House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday evening insisted that the GOP’s three part plan to repeal and replace Obamacare is viable despite doubts from some Republican senators.
During an interview with Fox News’ Martha MacCallum, Ryan noted that Republicans cannot include every provision they want in this initial bill to repeal and replace Obamacare because they must use the reconciliation process. That process only requires 51 votes in the Senate, so it could pass with only Republican support. Ryan said that Republicans have a “three part process” because of that restriction. The second phase would be regulations from the executive branch, and the third phase is additional legislation that would need Democratic votes in the Senate to pass.
MacCallum noted that there are concerns that a second bill would not get Democratic votes, as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) have warned this week.
However, Ryan dismissed those doubts and argued that Democrats would support provisions like allowing trade or professional associations to offer health insurance plans to members.
“I look forward to seeing Democrats try and kill that idea,” he said.
The speaker also told MacCallum that Republican leaders have been soliciting feedback and are open to making some changes to the legislation.
“We’re keeping this bill intact, but we’re obviously going to make some modifications per members’ feedback,” he said.
“We want to listen to our members and make improvements to the bill, so long as those improvements don’t make the bill harder to pass,” he added later.
As for senators with qualms about the bill, Ryan told them to make their own modifications when it reaches that chamber.
“If senators have a problem, they have their own process to go with over there, so I would suggest senators should just amend the bill when it comes over there. This is the legislative process,” he said.
So, Eddie Munster is still trying to turn this sow’s ear into a silk purse, eh?
Democratic votes on “Phase 3”? Don’t think so, Eddie. Wouldn’t get that far anyway.
ETA: On the lighter side, New Yorker’s AndyBorowitz gives us some background information on RAyn’s proposal.
In Brooklyn, the phrase is “Woulda, coulda, shoulda.” Don’t they have anything like that up in Ryan’s country?
We have been hearing “Repeal” for 8 years. “Repeal and then Replace” for a few years less (after many in the GOP realized that to just revert to where we were in 2009 would be political suicide) – but the “Three Phases” we have only been hearing about for the past couple of days - AFTER the poorly executed rollout of the legislation. Yet we are supposed to pretend that this was always part of the plan - very transparent - and we should “Trust Him.” (Him equals anyone who sticks his neck out with this line such as Sec. Price and Speaker Ryan.)
Yea, that’s a winning ticket.
“Easy, peasy, cheesy”?
Well then, let’s start with Phase 3 and see how that goes before proceeding to Phase 1 or 2.