Amid all the chatter over Republicans' latest healthcare proposal, there's really only one salient difference in this latest attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare — it shifts the target from the House Freedom Caucus (HFC) to moderates.
And the Tuesday Group is not happy about it.
"It's an exercise in blame-shifting," Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Penn., told The Washington Post.
Dent is one co-chairman of the Tuesday Group; the other, Rep. Tom MacArthur, co-wrote the current amendment with the chairman of the HFC, Rep. Mark Meadows, and moderates aren't happy about that either.
The amendment even bears MacArthur's name.
"The only thing I will say is many members of the Tuesday Group made it very clear to me that they didn't want me or anyone else negotiating," Dent told The Hill.
"I never said I was negotiating for anyone else and I respect all of our members of Congress," MacArthur told The Hill. "People have to vote their conscience. People have to vote their district and I’m just acting as an individual trying to solve a problem. That’s what I’m here to do."
However, in the process, MacArthur co-wrote an amendment that strayed to the right, which is what conservatives love about it.
But at the end of the day, if Republicans muster enough support to call a vote, the perceived impact is that they will have taken coverage from sick people — not exactly the calling card any Republican wants.
But gains from the Freedom Caucus might very well be offset by losses from centrist Republicans. With every Democrats expected to vote against it, Republicans can only afford 22 "no" votes.
With eight "no" votes as it stands and 66 "unsure," neither a vote or passage seems likely anytime soon.
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