On TalkingPointsMemo today:
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who often crosses the aisle to vote with Republicans on legislation, said there is "no way" he will support this bill.
Manchin said the bill attacks his state in three different ways: by reducing health insurance subsidies for older Americans, by rolling back and cutting funding for the Medicaid expansion, and by ending the requirement that insurance plans cover people struggling with drug addictions.
"I've got all three," he said. "I've got an older population. I've got a poorer population. I've got an addicted population that I've got to get cleaned up. So I'm getting hit every which way. It's unbelievable."
Manchin, his voice almost breaking with emotion, said the legislation's massive tax cuts for the wealthy add "insult to injury."
"You've got to have a moral compass, and this is just not right," he said. "You can't do that and look at the elderly, the poor, and the people who are addicted and just kneecap them. You just can't. How can you look at yourself after helping the people who need help the least and taking away from those who need it the most and depends on us the most?"
Yes, Manchin crosses the aisle so much that it can be hard to take, but look at what he had to say about the CBO report on Trumpcare. THAT is a Democrat, even if one who is more conservative than we would usually like. However, he can get elected in WV, and when push comes to shove, like with this bill, he talks the talk (and presumably will walk the walk) of a Democrat.
I’ve been very frustrated with him on occasion, but you see the quotes above. Have we seen any Republicans speaking like that about Trumpcare? No.