Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., comments after vote. (Justin Gilliland/The New York Times)We'd like to believe that three failed GOP attempts to dump tens of millions of Americans off their health care insurance in order to fund a massive tax break for the nation's wealthy might finally lead to a bipartisan Congress - one that would roll up its collective sleeves to help the country's middle class.
But we won't hold our breath.
After all, only three Republicans voted against the most recent measure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. This GOP plan - like the others variations before it - has long been opposed by doctors, nurses scientists, public health workers and all but about 12 percent of Americans.
Most telling was the fact that Republican leaders were urging senators to vote for the "skinny" repeal bill because House leader Paul Ryan would ensure that the House would not pass it in its current form.
That's like saying go ahead and set your house on fire because your neighbor promises to call the fire department.
The truly horrifying thing is that 49 Republican senators fell for that logic - including those from Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.
It took two strong and logical women, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, along with Arizona Sen. John McCain - a war hero and former POW who was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer - to stand firm against complete folly.
But the deeper truth here is that the GOP's health care plan failed because it never was a health care plan.
Despite more than seven years of whines, promises and rhetoric, Republicans had only two shared goals: Dismantle anything that bore Barack Obama's mark - especially "Obamacare" - and give their rich donors (and themselves) a tax break. One analysis found that the typical household with more than $200,000 a year in income would pay $5,500 less annually in taxes while households earning less than $10,000 a year would lose out on about $2,600 in health care benefits each year.
The further proof that this was never a real health care plan also was clear in the secret preparations of all variations of these GOP bills.
More than seven years and the original repeal and replace bill was crafted in secret by a bakers' dozen of white, male senators (including Tennessee's Lamar Alexander) and wasn't revealed until days before the first vote?
Seven years and senators couldn't even see the final bill until just a few hours before the 2 a.m. Friday vote?
Seven years and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urged Republicans to pass it and feel OK about it because Paul Ryan wouldn't let it pass the House as written?
Did we really elect these dunces?
McCain put it succinctly in a floor speech Tuesday:
"We've tried to do this by coming up with a proposal behind closed doors in consultation with the administration, then springing it on skeptical members, trying to convince them it's better than nothing, asking us to swallow our doubts and force it past a unified opposition," he said. "I don't think that is going to work in the end."
And it didn't.
Now, senators, please begin the real work of governing. Take a cue from the courage and wisdom of McCain, Collins and Murkowski.
The Affordable Care Act - originally a Republican idea and signed into law in 2010 after months of hearings and public mark-ups - is working but it can be made better.
Get on it.