Bernie Sanders complaining that there will not be enough time to find out what is in the GOP healthcare bill. Well, if you just pass it, you'll find out what's in it. That is what you've splained to us in the past.
Democrats fume over 'secret' Republican healthcare bill
Nobody but a small group of Republican senators knows what's in it. That's not normal, say nonpartisan health-care analysts and historians. “I've never seen anything like it, as far as the secrecy,” said Paul Ginsburg, a health policy expert at the University of Southern California.
And it raises this dual question: Are Republicans shielding their work because they don't yet have legislation? Or because they do, and it's unpopular? And if the secrecy helps them pass a health-care bill, are we witnessing a potential historic shift in the way Washington debates — or doesn't debate — big legislation?
Why this isn't normal
Except for the early years of the 20th century, the Senate has generally voted on legislation that was crafted by members of both parties, said Donald Ritchie, the former official Senate historian.
Senate Republicans have been trying to write a bill since May, when House Republicans barely passed a controversial — and largely unpopular — piece of legislation. Senate leadership promptly threw in the trash.
But several months later, key lawmakers outside that group still don't know what's in the bill, assuming there even is one. Even Republicans don't know what's in the bill!!!
There are always some kinds of closed-door negotiations on big pieces of legislation.
But at this point in the 2009-2010 debate for the Affordable Care Act, there had been months of public committee hearings that you and I could attend or watch online or read about in the news. Senators had been briefed on what was happening and could answer reporters' questions instead of saying they have no idea what's in the bill. Amendments were offered by both sides.
Ultimately, the final version of Obamacare passed without any Republican support. But, said Jim Manley, an aide to Senate Democratic leadership at the time: “We spent months — at the detriment of the process — trying to get Republicans on board, only to give up.
So **** off.
Analysis | Are Republicans leading the most secretive health-care bill process ever?
