# The Repeal of Obamacare/ACA: Step-bystep, Inch-by-inch **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 2, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146 "2017-01-02T17:06:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 45
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/881 "2017-07-20T04:34:08Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > I can’t even keep up. Is the Senate still voting on the “repeal now, replace later” bill? Weren’t there 3 Republican senators who already said they were opposed? Is the House going to vote on it as well? Can they even pass a “clean repeal” on reconciliation? I thought that required a filibuster-proof majority, since it’s not just a budget bill. Are they planning to use the Nuclear Option? It appears that [“repeal now, replace later” has collapsed as well](https://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/07/18/gop-revised-plan-to-repeal-now-replace-later-apparently-dies-in-less-than-one-day/), with three Republican senators against it. That’s the news that made me laugh out loud. Since McCain is not on the list of those opposed, his absence due to illness or death would not affect the vote. > [@](#): > > Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) reacted to the news by indicating that the Senate plans to move on to considering tax reform and the president’s infrastructure spending bill, **indicating that for all intents and purposes, the fight to repeal Obamacare is dead once and for all, as of this point.** Bolding mine. I don’t doubt that there will be continued efforts to repeal/replace Obamacare, but at least for the time being Republican efforts seem to have fizzled. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/882 "2017-07-20T04:51:05Z")
Erasing the black president from the history books has come down to duct tape and flop sweat. Can they do it, folks?! ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/883 "2017-07-20T06:01:25Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Since McCain is not on the list of those opposed, his absence due to illness or death would not affect the vote. Is it not the case that McCain’s absence requires any GOP health care legislation to garner the votes of all but _one_ GOP senator, rather than all but two? They could withstand two defections only because that would result in a 50-50 tie with Pence casting the tiebreaker. With McCain out two defections would be 50-49 against and bill defeated. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/884 "2017-07-20T06:05:25Z")
McConnell is throwing another $200 billion at the moderates to get them to vote for repeal. I hope it doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/885 "2017-07-20T06:22:31Z")
Trump is throwing his whole weight behind Mr Turtle. Wish he was throwing it on him. Reptile Jello. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/886 "2017-07-20T09:39:41Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Is it not the case that McCain’s absence requires any GOP health care legislation to garner the votes of all but _one_ GOP senator, rather than all but two? Yes. McCain could always be counted upon to spew something conscience-sounding for the cameras but still vote the party line. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/887 "2017-07-20T11:39:06Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > At least he didn’t take them to [Mar-a-Lago](http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/13/health/mar-a-lago-health-inspection-trnd/index.html). :eek: Maybe he should have. Maybe an epidemic of food poisoning would’ve been…inspirational. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/888 "2017-07-20T13:17:32Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Is it not the case that McCain’s absence requires any GOP health care legislation to garner the votes of all but _one_ GOP senator, rather than all but two? They could withstand two defections only because that would result in a 50-50 tie with Pence casting the tiebreaker. With McCain out two defections would be 50-49 against and bill defeated. Exactly. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/889 "2017-07-20T14:05:12Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Is it not the case that McCain’s absence requires any GOP health care legislation to garner the votes of all but _one_ GOP senator, rather than all but two? They could withstand two defections only because that would result in a 50-50 tie with Pence casting the tiebreaker. With McCain out two defections would be 50-49 against and bill defeated. Don’t you mean “all but two, rather than all but three”? I agree with the rest of your post but it doesn’t seem consistent with the first sentence. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/890 "2017-07-20T14:09:45Z")
The Vice President breaks tie votes in the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/891 "2017-07-20T14:09:55Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > It appears that [“repeal now, replace later” has collapsed as well](https://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/07/18/gop-revised-plan-to-repeal-now-replace-later-apparently-dies-in-less-than-one-day/), with three Republican senators against it. It’s now 2 days later. Since then, House Freedom Caucus started trying to force the House to vote on a clean repeal. McCain’s illness was revealed. And Trump had a pep talk over lunch yesterday where he _yet again_ changed his mind, from “just let it fail” to “I’ll destroy the career of any Senator who stands in the way of repealing Obamacare!” Did I miss anything? Where does it stand as of this morning? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/892 "2017-07-20T14:17:30Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The Vice President breaks tie votes in the Senate. Republicans have 52 seats. If 2 Republicans break from their party and vote against the bill, the vote is 50-50. Pence breaks the tie, and the bill passes. It takes _3_ defectors to kill the bill. But if 2 Republicans votes against the bill, _and one Republican doesn’t vote at all_, it would be yes=49/no=50. The bill is defeated. There’s nothing Pence can do about it. Which is why they really need McCain to be there when they vote on it. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/893 "2017-07-20T14:22:02Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > It’s now 2 days later. Since then, House Freedom Caucus started trying to force the House to vote on a clean repeal. McCain’s illness was revealed. And Trump had a pep talk over lunch yesterday where he _yet again_ changed his mind, from “just let it fail” to “I’ll destroy the career of any Senator who stands in the way of repealing Obamacare!” > > Did I miss anything? Where does it stand as of this morning? Trump is set to make a major speech from Mar A Lago that if any Republican leaves DC during the next four months, they will be arrested for disloyalty to a guy who won the popular vote bigly, which nobody expected. He will repeat this message at rallies scheduled over the next few weekends at every golf course he owns. This afternoon, Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Steve King will propose a new health care plan to kick every sick American out of their health care plans, making health insurance much, much more affordable for the 115 healthiest families in America. Also, the bill includes a plan to “take care” of the sickest Americans with free injections of small amounts of polonium, a proposal which will be called PutinCare. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/894 "2017-07-20T15:07:46Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > [Breaking News: Mitch McConnell flees the Senate, reverts to his natural state and heads for the sea.](http://imgur.com/gallery/5alp022) I laughed. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/895 "2017-07-20T18:04:35Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Is it not the case that McCain’s absence requires any GOP health care legislation to garner the votes of all but _one_ GOP senator, rather than all but two? They could withstand two defections only because that would result in a 50-50 tie with Pence casting the tiebreaker. With McCain out two defections would be 50-49 against and bill defeated. I was speaking to the specific case of three Republican Senators being opposed, which is what was cited in the article. If one of them changes their mind and decides to vote for it, then McCain’s absence would make a difference. (This is also on the assumption that he would have voted for it.) ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/896 "2017-07-21T00:24:38Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I was speaking to the specific case of three Republican Senators being opposed, which is what was cited in the article. If one of them changes their mind and decides to vote for it, then McCain’s absence would make a difference. (This is also on the assumption that he would have voted for it.) How wild would it be, that if he would’ve voted “yes” for the bill before his diagnosis/surgery, but it, after all, changed his mind on the upcoming vote to “no” in consideration of those less fortunate than him financially and circumstantially? Hope springs eternal. ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/897 "2017-07-21T02:11:26Z")
In regards to McCain, I can help thinking of that old line from Airplane 2: [Irony can be pretty ironic sometimes.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE8Tc1cvSYM) ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/898 "2017-07-21T11:56:27Z")
[What’s the problem? You can get health insurance for $1 per month?](http://www.politicususa.com/2017/07/20/minds-blown-trump-difference-health-life-insurance.html) > [@](#): > > TRUMP: But what it does, Maggie, it means it gets tougher and tougher. As they get something, it gets tougher. Because politically, you can’t give it away. So pre-existing conditions are a tough deal. Because you are basically saying from the moment the insurance, you’re 21 years old, you start working and you’re paying $12 a year for insurance, and by the time you’re 70, you get a nice plan. Here’s something where you walk up and say, “I want my insurance.” It’s a very tough deal, but it is something that we’re doing a good job of. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/899 "2017-07-21T14:58:30Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > [What’s the problem? You can get health insurance for $1 per month?](http://www.politicususa.com/2017/07/20/minds-blown-trump-difference-health-life-insurance.html) So he doesn’t even understand the difference between health insurance and life insurance? Why am I not surprised? ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/900 "2017-07-21T15:14:57Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > So he doesn’t even understand the difference between health insurance and life insurance? > > Why am I not surprised? For the rich, it doesn’t make sense to have health insurance. Since they have so much money, they can essentially self-insure themselves. Like all insurance, in the long run, they’ll likely save money if they can cover the losses themselves since they aren’t paying for the insurance company profit. So I’m not at all surprised that the rich have no clue how important insurance is to most of us, or how it even works in the first place. It’s the “Let them eat cake!” mentality. What’s the big deal if you don’t have insurance? Just tell the doctor to send the bill to your trust fund manager and he’ll take care of it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146.md?page=44) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146.md?page=46)