WASHINGTON POST: TRUMP AND GOP PLANNING BLITZ ON HEALTHCARE

Bob Costa and two other writers wrote about the pressure tactics that the Trump Administration will use on recalcitrant Senators to back the Senate Bill.  VP Pence is already tasked with shmoozing dissenters like Dean Heller.

The reports from the field repeat dreadful town hall meetings after town hall meetings. A new No vote surfaced when Jerry Moran from Kansas couldn't find anyone--Republican or Democrat for the bill in Kansas. 

The Senate bill is the most unpopular piece of legislation ever proposed in the last 50 years.  Senator Bernie Sanders has sent a letter to Lamar Alexander to hold hearing with true healthcaregivers and insurance companies about the bill. The July 4th recess was a disaster for the GOP who faced demonstrations over the healthcare bill.

Senator Grassley expressed disgust over Ted Cruz' amendment of a Consumer Freedom option which would allow an erosion over the protections for pre-existing conditions. Grassley claims he will vote NO if those are eroded.

Mitch McConnell is playing coy right now, saying he doesn't have 50 votes. He says if he fails than a shorter bill strengthening individual markets will have to be introduced and Democrats will have to be consulted.

The catch is that the GOP have predicated their tax reform bill on the taxes being removed from Obamacare.

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Using the subject of rural hospitals in the debate on the Senate bill because the cuts to Medicaid will force many rural hospitals to close and along with it countless jobs and lives. The GOP is trying to stem this with an OPOID Amendment to put more money into the plague hurting Red states. But the overall cuts will neutralize whatever good the amendment will do. The blogger plans on sending this idea to Oregon and Maine in order to affect Susan Collins.

On Heller's dissent. Just remember Adelson gets a $40 million tax break on this bill and his business is located in Nevada. Also Pence came out today to attack him.

Pence met yesterday with the Koch brothers who admired Trump's position on deregulation and the justices he is appointing to the courts.