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Despite his best efforts, Senate Majority Leader McConnell couldn't coax a ‘yes’ vote out of 50 of his 52-member caucus before the July Fourth recess. The path forward for McConnell and the Senate Republicans seems to revolve around trying to move in two directions at once – more money for the more centrist party members coupled with more insurance deregulation for the far-right -- while continuing to mislead the public about the true content of the bill.
Here's a closer look at why the Senate bill stalled and what steps are being taken to revive it, along with some notable bits and pieces from the recent debate.
Why McConnell couldn't get to ‘yes’ before the Fourth
The push for a vote before the Fourth ran aground on a combination of internal Senate dynamics and external forces. As far as internal dynamics go, roughly three groups of senators blocked the path to a Senate vote. One group, typified by senators Heller and Collins, expressed concerns about the damage the legislation would do to the health care system in their states; Other senators, Such as Ron Johnson from Wisconsin, were unhappy with the process and wanted more time to evaluate the bill. Finally, senators like Ted Cruz and Rand Paul did not believe that the bill did enough to roll back the ACA or to undermine the Medicaid program. Key external forces were also critical in giving senators pause. Especially important were the popular mobilization against the bill, as well as the rising tide of stakeholder opposition. Absent these external forces, there is little doubt that the Senate would have swallowed its doubts and voted.