The top sponsor of a Republican bill to overhaul Obamacare is crediting Sen. Bernie Sanders’ latest push for socialized healthcare for the momentum the GOP legislation is gaining.
“It was the gift from the political gods,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina on Tuesday when asked about Sanders’ impact on his legislation. Graham is one of four co-sponsors of the new overhaul bill that would give Obamacare funding to states through block grants and eliminate the individual and employer mandates.
Sanders announced his Medicare for All bill, which would create a government-run healthcare program, on the same day that Graham and three other Republicans released their last shot at dismantling Obamacare.
Sanders drew the support of 16 Democrats, including several 2020 presidential hopefuls. It was the most support the Vermont independent has received for his socialized healthcare plan since he has been in the Senate.
Graham called the Obamacare overhaul bill announced last Wednesday “Bernie Sanders’ worst nightmare.” He has repeatedly sought to draw contrasts between the Sanders bill, which has no chance of passing Congress, and the new overhaul bill.
“Here is the choice for America: socialism or federalism when it comes to your healthcare,” Graham said during a Monday press conference.
When asked if Sanders’ rollout helped in selling the bill to a Republican caucus anxious about taking on Obamacare repeal again, Graham quickly responded, “totally.”
When the Graham-Cassidy bill was released last week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had a wait-and-see approach. Graham called for McConnell to take a larger role in selling the bill, and the leader obliged.
President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are also taking a large role in pushing the bill among Republican senators, and House Speaker Paul Ryan has sung its praises.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, another co-sponsor, said it was possible that the bill rollout played a role.
“We are all aware of the fact that the path we are on moves towards a single-payer system,” he said.
Republicans have been attempting to tie Democrats to socialized healthcare. Soon after the Senate failed to repeal Obamacare in late July, the House GOP’s campaign arm ran digital ads in eight states hitting Democrats for supporting a single-payer healthcare system.
Sanders did not comment when asked about Graham’s statement.
However, he has said that the Republican effort to repeal Obamacare has helped his long-time policy goal gain more traction. He told the Huffington Post before the bill rollout that Obamacare repeal efforts helped show single payer was a rational alternative to Republican plans that would leave millions of people without insurance.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., a co-sponsor of Sanders’ bill, bashed the idea that the bill helped Republicans sell their Obamacare overhaul plan.
“You’ve got to think that line of logic really doesn’t hold up,” he said.
Republicans don’t have enough votes to pass Graham’s bill and no vote has been scheduled. The Senate left Washington on Tuesday and won’t return until Monday.
Republicans have until Sept. 30 to hold a vote on the overhaul bill before the instructions for reconciliation expire. A bill passed under reconciliation can be approved with only 51 votes and bypasses the need for 60 votes normally required to stop a filibuster.
Only one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, has publicly said he opposes the bill. Republicans need 50 votes to pass it, as Vice President Mike Pence can break any tie.
A “skinny” Obamacare repeal bill that would have repealed some parts of the law failed by a 49-51 margin in late July. None of the three Republican senators — John McCain of Arizona, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine — who voted against skinny repeal have decided whether to support Graham’s bill.
But it appears that both Sanders and Graham played a part in killing work on a bipartisan deal in the Senate to stabilize Obamacare’s markets.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said late Tuesday he couldn’t reach a deal with Democrats on a narrow deal to fund Obamacare’s insurer subsidies in exchange for more flexibility for states to waive Obamacare regulations.
Alexander said earlier Tuesday that the push for the Obamacare overhaul and Sanders’ socialized healthcare rollout changed the political landscape.
“Last week, I think we got a good opportunity, then 15 Democrats jumped on Medicare for All, Republicans got busy with another repeal and replace, and it completely changed the political environment,” he said.
