Kill Bill
And so it came to pass – the Senate MAGOPs finally passed Trump’s budget bill. It wasn’t easy – the vote was 50-50, with three of the party’s senators breaking rank and voting against it. Passage required VP “JD Vance” to cast the deciding vote.
Initially, “Vance” came under the most attention for being the one who made that vote. But it didn’t take long for focus to change far-more bluntly onto Lisa Murkowski of Alaska for casting the “Yes” vote that allowed “Vance” to break the tie. Murkowski said it was "agonizing" to vote for the bill. I’m just going to guess that wasn’t nearly as agonizing as for those affected by the bill and its healthcare cutbacks, including those who will likely die.
It's worth adding that a week or two ago, Ms. Murkowski did an interview where she was asked about her leaving the MAGOP and switching to Democrats. She was coy and circumspect, and though she wouldn’t commit to such a thing, she did make it clear that she was at least considering her options as the political landscape changed, which included her becoming an Independent. Whether she would then caucus with Democrats was another option she avoided confirming or denying. I wrote at the time that her switching to being a Democrat seemed highly unlikely to me, though I could see her becoming an Independent. I didn’t expect her to caucus with the Democrats – her positions are much too conservative – but it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. Well…you can certainly take "switching to Democrats" off your Murkowski bingo card, in case there was any lingering thoughts about that, and caucusing with the Democrats as an Independent took a body blow and a right hook to the head for those thinking “Hey, Crazier Things Have Happened, It's a Serious Possibility.” She made her deal with the devil, getting a paltry “carve out” in the bill that gives some money back to Alaskans to off-set a very small portion of what they’re going to lose – while publicly acknowledging, honestly but weirdly, that Americans in the other 49 state are going to be badly hurt. Just what those in the other 49 states love to hear. So, she made clear, as the expression goes, what bed she’s going to lie in.
There’s been a great deal of reporting how disastrous the Trump and MAGOP budget will be. Around 12-16 million people who will lose some or all of their Medicaid coverage. Rural hospitals having to shut down from the massive loss of income from Medicaid payments. And so much more that’s stomach-churning.
But three amendments that Senate Democrats proposed on Monday night which were both voted down unanimously by MAGOPS (even those who ultimately voted against the overall bill) speaks most loudly to me how harmful and even cruel this Trump and MAGOP budget bill is.
One was a proposed amendment that a mother in the hospital who had just given birth that day would be covered by Medicaid on that one day alone. Yes, MAGOPs voted against that unanimously.
The second was a proposed amendment that a family with children under the age of 12 would be covered by Medicaid. That’s was voted down unanimously by Senate MAGOPs, as well.
And the third amendment of note that MAGOPs rejected unanimously: proposed by Sen. Mark Kelly, it was to not give a tax cut to Americans whose annual income is over $100 million. Yes, really. And to be very clear, that vote wasn't about giving no tax cut on the entire $100 million earned in any year, but only on whatever income earned is above $100 million. But there's good news, because MAGOPs unanimously rejected similar amendments that were much worse than this. Honest. I just didn't mention them because I figured no one would believe it. (After all, one proposed amendment by Sen. Chris Murphy tried to make this more palatable to MAGOPs by saying that individuals wouldn't get a tax cut on any income they earned over $500 million. And another, proposed by Sen. Angus King, raised that amount to a billion dollars! And yes, MAGOPs them all, unanimously.)
It’s also worth noting a couple of other Trump/MAGOP scammy things since they got so much attention during the 2020 election. You’ll no doubt recall the Big Proposal Trump kept crowing about how those who make tips in their work would not have to pay taxes on them. And also that overtime pay would not be taxed. Well…while they’re both in the bill – they both go away in three years, after the next presidential election. Meanwhile, the tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans? Those are permanent.
For as disturbing as all this is, however, it's important to keep in mind that the matter is not settled yet. The MAGOPs now have to reconcile the two different Senate and House bills into one bill they both agree on. It’s of course possible that the House will just pass the Senate bill – and the common wisdom I’ve read from those who know much more than I do about such things is that that’s likely to happen. After all, the far-right Freedom Caucus, who want even bigger cuts in the budget, have a history of caving. But there has been absolutely nothing “common” about this bill, and there are these major Freedom Caucus budget hawks, but also moderates (concerned about losing hospitals in their rural districts) who have already said they are vehemently opposed to the Senate bill. Consider: just this morning the House voted down a resolution to vote immediately on the bill, with 39 MAGOPs voting against that, meaning that it moves now to debate.
So, to reconcile these two bills in a way that will not anger almost anyone in their party -- House and Senate -- seems a high hurdle. Especially when you consider that MAGOP margins in both houses define the phrase “razor thin” – a 50-50 vote in the Senate where they can’t afford to lose a single vote, and a mere three votes in the House. And that’s beyond those who have already voted "No." And so, if the House doesn’t just agree to pass the Senate bill and, after getting over their own hatred and disagreement with many parts of the bill, are able to pass their own version of it, then the bill has to go back to the Senate to try to reach an agreement with the House. If that happens, Lisa Murkowski hinted that if her concerns weren't addressed in the House version -- assuming they don't just pass the Senate bill (which is a possible, but highly risky assumption for her to make) -- she might vote "No." But...well, a) who knows what she'll do? And b) who knows what the House will do? But as noted, there is nothing "common" about this bill
And furthermore, as deeply disturbing as this bill is, even just reading it in paper form, but especially if it passes and rains hell on the public already against it by 20 points, there is one very hopeful, but very real result to come from this all -- that what MAGOPs have done not only makes almost certain (as “almost certain” as anything can be in politics) that control of the House will flip to Democrats in the Mid-terms. And as many experts are already saying, this now puts the Senate in play.
And MAGOPs did this intentionally not only to the country, but to themselves. They knew the worst things in the bill. They knew 12-16 million Americans will lose healthcare. They knew rural hospitals will close. They knew that all hospitals will have to make cuts. They knew that many Americans will literally die. They knew all the other cutbacks and disasters to the American public the bill contains. They knew that for all of the cutbacks in the bill to the poorest and neediest Americans that billionaires and the wealthiest Americans will get “permanent” tax breaks. And they knew that by 20-25 points all major polls show that Americans hate this bill.
And on a purely personal level of self-interest, MAGOPS in Congress know that they have razor thin margins in the House and Senate and risk losing control.
And they still voted for it.
This is the political equivalent of murder-suicide.
Actually, no, it’s worse. It’s the political equivalent of mass murder-mass suicide.
The Chair recognizes the Gentleman from Massachusetts --
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