By this weekend I expect the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will have passed the House and been signed into law. On right wing media a plethora of disinformation will be disseminated telling us that the sky is falling because the Democrats spent too much money. In mainstream and left leaning media the message will be that the legislation will solve many of our problems. As usual, one portrayal will be much, much closer to reality. Today I want to bring light to a somewhat lost “battle within the battle”.
Two amendments were voted on during the Senate vote-a-rama. They were roll call votes 313 and 314. They were both attempts to control the price of insulin. 314 failed 57-43 while its predecessor failed 50-50, strictly along party lines. Every nay vote was cast by a Republican.
The 43 double nays were: John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Roy Blunt of Missouri, John Boozman and Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Mike Braun and Todd Young of Indiana, Richard Burr and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz of Texas, Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven of North Dakota, Mike Crapo and James Risch of Idaho, Steve Daines of Montana, Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott of South Carolina, James Inhofe and James Lankford of Oklahoma, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Mike Lee and Mitt Romney of Utah, Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran of Kansas, Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rob Portman of Ohio, Mike Rounds and John Thune of South Dakota, Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida, Richard Shelby and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, along with Roger Wicker of Mississippi.
The seven single nays ,who were still just as bad in my opinion, were Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, John Kennedy of Louisiana along with Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska. These seven were just trying to provide themselves with some political cover.
Insulin is taken by about 6 million Americans or about 2% of the population. The Republicans defended carried interest which, while I don’t have any numbers, I am willing to bet protects well less than 2% of the population and certainly next to no Americans of middle to lower economic resources. Which party votes in your interest?
Speaking of voting here are the 13 Republican senators up for reelection this fall: John Boozman of Arkansas, Mike Crapo of Idaho, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, John Hoeven of North Dakota, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, John Kennedy of Louisiana, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Mike Lee of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Marco Rubio of Florida, Tim Scott of South Carolina and Todd Young of Indiana. Remember they all voted not to protect insulin patients but they protected those who pay less in taxes than the people who actually work for a paycheck.
Evil happened and if you dug just a bit it was hidden in plain sight. The Republicans bank on the fact that most Americans don’t have the time to dig before they vote.
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