OK, I am officially completely confused by what is going on in Washington. The budget bill that was passed by the House two days ago included funding for Planned Parenthood, one of the most objectionable parts of the bill, in my opinion. Just minutes ago the House finally passed a bill to repeal Obamacare and replace it with what they are claiming is a great package.
Now we are finding out that one of the provisions of the new healthcare bill strips funding for Planned Parenthood. OK, so why was money for Planned Parenthood passed two days ago?
Could the budgeted Planned Parenthood money have been a Republican ploy to get the Democrats to support the 2018 budget, then pull the rug out from under them? If it was, it is pure genius.
I am anxious to hear more about how this all happened this week and what the longer-term effects will be. For example, what happens to the Planned Parenthood money stripped from the budget? Could it be used for the wall?
From The Washington Times
The House voted Thursday to gut Obamacare in a showdown on the chamber floor that saw Republicans rally to President Trump, delivering a victory to the new administration that nearly slipped from its grasp.
Given up for dead just six weeks ago, the bill passed on a 217-213 vote after moderates swallowed their concerns and acceded to Mr. Trump’s plea that they keep the repeal-and-replace process going.
As the vote was announced, GOP leaders cheered and applauded while Democrats, who unanimously voted against the repeal, serenaded them with a rendition of “nah nah, hey, hey, goodbye.”
The White House breathed a sigh of relief after weeks of fits and starts that began with Vice President Mike Pence shuttling to Capitol Hill to get archconservatives on board and ended with centrists rallying behind the plan piecemeal, enticed by a last-minute deal to throw $8 billion into the pool of funds needed to help people with preexisting medical conditions.
Centrists worried they were breaking their campaign promises by allowing insurers to charge sicker Americans more than healthy ones, so long as a states sets up a separate pool of funding for high-risk consumers.
But House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, who served as point-man for repeal efforts, insisted his plan would be even better for people with preexisting conditions, as Obamacare’s markets suffer from higher premiums and dwindling choices.
The vote was a vindication for Mr. Ryan, who was still searching for a signature floor victory more than 18 months into his tenure as Republicans’ leader.
“A lot of us have been waiting seven years to cast this vote,” said Mr. Ryan, who received a standing ovation from his side of the aisle.
His bill repeals most of Obamacare’s taxes and its mandate requiring Americans to hold insurance, replaces its generous subsidies with refundable, age-based tax credits and reins in and caps spending on the Medicaid program for the poor.
It also strips Planned Parenthood of federal funding as punishment for its abortion practice.
