Posted on 07/27/2017 12:52:57 PM PDT by gattaca
In a twist that exemplifies just how wild the healthcare debate has been, on Thursday the Senate voted on a single-payer healthcare plan. Introduced by a Republican. Who doesn't support it.
The plan, proposed as an amendment to the House bill by Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, was called the Expanded & Improved Medicare For All Act.
It was overwhelmingly voted down, with the 57 voting "no" and many Democrats choosing to vote "present." There wasn't a single "yes" vote.
The amendment was the third healthcare plan to face a key vote during the 20-hour Senate debate period. Votes on both a plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and a plan to repeal the ACA without a finalized replacement have also been unsuccessful.
The amendment would have set up a virtual universal healthcare system in which all Americans would be covered through Medicare, the federal government's health program that today covers only those who are at least 65 years old.
The intent was to try to expose which senators would vote in favor of a single-payer system.
"I do not support a single-payer system, but I believe Americans deserve to see us debate different ideas, which is why I am bringing forward this amendment," Daines said in a statement emailed to Business Insider ahead of the vote. "It's time for every Senator to go on the record on whether or not they support a single-payer healthcare system."
A representative for Sen. Bernie Sanders who has been a proponent of "Medicare for All" called the Republican plan a "sham" and said the Democratic caucus wouldn't be considering amendments until the final bill is out. Democrats also won't be introducing amendments until the debate period is over.
He said in a statement:
"The process Republicans have used to try to take health insurance away from millions is a sham. The Democratic caucus will not consider amendments until we see Republicans' final legislation and know what bill we are amending. Once Republicans show us their final bill, Sen. Sanders looks forward to getting a vote on his amendment that makes clear the Senate believes the United States must join every major country and guarantee healthcare as a right, not a privilege."
During the debate on Thursday, Sanders called the amendment an "old political trick."
"I hope that this is really a breakthrough," Sanders said of the bill.
"I think this is not a time for political games," he added.
Maybe next they could vote whether or not to kill kitty cats. Then they can all be on the record not wanting to kill kitty cats!
Obamacare IS partial ‘single payer’. Medicaid is single payer. That’s why it is impossible to ‘replace’.
“Single Payer” is yet one of many crafty/sneaky phrases designed by liberals to mask the truth.
“Single Payer” = Socialized, gov’t control of medical care (but they don’t want to tell you the truth).
“Affirmative Action” = State sanctioned discrimination based on skin color
“Diversity” = A code word for non-white.
“Sustainable” = code word for I hate the oil companies and agribusiness
and on and on and on. Devious and dishonest tricks by the left.
You got that right.
The Lying Left.
Liars. Always have been and always will be.
Wonder when we on the Right will stop using their phony lying labels.
I also wish FR would stop allowing the steady, mindless stream of pathetic Lying Leftist media articles which amounts to more lies and deception.
Dang men, let’s get the story from a reliable source, research it and blog the truth ourselves or fugeddabouddit.
Two parties filled with lying scumbags...
Yeah. Some swamps are just too polluted to be drained. For those places, the only answer is to bulldoze it all away and start over.
The bill promised Medicare for all, free healthcare - Medicare ain’t free, as one who paid into it for forty years and still pays something like $1500 a year in “premiums” can testify....
>...Medicare aint free, as one who paid into it for forty years...
You mis-spelled TAXED.
Like any other unconstitutional, illegal, Ponzi scheme...
“Single payer is liberalese for 50% 0f the people pickup 100% of the costs.”
Wrong!!! LESS than fifty percent pickup one THOUSAND percent of actual costs to benefit a tiny group while MORE than fifty percent of the people have health care in name only and would be better off consulting a root doctor from Frogmore, SC. Real healthcare exists only for a tiny group of elitists.
“...Two parties filled with lying scumbags...”
Rather, one consolidated party full of scumbags, wearing two different practice jerseys.
They’re on the same team; the team for themselves.
‘Single payer’ is where I pay for mine, you pay for yours? What’s not to like about that?/sarc
Agreed...
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