While most commentators are focused on the fate of the people and their healthcare, which is proper, I'd like to draw attention to the travesty that Speaker Ryan and Senate Majority Leader McConnell almost succeeded in pulling off.
The House gave its assent to a bill that could not otherwise get a majority of the votes in the House on the assurance that the bill would be changed anyway in the Senate; and the Senate was cajoled to do the same on the assurance that the bill would be changed anyway in conference. That is, this was a way to get through a blank check legislation that could not get votes in the House and in the Senate, and that would take shape in conference.
This attempt failed with 46 Democrats, 2 Independents and 3 Republicans voting against it in the Senate. While 50 of them had been holding firm from the outset, one of them, the "political maverick" John McCain, finally put his vote where his speeches have been.
For this travesty of democracy, in my opinion, Ryan, McConnell and all their willing collaborators should be tarred and feathered and driven out of town.
PS: Yes, what is so democratic about tarring and feathering? Do understand this - in my opinion, Ryan and McConnell are oath-breakers - they have broken their oath to uphold the Constitution, not technically, but in spirit. Yes, they have broken no laws, they've operated within rules of procedure, etc. I guess we could try to make airtight rules - but the operation of any system involving humans requires a certain minimum of character and integrity. It should not require endless rule-making to constrain people to do the right thing. In my opinion, these folks have forfeited any claim to any consideration, they should be "cast into the outer darkness".
The House gave its assent to a bill that could not otherwise get a majority of the votes in the House on the assurance that the bill would be changed anyway in the Senate; and the Senate was cajoled to do the same on the assurance that the bill would be changed anyway in conference. That is, this was a way to get through a blank check legislation that could not get votes in the House and in the Senate, and that would take shape in conference.
This attempt failed with 46 Democrats, 2 Independents and 3 Republicans voting against it in the Senate. While 50 of them had been holding firm from the outset, one of them, the "political maverick" John McCain, finally put his vote where his speeches have been.
For this travesty of democracy, in my opinion, Ryan, McConnell and all their willing collaborators should be tarred and feathered and driven out of town.
PS: Yes, what is so democratic about tarring and feathering? Do understand this - in my opinion, Ryan and McConnell are oath-breakers - they have broken their oath to uphold the Constitution, not technically, but in spirit. Yes, they have broken no laws, they've operated within rules of procedure, etc. I guess we could try to make airtight rules - but the operation of any system involving humans requires a certain minimum of character and integrity. It should not require endless rule-making to constrain people to do the right thing. In my opinion, these folks have forfeited any claim to any consideration, they should be "cast into the outer darkness".
