How a secret Freedom Caucus pact brought down Obamacare repeal (Conspiracy Theory)

Politico ^ | 26 March 2016 7:03AM/9:39 update | Rachael Bade, Josh Dawsey and Jennifer Haberkorn

[blueplum]

The behind-the-scenes story of the staredown between a few dozen conservative true believers and a novice president.

....In a conference room in the Rayburn House Office Building, the group met that evening and made a secret pact. No member would commit his vote before consulting with the entire group — not even if Trump himself called to ask for an on-the-spot commitment. The idea, hatched by Freedom Caucus Vice Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), was to bind them together in negotiations and ensure the White House or House leaders could not peel them off one by one. Twenty-eight of the group's roughly three dozen members took the plunge. Three weeks later, Republican leaders, as many as 25 votes short of passage, were forced to pull their bill from the House floor. “This is a defining moment for our nation, but it's also a defining moment for the Freedom Caucus,” said group leader Mark Meadows about a week before the doomed vote was scheduled. “I don't think there's a more critical vote for the Freedom Caucus than this." The unpublicized pledge sowed the seeds of Friday’s collapse of ....

[PGR88]

He ate lots of crap sandwiches delivered by Tip O’Neill, in order to get some of his own agenda through

Tip O'Neill was a Democrat. Paul Ryan is a Republican, chosen for his position by Republicans. Why should Trump, or conservatives, be forced to eat crap-sandwiches served by someone supposedly on their own side?

[entropy12]

In a country like ours, with the highest GDP in the world, no one should have to face bankruptcy due to catastrophic medical bills. You were very lucky to have the finances to get operations performed. What if another vet of similar age did not have the finances?

If you read my profile, I suffered the most horrible gall bladder episode at age 50. I was fortunate to possess very good health insurance and receive splendid medical services quickly in the hospital of my choice.

I am not for government run healthcare. But we should find a way to cover catastrophic illnesses for all citizens, without forcing them to go bankrupt.

Anyway, I am very glad you are still here and running a great forum.

[entropy12]

First, the Ryan bill was only 66% crap sandwich. Now we are all eating 100% crap sandwich also known as Obamacare.

I am afraid you would be calling Ronald Reagan a crap sandwich eater since he compromised a lot with Tip O the democrat speaker.

[wiseprince]

Paul Ryan should have done a much better job bringing people in early (even before the bill was finished). i would argue he should have probably even been talking to Democrats. Something this big that is passed by one party will be demagogued to death (see Obamacare). If you get buy in from others they aren’t going to run around the country calling it Obamacare 2.0 etc. The FC types went around the country labeling it early and that it too hard for them to cross back over and not sound like they were folding. The bill changed a lot from the beginning. These guys really screwed this up in too many ways to enumerate.

[MaxistheBest]

You’re running out of limbs:) I had a bad case of polio as a kid...really bad from the hips down..full leg braces...the works..60 years later my legs are just hanging around to cause me grief and keep me on pain killers:)

I’m surprised you couldn’t get on the VA plans...used to be TriCare I think. My next door neighbor was in the service, no disability, and he had TriCare and loved it...even shopped a lot at MacDill AFB in Tampa.

[so_real]

Pelosi fought for those she represented, to the point of getting the House to pass a bill it had not (could not) have even read. She succeeded. And we are left with a crap-sandwich in her wake. All we want is for Ryan to fight for those he claims to represent, and remove the crap-sandwich. If Pelosi's strong-arm toward socialism crushed her popularity, then Ryan strong-arming away from socialism will improve his popularity. The problem is -- Ryan chose to "compromise" with the liberals after we handed him both Houses of Congress just so he would not have to.

[so_real]

If you get buy in from others they aren't going to run around the country calling it Obamacare 2.0 etc.

But our ambition is to repeal it -- not edit it. They can't run around the country calling it RyanCare or TrumpCare if it doesn't exist. Repeal it. Toss it on the scrap heap. Done. And, then, seek a coalition with buy in from others to address genuine issues like pre-existing conditions, inter-state competition, health insurance co-ops, tort reform, etc. I support bringing people in early, as you say, when building the "replace" part of the "repeal and replace" campaign promise. But we specifically provided the Republicans both houses of Congress so we could address the "repeal" part successfully and in proper order: first.

[entropy12]

And guess who anointed Paul Ryan to speaker? Majority of the freedom caucus members, who showed no courage in running against Ryan.

[Antoninus]

Why didnt Trump sell free markets as the replacement to 0bamaCare?

Probably because he's a long-time supporter of single-payer.

Breitbart - Trump Pushes Single Payer Healthcare, Tax Increase on Wealthy

[so_real]

And guess who anointed Paul Ryan to speaker?

Oh my goodness, and their members probably voted for George W. Bush too! Who cares? Paul Ryan is a figure head supposed to represent We the People along with the members of the Freedom Caucus. Ryan's failure is not their failure. At least they were there to stop him.

[blueplum]

Thank you and well done! I could get behind this

F105-D ThunderChief to blueplum
A Simple Solution!
1) Shutdown Future Obamacare enrollment.
2) Restore the Insurance marketplace to pre Obamacare days.
3) Let the Obamacare enrollees continue until the end of their policy.
4) Everybody can than select a plan suited to their needs.
5) Retain the pre existing condition clause through their current Obamacare Insurer.