Senate GOP On Defensive Over All-Male Health Care Group, Saying They're Not About 'Identity Politics' and 'Father Knows Best'

The Republicans in Congress have taken a new twist on identity politics. Even though female are more than 50% of the US population, and the House of Representatives version of the proposed AHCA healthcare plan decimated women's healthcare on multiple fronts, Republican leaders say that they will not bow to 'identity politics'. Why? Because men senators can decide just as well as women senators about what is best for women in healthcare services, insurance arrangements, and the impact of their proposed policies that impact women directly -- on women and their families. 

"The working group that counts is all 52 of us," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Tuesday. "Nobody’s being excluded based upon gender… Everybody’s at the table.”

Two Republican women senators -- Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) sit on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Collins joined the committee in 2015, but Murkowski is a member since 2007.  Both senators support Planned Parenthood.

When asked by ABC's George Stephanopoulos why she *wasn't* in the working group, Sen. Collins replied, "Well, the leaders obviously chose the people they want."

“I’ve worked on health care for many years,” Collins aid on Monday. “I spent five years in state government overseeing the Bureau of Insurance many years ago, and I think I can bring some experience to the debate that will be helpful.”

The insult is further noteworthy because Collins has co-sponsored healthcare legislation with  Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician who spent decades working in charity hospitals, a proposal that has left the Affordable Care Act largely intact. 

Besides neglecting Republican women's input in formulating their healthcare proposal, Senate Republican leaders overlooked Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black member of their conference. Mr. Scott sold insurance and owned one of the most successful Allstate insurance branches in South Carolina before becoming a member of the House and now the Senate.