At a Friday night rally, President Donald Trump berated Arizona Senator John McCain (R) for refusing to support the Cassidy-Graham health care bill that is being promoted by Trump and the GOP leadership in the Senate. The current health care bill would leave it up to individual states to devise their own healthcare plans, terminate healthcare for millions of Americans, and penalize the vast majority of Americans over 35 who have at least one "pre-existing" condition. The Cassidy-Graham bill will adversely affect these Americans by making them pay much higher premiums to cover those illnesses.
Most observers believe that the yearly deductibles for clients with pre-existing conditions would be higher as well. Consequently, the GOP bill would make health care "out of reach" for most Americans, according to ABC News on Saturday.
A different drummer
Donald Trump, who was described as having "unrealistic expectations" about the first GOP healthcare bill to repeal Obamacare that was defeated because of "No" votes by three GOP Senators, including John McCain, stated in a tweet that McCain was not listening to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R) who favors the Graham-Cassidy bill. Trump also claimed on Twitter that McCain was "sold a bill of goods" by Senator Chuck Schumer, (D, N.Y.), who strongly opposes the bill, according to ABC News on Saturday.
Trump also alleged in his series of tweets that Arizonans had been subjected to a "116% increase" in premiums under Obamacare in 2016; although he provided no documentation to support his claim.
John McCain told reporters that he answers to his own conscience, not Governor Ducey, and that he "cannot in good conscience," vote for the Graham-Cassidy bill.
Despite Trump's pontifications, McCain, who is being treated for life-threatening brain cancer, answers to a "different drummer" and will not be swayed by pressure from Trump or the GOP.
John McCain never had any intention of voting for this Bill, which his Governor loves. He campaigned on Repeal & Replace. Let Arizona down!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017
Arizona had a 116% increase in ObamaCare premiums last year, with deductibles very high. Chuck Schumer sold John McCain a bill of goods. Sad
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017
Trump's list of 10
During his rally, Trump also stated that he had been provided a list of 10 Senators who "definitely" were slated not to vote for the Graham-Cassidy bill and that McCain's name was not among those on the list.
GOP Senators Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Me.) voted against the first GOP bill to repeal Obamacare, which failed. It is unknown at this point how the two female Senators will vote on the Graham-Cassidy bill.
Jimmy Kimmel blasts Bill Cassidy
Meanwhile, Jimmy Kimmel blasted Senator Bill Cassidy (La.) for his co-sponsorship of the Graham-Cassidy bill. Kimmel denoted the fact that he had hosted Cassidy on an earlier show and that during that visit, Cassidy had vehemently stated that he only would support a bill that was affordable, did not penalize people for pre-existing illnesses, and did not exclude anybody. Kimmel, whose infant son has a life-threatening illness, offered to give Cassidy a lie detector test. Thus far, Cassidy has not availed himself of the offer.
