Why doesn’t Ryan simply push through a straight repeal of Obamacare, send it to the Senate, and then let the Senate amend as necessary to get it through the Senate? Any Senate amendments will have to be approved by the House, so the House will still have the final say.
What am I missing?
There are a few parts of Obamacare that are enormously popular with the public-- for example, the provision that says that if you change jobs, your new insurer can't refuse to cover your preexisting conditions. A pure repeal would leave a lot of people without coverage, and would be politically suicidal.
Votes. Missing votes.
That is exactly what can and should happen on next week. I bill can be introduced on the floor of the House and a vote taken. Then send it over to the Senate. They can modify or add what they want and then it comes back to conference committee and then re-vote.
What was being crammed through the House has an AWFUL bill. Now do the right thing next week.