Hugh Hewitt: Healthcare Bill Gives Senate GOP 'Biggest Legislative Weapon'

Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt said House lawmakers, with the passage of the American Health Care Act, have handed their Senate colleagues "the biggest legislative weapon" they had in their entire careers.

Writing in The Washington Post, Hewitt said: "If the 52 GOP senators agree to stay together and maneuver through the next month together, they could bring about a huge breakthrough for the country and a rejection of the gridlock that has consumed the Senate for years."

And he urged Senate Republicans to "shut up and sit down, in other words — unnatural acts for senators, I know, but crucial right now. Save us your wisdom until after the deal is done or falls apart."

He said Republicans should sit down with Democrats to address a bill or a group of bills dealing with Obamacare's "many deficiencies."

"Republicans will need both a carrot and a stick to get Democrats to the table," he said. "To keep Democrats from dragging their feet, Republicans can threaten straight-line approval of the AHCA via the reconciliation process, which prohibits filibusters.

"For Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (of New York.) to sit down and deal with (Majority Leader Mitch) McConnell, though, the Democratic leader needs more than just threats. He needs some genuine wins for his base."

He suggested tweaks to the new health-care regime, immigration reform that allows the 'dreamers' and others who haven't broken any laws since illegally entering the country to stay and work, but not to vote, and infrastructure spending.

"With the last option, in particular, there is mutual interest that can mean dollars for every state (and every imperiled Democratic senator standing in 2018)," he wrote.

"If the 52 Republicans can sign a letter to Schumer threatening speedy approval of the House's bill absent serious negotiations and an agreed-upon comprehensive 'big deal,' then those Republican senators with qualms about the AHCA can get their fixes embedded in the final health-care bill, and those with needs outside of the AHCA can work through the leader to obtain them, and the bill or bills can pass with bipartisan support."

He urged Republican senators to "stick together" and "don't blow it."

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