|
 |
Good afternoon, Press Pass readers. As the Christmas and Hanukkah season gets underway, I want to wish an early Happy Holidays to our Bulwark+ subscribers. I hope you get not just gifts but a lot of rest before the new year begins, when we will face another potential government shutdown, a midterm election cycle, and more. If you think there’s a story others are missing that needs to be told, send me a note—I’m all ears. Bulwark+ members can always reach out to me. Upgrade your membership at the link below, and let’s start the conversation.
Today’s edition takes you into the Capitol for some good, old-fashioned Republican health care incompetence. With the approaching expiration of Obamacare subsidies setting up a massive rise in the cost of insurance for millions of Americans, congressional Republicans are working hard to figure something out. What sort of something? No one knows, exactly, not even the elected officials who’ve been told future votes are on the horizon. The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.
Away from the Hill, Rep. Jasmine Crockett has jumped into the Texas Senate race, and Republicans are very pleased with her decision to do so. Lastly, a member of Congress made a gargantuan purchase of Netflix stock just two weeks before their announced merger with Warner Bros. I asked him how that happened. All that and more, below.
Concepts of Health Care Plans → Humiliation Trying to Pass Them
They still haven’t figured out this health care thing. Don’t hold your breath.
|
| |||||||||||||||
 |
A geek tragedy
More than fifteen years after President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (better known as Obamacare) into law, congressional Republicans are still squabbling with each other and struggling to put together a coherent replacement. And proving incapable of actually getting anything passed.
On Tuesday, the Senate failed 51-48 to advance a health savings plan authored by Republican Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.). A Democrat-led, clean, three-year extension of the enhanced ACA subsidies subsequently failed as well, 51-48, but with three Republicans crossing over.
The outcome is a disaster on a human level. Millions of people are now facing the prospects of drastically elevated premiums at a time when affordability concerns are already paramount. It’s also a calamity for Republicans politically, who are now set to be blamed for those skyrocketing premiums all while proving, yet again, that they are incapable of finding a health care plan that doesn’t ultimately make the system even worse and more chaotic.
The build up to Thursday was a portrait of policy ineptitude...
Join The Bulwark to unlock the rest.
Become a paying member of The Bulwark to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content.
A subscription gets you:
 | Unlimited access to articles and newsletters including The Triad by JVL and Receipts by Catherine Rampell. |
| Ad-free editions of our shows (with transcripts) and member-only shows like The Secret Podcast. |
| Plus community chats and commenting features. Your support helps keep our work sustainable and available to those who cannot afford a membership. Cancel anytime. |