Don’t worry about McCain’s health. If he is unable to vote they still have to get to 50 for a majority. They just won’t need Pence. Either way, they need to lose 2 more votes or it will pass. I’m remaining in panic mode for the next 8 days and 3 hours.
Ohhh. Ewwww!!
Yeah, that seems to be the key to all this: how likely McConnell is to try to have the vote hoping that enough people cave or are just paying lip service. The nos sounding certain in public surely has an effect on his decision.
What do you mean? 
Being a lifelong atheist, I can claim no understanding of prayer or how it’s supposed to work. But it just seemed to me that with respect to Republicans praying a colleague (McCain) would die or become incapacitated prior to the next vote on legislation intended to deprive millions of people from potentially lifesaving health care was contrary to the spirit of the practice. Maybe.
That’s all I meant. Sorry for any confusion!
As a non-atheist, I got it. Thought it was a clever comeback.
And it’s inspired me to pray for some horrible things to happen to people. Really specific things, like “Dear Architect of all Creation, I know You’d love to see that woman with the Gucci bag face-plant into that pile of fertilizer…”
And if Our Esteemed President is wheeled into an ambulance as he utters the phrase “Weasels ripped my flesh…”, then I’ll know there’s a God (and a Zappa/SDMB fan… bonus!).
Eventually I’ll stop pestering everyone in this thread (yes, even those who want GC passed), but today is not that day. Please consider calling your Senator to say please or thank you, your Reps to say please or thank you, donating to orgs that are fighting this, getting active on social media, etc. They are apparently trying to do some revisions. Even if you want to repeal the ACA, this process is fucked in the ear. Remember, if your party is in the majority, anything you do sets a precedent for the other party when they gain power, and they will.
Don’t stop. Your posts are helpful and some of the most informative around on this complicated subject. Do continue!
However
I draw the line, Madam, at donating my organs while I’m still using them! :eek:
Oh… wait… donating *TO *orgs… that’s different. Yeah, good idea. Carry on. 
Looks like Ted Cruz and Mike Lee are coming out against Graham/Cassidy:
I assure you that if the GOP otherwise had the votes, these guys would be on board. Their principled stand is bullshit.
Not to mention, they’re in the Rand Paul “not cruel enough for me!” camp.
If Ted Cruz is coming out against it, that means it’s dead. It’s not dead because he’s coming out against it, but because he’s such a snake that he knows it’s dead and wants to claim some sort of victory on principle.
(He is one of my Senators.)
That was my take too, Ambrosio Spinola.
Mine as well. Ted Cruz wouldn’t come out “nay” before the vote unless he knew it was going to pass anyway, in the hope that this allows some to perceive his actions as principled. Mr. Cruz isn’t really a risk taker, IMO.
Cruz is one of my Senators too, and I have been calling his DC and San Antonio offices daily.
"Senator, this is JohnT. I thought that back in July, when I called you, imploring you not to kill us, that I didn’t have to do it again after John McCain showed the moral courage which you and your team lacked. Yet, here I am again, asking you not to kill me and your constituents. I do not know what you think you were put into the Senate to do, but I don’t think it was to kill us.
And, you, the staffer who is transcribing this… is this what you went to school for? To work for people who makes it easier to kill hibernating animals? To make it easier to rape my daughter? To take health coverage from 30 million people? Well, this is who you are becoming. And before you go further, ask yourself: What Would Jesus Do? And you will be dismayed that you cannot answer “He would do as we are doing.”
You don’t need this. Ted doesn’t need this. And you don’t want to stand in front of the Throne of Judgement and defend how you defended Donald Trump and these so-called ‘conservative’ values."
Stuff like that, I could literally go on all day in that vein.
Both my Senators (Stabenow and Peters) are against G-C, but I’ve been trying to think of some message for them other than “Thank you.” I finally thought of one: They need to speak more loudly and forcefully on how pro-entrepreneur and pro-lifethe ACA is. Stop merely standing firm *against *the repeal, but START TALKING THE ACA UP! Say what an amazing piece of legislation it’s been for self-employed individuals, how it’s encouraged more people to start businesses, and that any repeal of the ACA will cause many start-ups to suddenly fail. Get stories like my family’s and this family’s out so people see how great it’s been for new businesses. Scream it from the rooftops, because all I hear is how lousy it is from Republicans. Why aren’t Democratic politicians speaking in favor of it? That’s what I asked my Senators to do in addition to thanking them.
If the Democrats can beat back the current repeal effort, it would also be worth encouraging your senators to work towards fixing the things that need fixing in the ACA. Having it is better than not having it, but there are quite a few areas where it could stand significant improvement.
You’re actually saying the exact opposite of what is quoted above, unless you actually do NOT think the bill will pass, and the “was” was a typo. 
If Cruz and Lee are coming out against it, will McConnell not bother with the vote?
And how incensed will Trump, the Koch Bros, and the mouth-breathing base be with the “RINOs in the Senate”?
Just FYI, but Cassidy is planning on revealing a revised bill on Monday. In addition to dodging the initial CBO assessment, which is also due Monday, I’d be willing to bet that Cassidy put in additional garbage to 1) placate Cruz and his ilk and 2) bribe, threaten, or otherwise extort Collins and Murkowski.