Do I Really, Really Want It?

This week, we hear, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell(R-KY) is supposed to be shepherding through the Senate yet another attempt at a change to the dreadful Obamacare law.  I say "Change", because it likely won't be a repeal and won't be a replacement; rather, it will be ... something.

This is somewhere about revision 21-A, perhaps.

I don't exactly know where to go with all this, as I believe it would be in the best interests of the country to pass a clean repeal and then, with no specific time limit, figure out what we are trying to fix and start from scratch with a new law that addresses that requirement.

And it bears noting that this bill will not become law as is, even if it is passed by the Senate, because it needs to go to the House of Representatives and presumably reconciled with the bill the House passed earlier this session.  By the time the conference committee comes up with something for the full House and Senate to vote on, it may be practically in another language, let alone similar to either of the original bills each house passed.

So what do I hope happens?  You see, you have three sets of Republicans in the Senate, at least in one way of looking at it.  There is the vast majority of the Republican caucus there -- 42-45 or so -- who believe it necessary to pass a health insurance bill and will vote for one if it is reasonable.  Then you have the two poles.

The poles are potentially irreconcilable.  The staunch conservatives see no great role for the Federal government in health insurance, and want to strip out Obamacare in total, potentially legislating a small number of elements (such as allowing interstate sales of health policies) but getting rid of the entire law and starting over.  I lean toward their view, notwithstanding political necessities.

The other small faction is politically sensitive.  Since one of Obamacare's largest taxpayer giveaways was a large expansion of Medicaid, these senators are scared that to end that expansion could cause political issues (read: "votes") in their states.  They opposed Obamacare, those of them who were in the Senate, at that time, but won't vote to repeal it because it has gotten its filthy hooks into the economy and they lack the will to stand up for the country's best interest.

So what do I really, really want as far as the bill to be introduced this week?  Remember, I've not read it, but assume it is the most recent bill but with a few sweeteners in it to attract the remaining senators.  Well, if that is indeed the description, then I would be perfectly happy if the effort fails.

Remember that as we speak, Obamacare is sinking to the bottom of the ocean.  The law having made countless concessions to insurance companies, its implementation has proved so impractical that the companies are quickly pulling out of all the markets that they can't make money in.  That number has grown so fast that in 2018 there will be hundreds of counties with no plan to buy and far more with only one company offering service.  The rates, which skyrocketed last year and surely influenced the presidential election more than any Russians did, are going to go way up again, absent competition.

I think I will be perfectly happy if no bill gets passed and Obamacare stays the law of the land for a short time longer, long enough for the country to get so fed up with it that they rise up and demand its repeal.

I have questions as to whether even then the current crop of Senate Republicans can put together a bill that is productive and essentially repeals the whole mess, but I have to go with what I want and what I think is best.

Pretty sure I'm going to want my Senators to vote "no."

Copyright 2017 by Robert Sutton
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