Blast #298

                                                         The Republicans,
                                                      Like Donald Trump,
                                                  Are Lying Sacks of Sh*t
 
          Speaking of a Zombie Apocalypse, the Republicans have miraculously resurrected their “repeal and replace” Mantra once again, this time in the form of the Graham-Cassidy health care bill.  This one is almost like the earlier bills that died, only worse.  According to the Des Moines Register, Chuck Grassley stated:

“You know, I could maybe give you 10 reasons why this bill shouldn’t be considered.  But Republicans campaigned on this so often that you have a responsibility to carry out what you said in the campaign. That’s pretty much as much of a reason as the substance of the bill.”
 
In fact, that’s the only reason these irresponsible “representatives of the people” are supporting this flaming bag of feces that Graham and Cassidy are trying to push through the Senate.

              According to the Sept. 20th Vox:

The bill includes other drastic changes that appeared in some previous bills. Insurers in the private marketplace would be allowed to discriminate against people with preexisting conditions, for example. And it would eliminate the individual mandate as other bills would have, but this time there is no replacement. Most analysts agree that would inject chaos into the individual market. (bold, mine)  Robert Laszewski, a health consultant who is generally critical of the Affordable Care Act, says that “passage of this bill would create enormous market uncertainty.”
 
In other words, this bill would, in fact, “repeal” Obamacare but it would not “replace” it on any possible level!  There is not enough time for the Congressional Budget Office to score the bill --- thereby informing everyone what the costs, benefits, and losses would be in dollars and cents terms --- because the Republicans are desperately trying to pass this bill before September 30th, when “reconciliation” expires and bills would require 60 votes for passage.  As it stands, the Republicans are hoping against hope that “Maverick McCain” does not dramatically “thumbs down” them again (Rand Paul & Susan Collins seem to be solid “no” votes, meaning one more Republican defection kills this bill, too).

           This is shameful behavior but what’s worse is what this bill will eliminate for citizens across the nation.  If you saw The Daily Show with Trevor Noah last night there was a graphic list displayed, showing all of the following --- required items under the Affordable Care Act --- which would be eliminated by Graham-Cassidy.

Pediatric Services
Hospitalization
Ambulances
Maternity Care
Prescription Drugs
Drug and Mental Health treatment
Emergency services
Labs
Rehabilitative Services
Wellness Checkups
 
              Medicaid expansion would also be eliminated and the claim Graham-Cassidy asserts is that taking the money that is currently dispersed by the federal government (for Medicaid, to 31 States) would be re-allocated to all 50 states --- each of which could do what they choose with the money.  Here’s the problem with this “solution:” states opted not to expand Medicaid so, the 19 states (all Red) which chose not to expand will now receive Federal funds and those which chose to expand Medicaid will have their funds reduced ---thereby taking health insurance/care away from thousands and thousands of people in those states.

          Not only is that “solution” unfair, part two of it --- simply giving the federal money to States --- is far from a guarantee that the Federal money will ever reach anyone in the states who might need health care funds.  Let’s keep in mind how, what Lindsay Graham claims is “Federalism,” can work in actuality.  In 1954, after the Supreme Court ruled that schools must  be desegregated “with all deliberate speed,” leaving it up to the states to implement desegregation, it took almost 20 years for many Southern states to finally comply with the Federal law. 

        It is not a stretch to imagine many (red) states selectively dispensing federal funds in ways that deny monies to clinics for poor people, abortion facilities, hospitals and emergency facilities in “certain” neighborhoods.  Bill Cassidy blatantly lied on National Television to Jimmy Kimmel, claiming he would not support any bill that denied pre-existing conditions.  Graham-Cassidy does, in fact, guarantee pre-existing conditions will return to the “high risk,” high expense insurance markets.  Just another example that the Republicans have reached the point (again?) where their political interests are more important than the lives of American citizens. 

         And Trump, who reads nothing, is sitting & waiting, "pen in hand," willing to sign anything in order to stick another Obama “feather in his cap.”  The man who told John Dickerson “I don’t stand by anything” (discussing his claim that Obama wiretapped Trump Tower) is proving, time and again, that, in fact, he stands for nothing and is willing to put his own interests (and the Republican Party’s interest) ahead of the welfare of the American people.

           One last note: lest we get too depressed by all this, another segment of last night's Daily Show was Lewis Black's "commentary" on Graham-Cassidy --- enjoy.