Note Republican moderates: Appropriations chair is a no on Trumpcare, arguing from the left

C'mon Republicans, if Rodney Frelinghuysen can stand up for his constituents, so can you!

This is bigly shocking stuff. House Appropriations chairman Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) has announced he's voting "no" on Trumpcare. Since he's a big-wig in Paul Ryan's House, you'd assume he would be concerned about the hole it's blowing in the deficit, or the fact that it doesn't do enough to dismantle Medicaid. But no. He's opposing it from the left. Or as left as you get from Republicans.

"Seven years after enactment of Obamacare, I wanted to support legislation that made positive changes to rescue healthcare in America.

"Unfortunately, the legislation before the House today is currently unacceptable as it would place significant new costs and barriers to care on my constituents in New Jersey. In addition to the loss of Medicaid coverage for so many people in my Medicaid-dependent state, the denial of essential health benefits in the individual market raise serious coverage and cost issues.

"I remain hopeful that the American Health Care Act will be further modified. We need to get this right for all Americans."

Any moderate who needs cover for opposing this bill now has it. The New York Times’ Jonathon Martin puts it:

Wow, for chair of a major committee to oppose leadership on a bill of this magnitude is a *Biden voice* BFDhttps://t.co/2LYiL0nrK1

— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) March 24, 2017

A yuge BFD.

There's ongoing discussion of this in FirstAmendment's diary.

The vote is happening TODAY. Even if you already called your member of Congress, do it again by calling the Capitol Hill switchboard at [phone]. Jam the phone lines, urge them to vote NO.