Elizabeth Warren has a Charlie Brown metaphor for the Republican ‘skinny repeal’ bill
The Republican effort to pass a bill repealing the Affordable Care Act entered somewhat complex, nuanced territory Thursday.
First, after a failed vote to repeal major parts of the health care law with no replacement, Senate Republicans are considering a so-called “skinny repeal” bill. The evolving bill would repeal coverage requirements, while leaving the rest of President Barack Obama’s landmark law in place.
But here’s where it gets wonky: Some Senate Republicans only want to pass the bill if they are promised it will not become law. Rather, they’re hoping to use it as a “vehicle” to convene a conference committee to work out a compromise bill with the House, which has already passed a repeal bill.
Both chambers would then have to hold new votes on whatever bill emerges from the committee.
However, House Speaker Paul Ryan publicly appears to have not ruled out simply holding a vote on the “skinny repeal” bill, and thus sending it to President Donald Trump’s desk. Several Republican senators said Thursday they would vote for the “skinny repeal,” which they called “terrible,” only if Ryan assured them it wouldn’t become law.
Lindsey Graham says GOP bill is “a fraud…terrible policy and horrible politics” — but will vote for it if it doesn’t become law. pic.twitter.com/k250IsJgMM
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) July 27, 2017
Anyway, Sen. Elizabeth Warren appears to be less than confident in Ryan’s supposed assurance or in the notion that whatever compromise bill would be an improvement on the current law.
Perhaps cynically, the Massachusetts Democrat put the situation in terms best appreciated by fans of The Peanuts.
“C’mon, @SenateGOP. Pass a terrible ‘skinny repeal’ of health care & we’ll ‘fix it’ in committee!” ?!? pic.twitter.com/fv5Uc9lro1
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 27, 2017
In Warren’s metaphor, it’s unclear whether Charlie Brown is supposed to represent Senate Republicans or American citizens.
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the various Republican health care proposals would increase the number of uninsured people by anywhere from 16 million to 23 million.
It’s widely believed that repealing the ACA’s individual mandate while leaving the most of the law in place — as the “skinny repeal” bill would do — would result in a so-called “death spiral,” in which health care premiums would skyrocket.
