RSS

TRUMP INSISTS ON A VOTE

Despite the apparent lack of enough votes for TRUMPCARE, the Trump White House is done negotiating over repealing and replacing Obamacare.

What is … or ought to be …now apparent is that everyone believes in universal healthcare!  The arguments are about how to pay for it and what is included. Obamacare, under whatever name, is now a basic American right.

This must deeply upset Trump’s dystopian consigliere, Steve Bannon.  Tension boiled over in a meeting between Steve Bannon and Republican lawmakers hours after House leadership delayed a scheduled vote on their health care legislation Thursday. President Donald Trump, according to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, is done negotiating with Republican lawmakers on the legislation and is calling for a vote on Friday. If the vote failed, Mulvaney said, the president was prepared to leave Obamacare in place.

The problem is simple.  Once the GOP actually had to repeal Obamacare, the Republicans  ran afoul of Trump’s campaign promises to make a better Obamacare.  Trump promised better benefits, lower premiums and no one’s losing coverage … all at a lower cost to the government.  By pushing this magical agenda,  Trump called the bluff on his own party.

What next?  More magic.  Trump now wants to cut the deficit, lower taxes, and spend 20% more on defense.   As for Obamacare, apparently Trump thinks that his failure to repeal Obamacare means blaming Obama for healthcare costs! OMB director Mulvaney signaled that the administration didn’t intend to give up on other plans, and would move onto an ambitious tax reform effort if the repeal bid fails.

A procedural vote was expected at 10 a.m. Friday, followed by a vote on passage of the bill in the afternoon.


Comments are closed.