A Bipartisan Health Care Bill Will Be Tougher to Pass than a Partisan One
July 19, 2017 · 7:18 PM EDT
The calls from Democrats and many in the media for a bipartisan health care bill are understandable. But a bipartisan plan is a very heavy lift for Congress – probably even heavier than a partisan one.
Almost everyone likes the sound of a “bipartisan approach.” It comes with connotations of compromise, reasonableness, moderation and sensitivity to all sides. In an era when voters distrust the parties and major institutions, “bipartisanship” automatically has special appeal.
But the two parties have such different values and priorities these days, it’s hard to see how and where they come together.
On health care, Republicans want to cut spending (so they can apply it to tax reform), eliminate government mandates, cut regulations and encourage the free market to provide ways to help Americans get health insurance and coverage, if they want it.
Democrats, on the other hand, are all about coverage, including an unalterable commitment to expanded Medicaid, even if it means more spending, more mandates and more regulations.
Yes, there are a handful of more moderate/pragmatic Senate Republican and Democrats who can rally around a short-term fix for the Affordable Care Act, and that’s a formula for passing something.
GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Bill Cassidy (Louisiana)…
Open Seat Gives Democrats a Takeover Opportunity in New Mexico
July 17, 2017 · 8:59 AM EDT
With re-election rates often hovering above 90 percent, open seats are critical factor in Democrats’ quest for a House majority. New Mexico’s 2nd District has been an elusive target for years, as long as Rep. Steve Pearce has been on the ballot. But the Republican congressman’s decision to run for…
2018 House Ratings (July 17, 2017)
July 17, 2017 · 4:00 AM EDT
One Reason Why Republicans Don’t Have More Women in the Senate
July 10, 2017 · 8:58 AM EDT
Women make up less than 10 percent of the Republican senators in Congress, and the GOP’s most qualified (and only top-tier) female hopeful just walked off the Senate playing field with nary a protest from Republican leaders.
Missouri Rep. Ann Wagner’s challenge to Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill…
2018 Senate Overview: The Map vs. Reality
SubscriberJuly 7, 2017 · 3:00 PM EDT
Democrats are just three seats away from a Senate majority, yet the fight for the House (where Democrats need to gain 24 seats) is the emerging storyline of the 2018 midterm elections. That’s because it’s all about the map.
The first step for Democrats in their best-case scenario is to re-elect…
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Current Edition Vol. 1, Iss. 13 · Jul 7, 2017
