Obamacare Plus

"I didn't realize this afternoon how much bargaining power I really had. It's not just that my 'no' keeps you out. My 'yes' puts you in."
--George Caswell (Executive Suite)

After a GOP faction was able to finally edge a version of their ill-designed healthcare bill thru the House last month, the Senate has been busy revising it in advance of its vote. Senate bill v.1 hit the floor yesterday.

It did not take long before the usual trio of Senators Paul, Cruz, and Lee along with Senator Johnson of Wisconsin to announce that they would not vote for the bill as written.

In a subsequent interview, Sen Paul explained that not only does the bill not repeal Obamacare as Republican campaigns promised, but it sprinkles in enough new goodies that instead of calling the GOP bill Obamacare Lite, it might better be viewed as Obamacare Plus.

Republicans cannot afford to lose more than two votes in the Senate, lest their bill dies on the vine.

Let's see whether the Tea Party line holds fast and stewards well the bargaining power in their possession.