McCain's wrong on Obamacare bill

Last week’s Republican effort to reform Obamacare imploded when Sen. John McCain, reinventing his role of “Maverick McCain,” cast the deciding vote against the so-called skinny repeal.

A cynic reviewing the short three-act play written, directed and performed by McCain could only conclude that what occurred was payback in spades for treatment he received at the hands of Donald Trump during last year’s primaries.

In Act I, Maverick rises from his sick bed and rides to the rescue of Republican senators, voting in the affirmative to advance an undefined health care bill. McCain’s vote brought the final count to a tie, allowing the vice president to cast a vote that allowed the process to go forward. Republicans breathed a sigh of relief as the Maverick saved them from themselves.

Act II found McCain generating uncertainty as he gathered input from Sen. Chuck Schumer, former Vice President Joe Biden and former Sen. Joe Lieberman, all Democrats, about their position on the skinny repeal. None of McCain’s Republican colleagues had any inkling as to how he would vote.

In Act III director McCain orchestrated the scenario that allowed him to cast the deciding vote for the skinny repeal. It is reported that Maverick’s vote caused “gasps” from the assembled senators. McCain couldn’t have buried the knife any deeper.

Revenge, as they say, is sweet.

Since I am not a cynic, I take Sen. McCain at his word when he said, “I’ve stated time and time again that one of the major failures of Obamacare was that it was rammed through Congress by Democrats on a strict-party line basis without a single Republican vote.”

I disagree with McCain’s thought process. The major failure of Obamacare was that it was a terrible bill that was bound to collapse under its own weight as is currently happening. A bad bill passed with bipartisan unanimity is still a bad bill.

What McCain added was inconceivable. He said, “We must now return to the correct way of legislating and send the bill back to committee, hold hearings, receive input from both sides of the aisle, heed the recommendations of nation’s governors, and produce a bill that finally delivers affordable health care for the American people.”

Does John McCain really believe that the business as usual process he advocates will result in a health care bill during his lifetime?

McCain returns triumphantly to the center ring of the Washington circus and the position he so dearly cherishes. Once again the news media and the Democrats love him.

Rube Render is the Curry County Republican chairman. Contact him at: [email protected]