[af_vet_1981]

Concur; the obstructionist caucus gave the Democrats a victory over President Trump and he has to deal with them to get a deal, not the Republicans alone.

"While pointing fingers, conservative Republicans in Congress should look in the mirror. Maybe these Republicans meant well, in a naïve sort of way. After all, Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona (a dentist) told The Washington Post that he came to Washington “to do health care right.” Rep. Louie Gohmert said that “a no vote means we save Donald Trump from a Democratic majority in 2019.” Others vehemently argue that Obamacare should be immediately repealed, but that Congress should give itself until midterms to pontificate over a replacement (all, while millions of Americans lose health coverage). Unfortunately, none of this is politically feasible. Was the American Health Care Act exactly what the Freedom Caucus wanted? No. Did it offer conservatives the best healthcare deal they may ever get? Probably. The time had come to pass a plan that could receive 216 votes in the House, and 51 in the Senate. Conservative Republicans blew it big time.

By comparison, President Trump is nothing if not pragmatic. In an interview with Robert Costa of The Washington Post, he argued that his next efforts at healthcare reform will garner bi-partisan support once Obamacare premiums exponentially increase, coverage options decrease, and the program implodes. This is good politics. But, a bi-partisan effort guarantees that the Freedom Caucus will be locked out of negotiations, with the bill too centrist for their taste. Trump said so himself. When asked whether a bi-partisan bill would free him from having to court those farthest to the Right, he replied “a lot of people might say that,” opining that such a possibility would “end up with a better health-care plan. A great plan. And you wouldn’t need the Freedom Caucus.”

[Yogafist]

Yep, it was the Freedom Caucus that produced a loser of a bill without getting input from, or agreements from the different factions inside the Republican party. After all, everyone knows Republicans do socialism better. It was the Freedom caucus that spent seven years completely caving to Obama. It was the Freedom Caucus that spent seven years running on repealing Obamacare “root and branch” only be caught flat footed when the opportunity arose. There is plenty of blame to go around, but this failure is not solely the fault of the Freedom Caucus.

[arthurus]

If this thing had passed, it would be still be obamacare with some of the funding stripped out so that it would be less useful than before and would now be TrumpCare which would be distancing Medicine from the middle class and continuing the deterioration of Medicine for those who can still afford it.

Obamacare Trumpcare.

[Paul R.]

But, a bi-partisan effort guarantees that the Freedom Caucus will be locked out of negotiations, with the bill too centrist for their taste.

I'm not so sure that a significantly bipartisan effort will occur. What Dems can or will significantly change their position, regardless of the evidence? Another year or two of this debacle should give conservatives lots of time to further make their case about WHY this sort of program is doomed to failure, even as millions are harmed by its failure. If it was me, I would argue: "Look at what's going on, and why. We can't have anything like this, without the same or a worse result."

Of course the sad part is the millions who will be harmed.