they're not gonna turn into a blue state because of that. candidates can literally do anything now as long as they win their party nomination.

5/24/2017 11:42:43 PM

I'm hesitant to give this dude any credit at fucking all, especially after interacting with his aides on multiple occasions because of this exact vote, but:

https://thinkprogress.org/meadows-ahca-cbo-tears-d6acf728e5ad

My jaw hit the fucking floor after reading that. Even if he didn't mean a single word, you can't say stuff like this if you're the de facto leader of the freedumb caucus.

[Edited on May 25, 2017 at 11:20 AM. Reason : Mind completely blown]

5/25/2017 11:20:29 AM

I couldn't agree more.

This is the person who led the conservative opposition and rejected more moderate revisions to the bill; he was pushing for it to be even more draconian than it is.

The "improvement" amendment that the article references wasn't added to appease the House Freedom Caucus; the bill had shifted so far to the right, in order to appease them, that it had lost a significant portion of its moderate support.

However, perhaps I'm misremembering. I know that the House Freedom Caucus pushed hard for phasing out Medicaid; did they take a particular position with regard to covering preexisting conditions?

5/25/2017 11:33:07 AM

https://twitter.com/bensasse/status/867763252519985153

Any modicum of sense and this guy is made the face of the GOP for a generation.

5/25/2017 11:41:13 AM

^^i thought the "pre-existing conditions waiver" that states could enact was the freedom caucus compromise with the more moderate folks who wanted to keep pre-existing protections?

We may never know fully since it was all negotiated behind closed doors, but the bottom line, as you said, is that Meadows was a significant part of making the AHCA an incredibly shitty bill.

All this time I've been assuming his motives were just straight nefarious. Now I'm realizing that maybe he genuinely thought he was helping.

That still makes him clueless and ignorant, but at least he seems to be openly admitting that.

5/25/2017 11:56:04 AM

I'm curious to know, from the health and well-being perspective of his constituents, what benefits he thought would result from phasing out Medicaid or any of the other policies that were pushed by the House Freedom Caucus.

Was he just so blinded by the cause of liberty and freedom that he didn't even consider the practical repercussions of the policies that he was proposing?

Also, this isn't the first CBO score that's been drafted for this health care bill. Would I be correct in assuming that he's only upset about the preexisting condition aspect of this latest CBO score and that he's rather indifferent to the millions of Americans who would have lost their health care, regardless of the latest amendment to the bill?

5/25/2017 12:26:41 PM

^I agree. Literally thousands of people in his district, multiple doctor associations, and of course half of congress were screaming that this wasn't gonna work. So it is a little hard to believe that a little ol CBO score brought him to Jesus. Although stranger things have happened I suppose.

(He'll still have a chance to double down after the proper talking points are circulated)

Here is the kicker, in WNC something like 70% of all hospital payments are either Medicare or Medicaid. There's a hospital in Franklin that had to close its OB-GYN/baby delivery wing like last year and blamed the lack of NC Medicaid expansion. There's no way rural WNC hospitals could've survived this bill. How could he not know that?

5/25/2017 12:35:39 PM

becoming clearer by the day that there is going to be a legitimate politician v. politician act of violence at some point

https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-republican-sb-4-protesters-capitol-ice/

[Edited on May 29, 2017 at 4:02 PM. Reason : .]

5/29/2017 4:00:14 PM

An Italian hating on a Hispanic? Maybe they can take a page out of Westside Story and have a dance-off instead.

5/29/2017 6:02:54 PM

if the GOP is smart, they'll learn a lesson or two from what just happened in Kansas

not gonna happen, though

6/6/2017 11:34:31 PM

Quote :

"Rinaldi later said on Facebook that he called immigration agents “on several illegal immigrants who held signs in the gallery which said ‘I am illegal and here to stay.'”"

Wtf happened to Texas. I can understand a leftist hellhole like North Mexico (formerly known as California) importing millions of dirt poor future democrat voters... but not texas.

6/7/2017 10:21:05 AM

Quote :

"“He saw a bunch of people who look Latino, and he assumed they were undocumented,” Romero told the Observer. “So how can he say SB 4 won’t lead to racial profiling?”"

No, he saw a bunch of people at an immigration rights rally carrying signs declaring their illegality. I'm sorry but I see nothing wrong with him calling ICE.

Side note, regarding racial profiling (since it's mentioned in the article).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_profiling#Support

It's a fascinating debate, honestly.

6/7/2017 10:37:28 AM

A good 'ole illegal immigrant's rights rally.

6/7/2017 11:09:57 AM

Quote :

"From the moment he said it, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R) took heat for calling his push to drastically cut taxes in his state a “real live experiment.” As a general rule, people like to have their experiments conducted in laboratories with safe controls, not on state finances that affect health care and education. But Brownback was right. It was an experiment. And on Tuesday night, the Republican legislature in the state deemed it a failure, voting to override Brownback’s veto and increase income taxes cut under the 2012 bill."

Trickle down economics - 0
Keynesian economics - 23478623947829347

6/7/2017 3:55:52 PM

Trickle down is such an egregiously terrible philosophy.

6/7/2017 4:31:34 PM

So McCain is unfit to serve any longer

6/8/2017 6:13:54 PM

it's ok

he was up late watching a baseball game. nothing to worry about at all.

6/8/2017 6:14:55 PM

Christ I thought that was a joke but that was actuall6 his explanation

6/9/2017 7:32:36 AM

Quote :

""

6/9/2017 2:11:23 PM

I don't see Republicans trying to fix it. The bill they have proposed in the house is a dumpster fire.

I just want a functioning system tis all

[Edited on June 9, 2017 at 2:49 PM. Reason : fsd]

6/9/2017 2:48:52 PM

Republicans would argue we had a functioning system pre-ACA.

Democrats would argue we did not.

Pre-ACA and Post-ACA, we do not have a functioning system. but the ACA at least is a step in the right direction.

6/9/2017 3:15:19 PM

https://www.axios.com/senate-gop-wrapping-up-health-care-bill-but-wont-release-it-2440345281.html

this is some sketchy, sinister shit

6/12/2017 4:10:08 PM

Quote :

"ALERT: Reporters at Capitol have been told they are not allow to film interviews with senators in hallways, contrary to years of precedent"

the worst

6/13/2017 12:20:21 PM

Smh. The legislative process has never been exactly a shining beacon of honesty and integrity, but this is clearly an all time low.

The scariest part being if the GOP doesn't pay a horrific price for this, both at town halls and in 2018, then it will pretty quickly become standard operating procedure (for both parties). We can't let America go there.

[Edited on June 13, 2017 at 12:51 PM. Reason : It's almost like they are trying to hide something from their constituents]

6/13/2017 12:45:40 PM

Quote :

"Incredible defense of cracking down on TV cameras from Senator Tim Scott: cameras could catch the PIN numbers of senators at ATM machines."

per @pdmcleod

6/13/2017 12:55:43 PM

GOP boys only know how to stop (or talk about stopping) the leftists from turning our country into a socialist hell-hole.

The ACA was a car that drove off a fiscal cliff. Changing drivers on the way down doesn't matter. The only thing the GOP could do now is build a time machine and stop the disaster before it started.

6/13/2017 8:57:19 PM

You have no clue what Marxism or Socialism actually is. It's endearing.

6/14/2017 6:49:53 AM

Oh, that's right Bernie Bot... it's not socialism, it's "democratic socialism".

6/14/2017 10:30:00 AM

https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/875314722765242368

This actually made me chuckle.

Nothing matters.

6/15/2017 7:56:17 AM

I mean, Newt Gingrich is the guy who pressed for impeaching Clinton for lying about cheating on his wife ........ while he was lying about cheating on his wife (he eventually resigned Congress because his pursuit of impeachment caused the Republicans to lose seats). Not to mention that charge all sprang from the Whitewater investigation, a 25 year old land deal where the Clintons were alleged to have received special favors while in the Arkansas governor's mansion. That led them to Paula Jones, then to Linda Tripp, who led them to Kathleen Wiley, and eventually to Lewinsky. Also, Gingrich's replacement (Bob Livingston) also resigned for lying about cheating on his wife, so Henry Hyde was the one who filed articles of impeachment. He was also caught lying about cheating on his wife. So yes, nothing matters.

[Edited on June 15, 2017 at 11:53 AM. Reason : .]

6/15/2017 11:46:31 AM

he's also the guy who praised mueller when he was picked

6/15/2017 12:55:07 PM

Deep state?

JCE = NEWT exposed????

6/15/2017 1:06:34 PM

I love all the "deep state" conspiracy bullshit.

I guess there's a deep state at any company where a majority of the workforce has a substantial amount of experience there...

6/15/2017 1:09:52 PM

Quote :

"Fallout. Prosecutors in Washington, DC have filed charges against 12 Turkish security officials for assaulting protesters and American law enforcement officials during a visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in May. In a statement, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. won't "tolerate individuals who use intimidation and violence to stifle freedom of speech and legitimate political expression." But it's still unclear whether anything will come of the charges, given that some of those involved in the attack had diplomatic immunity during their visit. The State Department declined to say whether it will ask Turkey to extradite those charged but did say it's considering unspecified "additional actions.""

Was happy to see this today.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/turkish-guards-will-be-charged-in-embassy-protests-officials-say/2017/06/14/fecee1ea-46d1-11e7-bcde-624ad94170ab_story.html?utm_campaign=New%20Campaign&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_term=.fb4b68432875

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-turkey-idUSKBN196272?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Campaign&utm_term=%2ASituation%20Report

6/16/2017 12:35:26 PM

Quote :

"Turkey’s Erdogan furious over US warrants for aides in embassy brawl AFP | Published — Thursday 15 June 2017 WASHINGTON: US authorities on Thursday announced arrest warrants had been issued for 12 members of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s security detail for assaulting protesters in Washington last month, sparking a furious response from the Turkish leader. Erdogan said the United States had no right to arrest his guards, who he said were protecting him from “terrorists.” [....] Erdogan lashed back, accusing US police of having allowed “terrorists” to protest “50 meters from me” during his US visit. “Why would I bring my guards with me to the United States, if not to protect me?” he said in a speech in Ankara, adding that US police “did nothing.” “We will fight politically and judicially” against the warrants, he added."

Yup, terrorists

I hope they are arrested, found guilty, jailed, then deported.

6/16/2017 1:07:17 PM

Quote :

"2016: fuck your feelings, Snowflake 2017: I found the latest Shakespeare in the park production quite untoward. I require a fainting couch"

-@robrousseau

6/17/2017 5:41:17 PM

http://gizmodo.com/gop-data-firm-accidentally-leaks-personal-details-of-ne-1796211612/amp

This incompetence really makes me think the GOP was just smarter than the DNC and that's why none of their correspondence was leaked

And holy shit, that is information on nearly every eligible voter...

6/19/2017 9:47:13 AM

^They weren't. GRU got hold of a ton of GOP data too. They chose not to leak it because, you know, they were supporting Trump.

That being said, it's entirely possible they didn't run the RNC in as corrupt a manner as the DNC was run. Republicans are typically unified in which case they wouldn't have to attempt to rig or steer their own primary. You can bet if they were going to try it would have been to keep Trump out.

[Edited on June 19, 2017 at 10:10 AM. Reason : asdf]

6/19/2017 10:09:02 AM

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/06/19/republican-contractor-database-every-voter-exposed-internet-12-days-researcher-says/?utm_term=.a43a4ce5ac3e

Guess they aren't better than the Dems...

6/19/2017 3:04:51 PM

http://www.wral.com/energy-chief-carbon-dioxide-not-prime-driver-of-warming/16771616/

Quote :

"Asked on CNBC's "Squawk Box" whether carbon emissions are primarily responsible for climate change, Perry said no, adding that "most likely the primary control knob is the ocean waters and this environment that we live in.""

6/19/2017 3:14:33 PM

^^did you respond to an article and then post another article on the same subject 6 hours later and pretend it's new?

6/19/2017 3:48:08 PM

^I responded to an earlier post with information. I then, later, posted a link from today (so yes, new) from NY Times that was related. I couldn't go back and edit my post.

6/19/2017 4:36:25 PM

Quote :

" McCain: No American has seen healthcare bill, but I'm sure Russia has "

Burn!

6/20/2017 8:52:43 PM

any Republicans on here who are fans of this healthcare bill?

6/22/2017 2:05:50 PM

Oh, sorry, forgot I was 1 of the only 3 republicans on this forum.

Hell no

6/22/2017 2:56:46 PM

Cruz and Paul showing real leadership saying that incremental, half-assed change is unacceptable. I wish the left had this sort of leadership in the Democratic party back in 08-09. Then they might have passed a good healthcare system that would be untouchable politically.

6/22/2017 2:59:55 PM

Lol at thinking Cruz isn't just doing this for political points and will actually not vote yes.

Paul is actually principled so I believe him.

6/22/2017 3:02:48 PM

I don't know if "I won't vote for something that doesn't kill all the poors" is what I'd call principled, but ok.

6/22/2017 5:42:55 PM

If this passes I can just see the 2018 republican ads now in states that expanded medicaid. "Sure you may be on medicaid NOW, but by the time it cuts off in 2020 I know you'll be a millionaire and will be enjoying all those shiny tax breaks for wealthy people, like future you. I believe in you!"

[Edited on June 22, 2017 at 5:57 PM. Reason : ]

6/22/2017 5:56:36 PM

^^,^^^ thats an exaggeration.

Sarah Huckabee brought up a very important point today when she said something like "Just because people have insurance plans, doesn't mean they have affordable healthcare" which is the first time I've heard anything like this mentioned on TV.

Its important because most people are only evaluating the quality of our healthcare system based on one single metric, the number of people insured.

They listen to information about premiums and stop there. Thats as far as most people get. They are ignoring really important flaws in Obamacare. Most of those plans with subsidies and low-cost premiums, have unaffordable deductibles. These people end up with health insurance but still can't afford the care they need

Someone who "gets to" pay 175 per month for insurance thanks to obamacare will still have trouble paying a 75 dollar copay for a doctor visit and a 7000 dollar deductible if something bad happens.

IMO obamacare was all about making insurance affordable to stuff the pockets of insurance companies while still giving people the idea that they were getting great healthcare.

[Edited on June 22, 2017 at 7:00 PM. Reason : math]

[Edited on June 22, 2017 at 7:10 PM. Reason : xx]

6/22/2017 6:47:34 PM