UPDATE: Health Care Bill Is . . . Something

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Sorry, but apparently things have changed in the past 10 minutes:

Two prominent Republican opponents of the House GOP’s Obamacare repeal bill reversed course and backed the measure Wednesday morning, after negotiating a last-minute amendment with President Donald Trump at the White House. Reps. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Billy Long (R-Mo.) emerged from their session with the president and said that an amendment to add $8 billion to help cover people with preexisting conditions would return them to the “yes” column on the bill.

Seriously? These guys think that $1.6 billion per year actually makes a difference?

Anyway, who knows what’s going to happen now. The basic problem is still the same, namely that this is a very dangerous vote for folks in swing districts. That might be worth it for a higher cause, but not for a bill that can’t come close to passing in the Senate.

Plus there’s the fact that 24 million people would lose coverage if the bill passes. I suppose that might be a factor for a few Republicans. Maybe.

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BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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