Arizona GOP Senator John McCain revealed to reporters on Monday that he had been informed by his physicians that his health outlook is "very poor." The longtime Senator, who was a POW (prisoner of war) in North Vietnam for five and a half years, is suffering from a dangerous form of Brain Cancer with a "gliobastoma" tumor. This is the same kind of tumor that afflicted the late Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts (D). Kennedy succumbed to the illness in 2009. Kennedy, like McCain, was a long-serving Senator and was referred to as "The lion of the Senate."
McCain and Kennedy on healthcare
Life-threatening brain cancer and longevity are not the only things that McCain and Kennedy had in common.
Although both men were of different political parties, they shared a commitment to ensuring that all Americans had affordable health care and were not penalized for "pre-existing" illnesses.
Kennedy was the nation's leading advocate of Single Payer healthcare and McCain recently voted against a measure that repealed the Affordable Care Act, (ObamaCare), but did not replace it. The heroic American also has promised to vote "No" on the Graham-Cassidy Healthcare bill that is before the Senate currently.
The Graham-Cassidy bill also would repeal ObamaCare. Additionally, the bill would replace ObamaCare with a plan that would cut Medicare benefits, punish people for pre-existing illnesses, and deprive millions of Americans adequate healthcare.
McCain, who was described as "too old" to run for re-election to another term in the Senate by his GOP primary opponent in 2016, made it clear that he does not support a healthcare plan that is exclusionary, prohibitive or beyond the reach of most Americans. Like Kennedy, McCain cares about middle class and poor Americans and will not support legislation that makes access to basic services, including healthcare, impossible.
ACA to stay, for now
As of Monday evening, two other GOP Senators, Rand Paul, (Ky.) and Susan Collins, (Me.), also were against the Graham-Cassidy bill. If Paul and Collins maintain their positions and vote against the bill along with McCain, it will fail by one vote and the Affordable Care Act (Aca) will remain in effect. After September 30th, 2017, the GOP will need a two-thirds vote to repeal the ACA.
It is apparent that the GOP will not be able to get the necessary votes to pass the Graham-Cassidy bill by the end of the week, due in large part to John McCain's leadership and actions. McCain is a true-spirited American who cares about the plight of others.
McCain glad to have 'stayed'
As for Senator McCain, he candidly admits that sometimes he feels fearful over the illness, but he is very grateful to have had a "great life." With respect to the fact that his illness most likely is terminal, the patriotic Senator takes a philosophical stance, according to ABC News on Monday: "It's not that you're leaving, it's that you — that you stayed." And America is undeniably better off that he did stay.
