"Skinny" Bill in "Critical Condition"

The "skinny" bill is proving to be an exercise in "squaring the circle"; in other words, an impossibility.

Enough senators are on record -- for instance, McCain and his buddy Lindsey Graham -- saying that they will only vote "Yes" on the "skinny" --  a bill that would repeal only those parts of the Affordable Care Act that mandate that individuals have health insurance and that large employers provide insurance to their employees -- if GOP House leadership guarantees a House-Senate conference to reconcile its bill with the Senate's.

McConnell is hoping to pass the "skinny" based on a promise of a conference, but it is becoming apparent that the GOP House leadership intends to take up the "skinny" as is and pass it as such, sending it on to Trump for a quick signature. R.I.P. Obamacare.

The insurance lobby has sniffed the skunk in the air and is now mobilizing to kill the "skinny."

If that were not enough of a headache for McConnell, he has to prove to the Senate parliamentarian that the "skinny" meets specific deficit reduction targets in order pass it with a simple majority; thereby avoiding the necessity of having to wrangle 60 votes. It is not clear how McConnell can do this.

All in all it looks like the "skinny" bill is in "critical condition."

One good thing is that it appears Medicaid is safe.