In Friday afternoon's editorial*, "Capito Position Remains Solid," the Wheeling News-Register acts as if today's health care vote didn't happen. Instead of explaining Capito's vote early this morning for the latest version of Trumpcare (see next post down), the editorial focuses on previous Republican proposals and concludes:

Her stance -- that any move to repeal and replace has to serve Mountain State residents well -- remains unchanged from what it was last week.

The most important vote on Trumpcare happened earlier today but the News-Register editorial deliberately ignores it in order to focus on a vote taken Tuesday. This could be yet another example of "yesterday's news tomorrow" or more likely, it could be that focusing on Tuesday's vote allows the editorial to choose the vote that has the greatest potential for positive spin -- something that this morning's vote doesn't provide.

According to the New York Times, today's "skinny" repeal would have had major effects:

The so-called “skinny” repeal bill, as it became known at the Capitol this week, would still have broad effects on health care. The bill would increase the number of people who are uninsured by 15 million next year compared with current law, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Premiums for people buying insurance on their own would increase by roughly 20 percent, the budget office said.

The Atlantic adds more:

As with previous GOP proposals, it has drawn fierce opposition from a bipartisan group of governors and just about everyone connected to the health-care industry—among them insurers, doctors, the American Cancer Society, and the AARP.

For the editorial, this morning's repeal bill must serve "Mountain State residents well" -- otherwise, as the editorial tells us, Capito wouldn't have voted for it. But it clearly wouldn't have served the state well. While the senator has made statements concerning health care that suggest that she will act to support the citizens of the state, her action in supporting this legislation once again makes it clear that when it comes to critical votes, she will choose party loyalty over serving West Virginia's citizens.

I believe that Capito would have been a hero to a majority of the state's citizens had she cast one of the critical votes against the repeal bill. She has no courage, however. (I may be misreading her, but at times, she acts like she doesn't even want to be a senator. For example, compare her non-verbal communications with Joe Manchin's, someone who obviously loves the job.) Lucky for her, she has a famous name and the support of the state's largest newspaper chain who will defend her actions when she needs it. (And she may need it on this one.)

*Note -- no link - editorial is not online.