Angry Rand Paul Strikes Back: “I Won’t Be Bribed or Bullied” on Obamacare Repeal Bill

Throughout the week President Trump has taken repeated shots at Senator Rand Paul for his continued resistance to the so-called Graham-Cassidy Obamacare repeal bill.  Among other things, Trump defined Paul as a “negative force when it comes to fixing healthcare” and said that he would forever by remembered as ‘the Republican who saved ObamaCare.’

“Rand Paul is a friend of mine but he is such a negative force when it comes to fixing healthcare. Graham-Cassidy Bill is GREAT! Ends Ocare!”

“Rand Paul, or whoever votes against Hcare Bill, will forever (future political campaigns) be known as ‘the Republican who saved ObamaCare.’”

Rand Paul is a friend of mine but he is such a negative force when it comes to fixing healthcare. Graham-Cassidy Bill is GREAT! Ends Ocare!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 20, 2017

Rand Paul, or whoever votes against Hcare Bill, will forever (future political campaigns) be known as “the Republican who saved ObamaCare.”

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2017

But it seems as though Trump’s latest attack this morning struck a nerve with Senator Paul as he has fired back with a tweet storm of his own saying that it’s disingenuous to call “a bill that KEEPS most of Obamacare” a “repeal” bill before concluding that he will not be “bribed or bullied” by the President’s twitter feed.

“No one is more opposed to Obamacare than I am, and I’ve voted multiple times for repeal.  The current bill isn’t repeal.”

“I won’t vote for Obamacare Lite that keeps 90% of the taxes & spending just so some people can claim credit for something that didn’t happen.”

“Calling a bill that KEEPS most of Obamacare “repeal” doesn’t make it true. That’s what the swamp does. I won’t be bribed or bullied.”

No one is more opposed to Obamacare than I am, and I’ve voted multiple times for repeal. The current bill isn’t repeal.

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 22, 2017

Calling a bill that KEEPS most of Obamacare “repeal” doesn’t make it true. That’s what the swamp does. I won’t be bribed or bullied.

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 22, 2017

Of course, while the Graham-Cassidy bill continues to flood headlines, it was all but killed earlier this afternoon when Senator John McCain announced that he “cannot in good conscience vote for Graham-Cassidy.”

I cannot in good conscience vote for Graham-Cassidy. A bill impacting so many lives deserves a bipartisan approach. https://t.co/2sDjhw6Era pic.twitter.com/30OWezQpLg

— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) September 22, 2017

Meanwhile, with Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Mike Lee (R-UT), among others, still saying they’re on the fence, The Hill pointed out that Senators Graham and Cassidy have gone “into overdrive” to design “special accommodations” to win over holdouts.

Graham told a meeting of conservative activists last week that special accommodations would have to be made in the bill for Alaska to win over Murkowski. The senator asked the groups to understand, and to not make a stink if concessions were made.

The Graham-Cassidy proposal would convert ObamaCare’s subsidies and funds for Medicaid expansion into block grants that would be given to states to design their own programs.

Right now it looks like an uphill battle to change Murkowski’s mind.

“I’d say the chances are less than 30 percent. Alaska doesn’t do very well in this bill. Her governor is lukewarm on it and her insurance commissioner is not for it,” one Senate GOP aide added.

Graham on Wednesday downplayed the notion that Alaska would fare better than other states in the bill but nevertheless acknowledged that something would have to be done to accommodate the state’s high costs.

“What we’re going to do is not deny Alaska the uniqueness of Alaska, but that’s it,” he said, according to The Washington Post.

So, while Lindsey Graham seems to still be optimistic…

I’m excited about solutions we have found in Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson. We press on.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 22, 2017

…all signs indicate that ‘Obamacare Repeal 3.0’ has once again been nothing but a colossal waste of time.