President Lyndon Johnson declared the War on Poverty in 1964. It was a sincere effort, but poverty persists to this very day. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, President Trump, and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan have decided that a War on the Poor is a better idea. They are weaponizing healthcare. The opening salvo was the American Health Care Act (AHCA). And yesterday, June 22, 2017, we got the working draft of the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA). The names might imply that these efforts are designed to enhance our access and payment of healthcare. A more honest name might have been Bang Bang You’re Dead.
The Senate released a “working draft”. This could be the actual bill. It could be a Trojan Horse. Since McConnell is trying to ram this through under the Senate’s rules for reconciliation, we may not know until the last possible moment.
I apologize for focusing so much on process, but that is where we must start. Leader McConnell is an incredibly cynical politician. He is a master of the game. We need to at least know some of the rules.
Under reconciliation, McConnell only needs 50 votes for a tie. Vice-president Pence would then cast the deciding vote. This “working draft” could be introduced as legislation. Debate will be limited to TEN HOURS. The Democrats would be able to introduce amendments, but debate is limited to TWO MINUTES per amendment. The Republican majority could quickly defeat all of Dem’s motions. Then, at the nine hour fifty minute mark, McConnell could introduce the actual legislation as a replacement amendment. The real bill is then passed before anyone can read or debate it.
Farfetched? Really? Have you been paying attention?
This blog will analyze the “working draft” over the next few days, but we must first focus on the process. Certain key Republican Senators and lobbyists have had advance copies of the BCRA. The first to complain weren’t Senators Portman or Collins. The first to the TV cameras to voice their disapproval were Senators Cruz, Lee, Paul, and Johnson who represent the extreme right wing of their party. They voiced opposition to the concessions made to the moderates. It feels like the fix is in.
I may see a Trojan Horse. The poor and working poor are staring at a tank.
DAVE
Excellent.
[…] Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA) was released on June 22nd. I printed it, read it, and had an analysis posted by the next day. I’ve also printed and read Senator McConnell’s subsequent attempts. There […]