we’re used to this already so Azeroth won’t be any different.
sharl
@Kent: I’m just posting what I see on Twitter, but some of those I am following are apparently watching it on C-SPAN.
Mike J
Chris
Goddamn it, it’s half past midnight. Are those fucksticks voting or what?
Major Major Major Major
@Mike J: What in the everloving hell?
dmsilev
@Yarrow: If McCain votes no, I promise to take back one or two of the bad things I’ve said about him. But not any more than that. And I’m not betting on it either.
dmsilev
@Chris: McConnell may be stuck at 49 and is trying to twist one last arm. Or maybe he’s just screwing with us because he can.
Chris
@Mike J:
That fucking guy.
sharl
@Mike J: from 15Jun (bolding is mine)
Those who put sanctions for Russia, Iran, and North Korea into one bill were diabolically clever.
Bernie is a tone-deaf showboater far too often, but he did as well as possible here IMO, given that good and bad sanctions were lumped into one bill.
ETA: I forgot the link for the statement.
tobie
A sign of just how tissue-thin Collins’ and Murkowski’s opposition to this bill is–they voted no on Patty Murray’s amendment to send it back to committee because they don’t want to have to deal with this again. They’ve been given license to vote no on the skinny bill since it won’t make a damn bit of difference. There is not a single profile in courage on the GOP side.
Chris
@dmsilev:
And if some English princess offers to marry me and pay off all my student loans, I promise to take back a couple of the bad things I’ve said about both England and monarchism. I mention this because I figure the two have an equal chance of happening.
??? Martin
@dmsilev: He’s got the votes. McCain isn’t principled enough to vote no.
wkwv
RIP June Foray. The lady behind Rocky J Squirrel and Natasha Badanov.
MobiusKlein
This is a reprise of election night, where I kept thinking some sanity must surely prevail, but barrier after barrier slumped like a sand castle.
I will sleep and see what world I wake in.
David Anderson
@Kent: CSPAN https://www.c-span.org/video/?431873-1/us-senate-skinny-repeal-vote-looms-health-care-debate&live
Yarrow
CNN folks are saying the vote is on a hold, which means they don’t (yet) have the votes. Arm twisting. Also, McCain has been in a long conversation with Pence.
Major Major Major Major
@sharl:
I would say actually that this is also tone-deaf showboating, given the political environment.
Major Major Major Major
Ughhh, my stupid lefty friends are tweeting about how OBAMACARE WAS THE REPUBLICAN PLAN ANYWAY
Back to Azeroth
Yarrow
So, this is from about 45 minutes ago:
O. Felix Culpa
@Yarrow: I just see a bunch of old white men in suits milling around on CSPAN right now. Shouldn’t they all be in bed?
The Lodger
@wkwv: Her name was Natasha Fatale, not Badenov.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
So here’s what I see potentially happening in the next few years. Republicans continue to ram through unpopular legislation and marginalize Democratic voices. Tens of millions lose their health insurance. Medicaid is slashed. The Voter Integrity Commission makes recommendations using intentionally flawed methodology to throw millions off voter rolls, mainly Democrats, with the help of voter id laws. 2018 comes and, despite popular anger, Republicans maintain control of the government. This continues into 2020. Not certain if Trump remains in office. Civil disorder begins to occur as people begin to die from lack of medical care and anger over being shut out from their own government. An assassination occurs of a GOP official and that’s all it takes for the GOP to crackdown.
Don’t know what happens next. Insurgency? This is only one possible scenario.
Yarrow
They’re whipping Murkowski, Collins and McCain.
Yarrow
Oohhhhhhh….
Is this a good sign?
Enhanced Voting Techniques
I figured they were sneak it threw, but this is just pathetic.
dmsilev
@Major Major Major Major: In the unlikely event that you feel like engaging that idiocy, ask them which Republican came up with the idea of expanding Medicaid.
Baud
@Major Major Major Major: That attitude is a big part of why we’re in this mess.
dmsilev
@Yarrow: Mother is calling him.
Baud
@Yarrow: Literally, I hope.
Yarrow
Holy shit.
Major Major Major Major
@dmsilev: @Baud: And I mean, if we’re going to call it “Romneycare” (*spit*) we should also going start naming the EPA and and all-volunteer military after Nixon.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Yarrow:
Is this really happening? I mean, fingers crossed, but if he fucks over Mitch, I’ll take back all the stuff I said about him
dmsilev
@Baud: McConnell would get more votes if he publicly whipped Ted Cruz.
Frankensteinbeck
@Yarrow:
If McCain actually sinks this… I don’t know. I will actually hate him less. Jesus, maybe he wants to die a ‘maverick.’ Voting ‘no’ here could put him in the history books, which is plainly what he wants.
EDIT – @Major Major Major Major:
Ah, Romneycare, the health care plan Romney repeatedly vetoed only to have his veto overridden. Yes, so Republican.
Baud
@Major Major Major Major: Now I want the Dems to pass single payer with Iran sanctions, just to see what happens.
dmsilev
@Yarrow: Christ, I might actually have to think of something nice to say about McCain. I’ll wait until the vote before brainstorming though.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@dmsilev: well that’s tonight, as others have said likely they will just keep on voting
clay
CNN reporting that Pence has left…
If McCain flew back to DC the day after brain surgery to vote yes to proceed just to VOTE DOWN the bill… I would regain much of the respect I used to have for him. (That would also be a pretty epic troll of Turtle by him.)
Frankensteinbeck
@dmsilev:
Yeah, I trust the guy less far than I can throw him. Grandstanding so he could flip his ‘no’ to a ‘yes’ with the nation watching is totally like him. It’s become clear to me since he came back that this is, and has always been, all about the attention for him.
Yarrow
Baud
@dmsilev: You might note that he was a POW.
dmsilev
@Frankensteinbeck: On the plus side, it would sink this iteration of TrumpCare. In the minus, Chuck Todd’s orgasm would be visible from outer space.
Baud
@clay: Pence is on the floor.
JKFJS
Holy crap it looks like John McCain might actually kill this bill.
Holy fucking shit!
Yarrow
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: @Frankensteinbeck: @dmsilev: I know! It really does look like McCain might have been the third vote to stop this thing tonight. I don’t know, but Pence leaving probably means he isn’t needed. He would have stayed if he thought he might be needed.
dmsilev
@Baud: Was he? I hadn’t heard.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Yarrow: Knock on wood, but Pence probably had a stiffy just thinking about all the undesirables he could kill.
Mike J
@The Lodger: Everybody knows the things she does to please, she’s just a little tease.
Frankensteinbeck
@Yarrow:
Apparently he’s back, which is a bad sign. Or maybe he just went to the bathroom and it meant nothing.
lgerard
@Frankensteinbeck:
I think it is more likely McCain is taking the hit for a handful of Senators who oppose this crapfest
he won’t be running again
clay
OT: Did you guys see that the Boy Scouts apologized for Trump’s speech? Good for them.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/27/us/boy-scouts-trump-apology.html
Yarrow
@Baud: Apparently Pence left and then came back.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
This feels like election night all over again. I can’t stand this suspense
dmsilev
@Baud:
Hit his one drink maximum, has he?
Baud
@lgerard: Good point.
Frankensteinbeck
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:
Yeah, when I thought McConnell had this passed, I was able to go to sleep. Now I’m a wreck because we have a chance.
Rommie
They still have time to wrangle up the necessary bribe for McCain’s vote.
He has Yuuuuge leverage, since *no* one trusts Ryan’s word.
EDIT: And the vote starts – so we’ll know soon.
TenguPhule
@? Martin:
Don’t degrade economics like that.
The Deathcult fully intends to invent brand new sins which can only be cleansed in the holy yellow ruin of markets and human lives.
JKFJS
Voting now…
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@JKFJS: Please let the vote fail, please let the vote fail
TenguPhule
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:
You left out the bits where civil infrastructure collapses, food and clean water are in short supply, the economy goes tits up and our best hope is an invasion and occupation from Canada and Mexico.
And that’s if we’re very very lucky.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Baud: (Waves @ Baud.)
grammypat
Per the Guardian: 25s ago 01:30
McCain Vote No
The Senate effort to repeal Obamacare fails
TenguPhule
@Another Scott:
The Fucked up Budget was voted through the House today. Party line vote. No Ds onboard and with good reason.
Calling it a shit sandwich would be degrading to prime quality horse shit.
None of the stupid fuckers appear to remember the Debt Ceiling.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
well if they are voting, sounds like they got the votes and it sounds like the bill will destroy the insurance market. This is like the Republicans are playing Russian Roulette with the nation.
Huh, it failed, well darn me to heck then.
lowtechcyclist
Looking to do just one good deed before he died:
McCain votes NO
ETA: Collins and Murkowski also NO.
No ‘skinny repeal,’ at least not tonight.
TenguPhule
@grammypat:
Great. We win a reprieve.
Now get ready to call about the next vote.
You did realize they have yet another backup plan after this one, right?
dmsilev
@grammypat: Holy Shit.
Ok, I’ll say something nice: Well done, Senator McCain. For now, anyway.
JKFJS
YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
grammypat
@TenguPhule: Neil Young: “Rust never sleeps” IIRC
Chris
@dmsilev:
Well, I’ll be fucked.
I may be marrying an English princess after all.
dmsilev
@TenguPhule: If this fails, what is the backup? I think we’re at Plan F or Gvat this point, and I’m not aware of anything else on the table. I mean, I’m sure there will be something, but it’ll take them some time to figure out what.
JKFJS
Collins, McCain, and Murkowski just killed it!
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!
dmsilev
@Chris: We’re all invited to the wedding, right?
clay
Voting is technically still open, but rght now the ‘No’s have it.
McCain risked his life the day after brain surgery to strike this law down. He deserves kudos for that.
dmsilev
Has Trump tweeted yet?
lgerard
Let’s just hope McCain stays with us for a while
anybody appointed to replace him him is a yes vote
clay
Gavel down, it officially failed. McConnell is spewing his bullshit.
Chris
@dmsilev:
Of course! And your little dogs, too!
lowtechcyclist
You belong to the gang, and you say you can’t break away:
Heller, Flake, Capito, Portman, Cassidy, etc.
Mnemosyne
@grammypat:
Holy crap.
I mean, I’m relieved that McCain’s soul is not actually completely dead, but I did not see that coming.
clay
McConnell: “We worked really hard.”
He failed to add “… for the two days that we were planning this.”
EDIT: God, he’s such a lying prick.
But her emails!!!
@lgerard: From what I’ve seen indicated, Arizona’s governor is opposed to the repeal bills that have come up so far. That means McCain’s replacement might be selected to also be a no vote, even if conservative.
dmsilev
@clay: What bullshit. Working hard is what the Democrats did in 2009, spending months consulting with experts in a broad range of areas, forging a consensus, and then passing a bill that actually had some thought behind it.
Chris
@Mnemosyne:
Well, let’s see what he does next. But yes, that was a good thing more than I thought he had in him.
If I may sum up tonight in one quote:
“Fezzik… You did something right!”
clay
Schumer’s talking now. Getting a little chocked up, citing McCain’s speech about regular order and working together. Normally I’d be annoyed at the hagiography of McCain, but he’s earned it tonight.
clay
Some dude on CNN linking Trump’s bashing of McCain during the campaign to McCain’s shutting down of Trump’s agenda tonight.
Some other dude making the excellent point that McCain wasn’t the only Republican ‘nay’ vote. Collins and Murkowsky deserve just as much praise; the dude called them heroes.
But her emails!!!
@clay:
It’s true. We’d always derided Murkowsky and Collins as getting free passes to vote no on this stuff, but when it came time to stand firm, they did.
Mnemosyne
@clay:
G and I were talking about this and he’s of the opinion that McCain did this because of all of the bad press he was receiving the last few days. His ego was getting bruised and he was worried that his “maverick” title was in danger of being taken away.
I think he’s probably right, but I’m still glad the public shaming worked, at least for now.