A government against the wellbeing of most
If this wasn’t so serious one would think it is a parody. To be clear, President will veto this bill. However the irresponsibility of these acts should be palpable to all.
Imagine if there was a Republican president in the White House. The Obamacare repeal would leave millions without healthcare. Just like Texas has a death sentence on over one million Texans with their refusal to accept the Medicaid Expansion to Obamacare, this would be a national death sentence for several millions Americans in every state.
It is unconscionable that Republican would allow people on the no fly list, potential terrorists, the ability to purchase guns. Yet, they criticize the President on his robust stance on terrorism.
A vote to defund Planned Parenthood along with a repeal of Obamacare, and Red States refusing to accept the Medicaid Expansion to Obamacare sends a clear message to the poor, those with pre-existing conditions, those barely in the middle-class, and specifically women – You are on your own and simply do not matter.
Republicans decided that their ideological purity supersedes the well-being of Americans and their constituents in particular. Remember your vote has consequences.
Senate Republicans vote to repeal Obamacare, defund Planned Parenthood, let terror suspects buy guns
In another stunning display of wasted time on Thursday night, Mitch McConnell’s Republican Senate voted 52-47 to repeal Obamacare and defund Planned Parenthood. The bill will be vetoed by President Obama, the ultimate goal of Republicans because they’ve stopped being a responsible opposition party and now just exist to be obnoxious.
Despite a half-hearted attempt by three Republican senators—Susan Collins (ME), Mark Kirk (IL), and Lisa Murkowski (AK)—to strip the Planned Parenthood defunding from the bill, Republicans held mostly firm against the organization. Only Kirk voted with Democrats on an amendment offered by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) to increase the organization’s funding to provide great security. Collins and Kirk voted against the final package.
Likewise, at the urging of the NRA, Senate Republicans voted almost unanimously to keep guns widely available to potential terrorists. Sen. Kirk voted with Democrats on that one, while Democrat Heidi Heitkamp (ND) broke ranks to vote with Republicans. On keeping people who aren’t allowed on airplanes also out of gun shops?
Speaking to reporters earlier Thursday, Feinstein called her amendment “the definition of a no-brainer.”She underscored the bipartisan support behind the proposal, pointing out that a House Republican has introduced a similar bill and the idea was initially backed by the Bush administration’s Department of Justice in 2007.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), however, suggested that Feinstein’s amendment would strip Americans of due process.
Cornyn is not so concerned with the due process of all those on the FBI terror watch list who should not be there, and whether they should have freedom of travel. It’s too bad this one didn’t pass—it might have provided the impetus for Congress to actually do something to force reform of this list. Also failing was a reboot of the 2013 Manchin-Toomey expanded background checks for gun purchases bill, despite the votes of four Republicans. As in 2013, Republicans Collins, Kirk, John McCain (AZ) and Pat Toomey (PA) voted for it and again, Democrat Heitkamp voted against it. Thus the majority of Republicans proved they DO have something more to offer than just thoughts and prayers: “nay” votes.
By the end of the evening, McConnell secured the votes of three of his extremists—Sens. Ted Cruz (TX), Marco Rubio (FL) Mike Lee (UT)—by substituting the original legislation.