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The 13 Male Republicans Drafting the Senate Version of TrumpCare on the House’s Version

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‘We Have No Interest in Playing the Games of Identity Politics’

When House Republicans passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA, TrumpCare) Thursday, the argument could be made, at least watching House Republicans and Donald Trump, that the case had been settled: ObamaCare was gone, repealed and “replaced.” 

In reality, the only cases settled that day would be the cases of beer wheeled into the White House to celebrate the “victory” of attempting to strip an estimated 24 million Americans of their healthcare coverage.

The House’s so-called victory may be short-lived, however, considering that just hours after the bill’s passing, Senate Republicans signaled they’d write their own version.

And as Americans across the country shared their thoughts and concerns about the passing of Trumpcare in the House, the 13 Republicans responsible for drafting the Senate’s plan, all male, weren’t silent either.

Below, reactions from the 13 male Senators on the potential loss of healthcare for 24 million Americans, the cutting of Medicaid by $880 billion, and the placement of Americans with pre-existing conditions into high-risk, grossly underfunded pools that would cost them thousands more annually:

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Kentucky, elected until 2020)

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“Today’s vote in the House was an important step,” McConnell’s statement read. He further asserted that his constituents were now closer to “freedom” and congratulated Paul Ryan, Donald Trump and Mike Pence by name “for a job well done.”

John Cornyn (Texas, elected until 2020)

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“Today is an important step in upholding our promise to give the American people relief,” Cornyn’s statement echoed McConnell’s. “Working alongside the Administration… will continue to be our top priority and [Trumpcare] sets us on a course to achieve that.”

John Thune (South Dakota, elected until 2022)

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Thune called it a “critical step in delivering relief for the American people” in his statement, because “Americans deserve better.” He further asserted that he looks forward to working with his colleagues on the matter.

John Barrasso (Wyoming, Elected Until 2018)

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While Barrasso released no official statement, in a statement on ObamaCare and previous efforts to repeal and replace it, he said that “American people are asking for our help.” He cited Ronald Reagan, who said ‘it’s better to get 80 percent of what you want rather than go over the cliff with a flag flying.’”

Lamar Alexander (Tennessee, Elected Until 2020)

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Alexander congratulated the House’s passage of the bill, but was more cautious in his statement, advising the Senate “will take the time to get it right.” His goals moving forward include “rescuing” his constituents from ObamaCare.

Mike Enzi (Wyoming, Elected Until 2020)

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Enzi appears to have made no official statement, but may be attempting to stay out of the spotlight after his homophobic remarks to school-aged children.

Orrin Hatch (Utah, Elected Until 2018)

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Hatch seemingly made no official statement, but told Politico “it’s close to near-impossible, except we’ll get it done.” He further insisted that he’s “been at near-impossible a couple of times” and “always gets it done.”

Ted Cruz (Texas, Elected Until 2018)

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Cruz said the bill was “an important step,” and found it encouraging that the House could “come together.” He praised the House Freedom Caucus for “[pressing] hard [to] reduce premiums.”

Mike Lee (Utah, Elected Until 2022)

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Lee made no official statement on the bill’s passing, but of the House’s first and failed attempt at passing TrumpCare, he called for ObamaCare to be “properly sent to the dustbin of history.”

Tom Cotton (Arkansas, Elected Until 2020)

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Cotton also refrained from an official statement, but didn’t support the House’s last attempt. Ahead of the previous and failed version, he urged his “friends in the House of Representatives… ‘Do not walk the plank and vote for a bill that cannot pass the Senate and then have to face the consequences of that vote.’”

Cory Gardner (Colorado, Elected Until 2020)

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Gardner said he looks “forward to working with [his] colleagues” on the matter, but no official statement was made.

Rob Portman (Ohio, Elected Until 2022)

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Portman’s statement advised that he has “already made clear that [he] doesn’t support the House bill as currently constructed.” He further asserted that while “Congress must take responsible action,” that “changes must be made that [do] not leave people behind.”

Pat Toomey (Pennsylvania, Elected Until 2022)

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“The House bill is merely the first legislative step,” Toomey said, but released no official statement.

“We have no interest in playing the games of identity politics,” a Republican aide said of the criticism that the 13 Senators were all men. (There are five female senators amongst the 52 Republicans in the Senate.)

“To reduce this to gender, race or geography misses the more important point,” the aide insisted.

 

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Images via Wikimedia

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News

‘Antisemitism Is Wrong, But’: Marjorie Taylor Greene Pilloried for Promoting Antisemitic Claim

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U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) was strongly criticized Wednesday after promoting a historically and biblically false, antisemitic claim while declaring antisemitism is wrong.

As the House voted on an antisemitism bill that would require the U.S. Dept. of Education to utilize a certain definition of antisemitism when enforcing anti-discrimination laws, the far-right Christian nationalist congresswoman made her false claims on social media.

“Antisemitism is wrong, but I will not be voting for the Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023 (H.R. 6090) today that could convict Christians of antisemitism for believing the Gospel that says Jesus was handed over to Herod to be crucified by the Jews,” Greene tweeted.

The definition of antisemitism the House bill wants to codify was created by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

Congresswoman Greene highlighted this specific text which she said she opposes: “Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.”

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What Greene is promoting is called “Jewish deicide,” the false and antisemitic claim that Jews killed Jesus Christ. Some who adhere to that false belief also believe all Jews throughout time, including in the present day, are responsible for Christ’s crucification.

Greene has a history of promoting antisemitism, including comparing mask mandates during the coronavirus pandemic to “gas chambers in Nazi Germany.”

Political commentator John Fugelsang set the record straight:

“If only you could read,” lamented Rabbi Dr. Mark Goldfeder, Esq., CEO and Director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center. The Antisemitism Awareness Act “could not convict anyone for believing anything, even this historical and biblical inaccuracy. It only comes into play if there is unlawful discrimination based on this belief that targets a Jewish person. Do you understand that distinction @RepMTG ?”

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“Not surprising,” declared Jacob N. Kornbluh, the senior political reporter at The Forward, formerly the Jewish Daily Forward. “Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has been accused in the past of making antisemitic remarks — including her suggestion that a Jewish-funded space laser had sparked wildfires in California in 2018, voted against the GOP-led Antisemitism Awareness Act.”

Jewish Telegraphic Agency Washington Bureau Chief Ron Kampeas, an award-winning journalist, took a deeper dive into Greene’s remarks.

“Ok leave aside the snark. The obvious antisemitism is in saying ‘the Jews’ crucified Jesus when even according to the text she believes in it was a few leaders in a subset of a contemporary Jewish community. It is collective blame, the most obvious of bigotries.”

“The text she presumably predicates her case on, the New Testament,” he notes, “was when it was collated a political document at a time when Christians and Jews were competing for adherents and when it would have been plainly dangerous to blame Rome for the murder of God.”

“Yes,” Kampeas continues, “that take is obviously one that a fundamentalist would not embrace, but it is the objective and historical take, and *should* be available to Jews (and others!) as a means of explaining why Christian antisemitism exists, and why it is harmful.”

CNN’s Edward-Isaac Dovere also slammed Greene, saying she “is standing up for continuing to talk about Jews being responsible for the killing of Jesus. (John & Matthew refer to some Jews handing over Jesus to Pilate,not Herod. But also: many, including Pope Benedict, have called blaming Jews a misinterpretation)”

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OPINION

MAGA State Superintendent Supports Chaplains in Public Schools – But Not From All Religions

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Visitors to Oklahoma’s State Schools Superintendent’s personal social media page will notice a post vowing to “ban Critical Race Theory, protect women’s sports, and fight for school choice,” a post linking to a Politico profile of him that reads, “Meet the state GOP official at the forefront of injecting religion into public schools,” a photo of him closely embracing a co-founder of the anti-government extremist group Moms for Liberty, and a video in which he declares, “Oklahoma is MAGA country.”

This is Ryan Walters, a far-right Republican Christian nationalist who is making a national name for himself.

“God has a place in public schools,” is how Politico described Walters’ focus.

Last week the Southern Poverty Law Center published an extensive profile of Walters, alleging “hateful rhetoric toward the LGBTQ+ community, calls to whitewash curriculum, efforts to ban books, and attempts to force Christian nationalist ideology into public school classrooms.”

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“Walters is superintendent of public instruction, and public schools are supposed to serve students of all faiths, backgrounds and identities,” Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, told SPLC.

Walters is supporting new legislation in Oklahoma that follows in Texas’ footsteps: allowing untrained, unlicensed, uncertified, and unregulated religious chaplains and ministers to be hired as official school counselors.

“We heard a lot of talk about a lot of those support staffs, people such as counselors, having shortages,” Rep. Kevin West, a Republican, said, KFOR reports. “I felt like this would be a good way to open that door to possibly get some help.”

Walters praised West, writing: “Allowing schools to have volunteer religious chaplains is a big help in giving students the support they need to be successful. Thank you to @KevinWestOKRep for being the House author for this bill. This passed the House yesterday and moves on to the Senate where @NathanDahm is leading the charge for this bill.”

As several Oklahoma news outlets report, there’s a wrinkle lawmakers may not have anticipated.

“With the Oklahoma House’s passage of Senate Bill 36, which permits the participation of uncertified chaplains in public schools, The Satanic Temple (TST) has announced its plans to have its Ministers in public schools in the Sooner State. If the bill advances through the Senate, this legislation will take effect on November 1, 2024. State Superintendent Ryan Walters, a vocal advocate for religious freedom in schools, has endorsed the legislation. The House approved SB 36 by a 54-37 vote on Wednesday,” a press release from The Satanic Temple reads. “The Satanic Temple, a federally recognized religious organization, has expressed its dedication to religious pluralism and community service.”

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Walters responded on social media to The Satanic Temple’s announcement.

“Satanists are not welcome in Oklahoma schools, but they are welcome to go to hell,” he wrote.

Former Lincoln Project executive director Fred Wellman served up an equally colorful response.

“Hahahaha!!! You are an idiot,” Wellman wrote. “How did you not see this coming? Satanists, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Pastafarians…come one come all! After all you’re not trying to establish Christianity as the state religion are you? We had a whole ass revolution about that. There are history books about it…oh…right. Not your thing. What a fool.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) served up a warning.

“The state of Oklahoma cannot discriminate against people or groups based on their religious beliefs,” the non-profit group wrote. “Walters’ hateful message shows, one again, that he only believes in religious freedom for Christians and that he is unfit to serve in public office.”

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Potential Trump VP Pick Says ‘If You’re a Billionaire’ You Should Vote for Trump

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One of the possible picks to be Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate, seen as “rapidly ascending” the list, is urging billionaires to vote for the ex-president.

North Dakota Republican Governor Doug Burgum “is quickly moving up former President Trump’s list of possible vice presidential picks because Trump’s team believes he would be a safe choice who could attract moderate voters,” Axios reported on Sunday. “Burgum is on a long list of VP contenders, but Trump’s rising interest in the North Dakota governor has been clear in recent weeks — and reveals his latest thinking about how he thinks his running mate could help him with undecided voters.”

Praising Governor Burgum, the National Review’s Michael Brendan Dougherty on Monday wrote he was “the only candidate in 2024 to easily exceed expectations in the debates.”

“He is a well-liked governor from a small state. He projects seriousness and sobriety, two qualities Pence also had that were important to balance the 2016 Republican ticket. Burgum is also good at championing Republican policy, including our desperately needed policies of energy abundance and supply-side reform. He is also the right age — 67 — with no signs of slowing down. Burgum needs to survive the millions poured into opposition research, but, if he does, I think he would bring credit and balance to the Republican ticket.”

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On Tuesday, Gov. Burgum, appearing on Fox News, told Laura Ingraham, “when you see someone who cares this deeply about this country, what he’s going through and what the Democrats and the liberal media is putting him through, and how he gets up and fights for every day people in America every day, and then his policies are all in the right direction.”

“If you’re a billionaire and you care about your shareholders, you care about your family and your grandkids, you should be voting for someone that’s going to bring prosperity to America and peace to the world, that’s what President Trump is going to do, that’s what he did for us when he was president,” Burgum claimed.

The Hill adds, “Ingraham suggested a lot of billionaires are still planning to support President Biden, especially those that are the ‘Wall Street types.’”

Last year, asked if he would ever do business with Trump, Bergum told NBC News, “I don’t think so,” and added, “I just think that it’s important that you’re judged by the company you keep.”

Some reports call Bergum a billionaire, while Forbes last year reported it “estimates Burgum’s net worth to be at least $100 million.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

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