A bipartisan group of ten governors, including four Republicans, on Wednesday sent a letter to Senate leaders warning them against passing “skinny repeal,” which would just nix some of Obamacare’s taxes and mandates.
“The Senate should also reject efforts to amend the bill to a ‘skinny repeal,’ which is expected to accelerate health plans leaving the individual market increase premiums, and result in fewer Americans having access to coverage,” the governors wrote in the letter after telling Senate leaders to oppose the House replacement bill as well.
Senate GOP leaders are pushing for their caucus to approve “skinny repeal” so that they can move to a conference committee with the House and hammer out a comprehensive deal between both chambers.
The governors argued in their letter that instead of rushing a repeal bill through Congress now, the Senate should hold hearings and work with Democrats on a bipartisan bill.
“True, lasting reforms can only be achieved in an open, bipartisan fashion,” they wrote. “We agree with Senator John McCain that the Senate should ‘return to regular order,’ working across the aisle to ‘provide workable solutions to problems Americans are struggling with today.’”
The Republicans who signed the letter include Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker.
Bipartisan governors write to @SenateMajLdr & @SenSchumer urging the Senate to reject "skinny" repeal bill. ? pic.twitter.com/hN0B8zPzt0
— Matt House (@mattwhouse) July 27, 2017
I notice Butch Otter isn’t in there.
Charlie Baker inherited Romneycare. So he knows from where this comes.
Heller wanted to see what Sandoval said, and this is it. Does that make Heller a ‘no’? If the ‘skinny repeal’ doesn’t pass either and Trump gets nothing this week, along with Republicans getting locked in on votes on all the amendments being offered - well, that will get me to the weekend in a very good mood and ready to enjoy the continued tweet-storms. However, my sense is they will pass some version of ‘skinny repeal’ just to get to conference and drag this out into the fall - because… Republicans. And they gotta keep working on a way to cut taxes for the rich at the expense of life-saving and life-bettering health care for others.
Letters to Congressional leaders? The people of your states deserve much more effort.
Skinny Repeal is a poison pill that would destroy the insurance market, and they have nothing in mind to replace it. Only a nihilist - of which there are a few among the Rs - would vote for that.
Poor Republicans. Damned if they do, damned if they don’t. Their base’ll pissed no matter what they do now.
ETA: And contrary to Trump’s wishful thinking, it’s pretty clear which party “owns” any problems with healthcare at this point.