« on: March 25, 2017, 05:14:35 pm »
Who Deserves the Blame for the AHCA Failure?
Posted at 4:00 am on March 25, 2017 by Jay Caruso Just before the AHCA vote on Friday, Speaker Paul Ryan yanked the bill from the floor knowing he didn’t have the necessary votes for passage. It is a stinging failure for Ryan’s first legislative effort with a Republican in the White House and at the moment, leaves Obamacare fully intact.
Donald Trump tried to put a good spin on it, blaming Democrats and talking as though he was happy they gave it the old “college try.” Naturally, he tried to deflect any blame away from himself:Jennifer Jacobs
✔ @JenniferJJacobs
"I never said 'Repeal and replace Obamacare.' You've all heard my speeches. I never said repeal & replace it within 64 days," Trump in Oval.
4:32 PM - 24 Mar 2017
His explanation is absurd. Trump gives himself the “64 days” qualifier so he can rate his BS statement as “true.” The fact is, Trump tweeted many times his desire to “immediately” repeal and replace Obamacare. Here is an example from February of 2016:Donald J. Trump
✔ @realDonaldTrump
We will immediately repeal and replace ObamaCare - and nobody can do that like me. We will save $'s and have much better healthcare!
4:15 PM - 9 Feb 2016
Naturally, plenty of people tried to blame the House Freedom Caucus. Among them, political pundit, Brit Hume:Brit Hume
✔ @brithume
The blame is on the Freedom Caucus & Sens. Lee, Cruz & Paul, who once more want to lead Congressional GOP to another political dead-end.
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/845291873392627712 …
10:34 AM - 24 Mar 2017 · Florida, USA
Hume’s argument in a word is idiotic. The House Freedom Caucus was not demanding full repeal or else (despite promising that to constituents). The HFC wanted two items in the House bill – the removal of the “essential health benefits” mandate. These include services insurance companies are required to cover by law. They include emergency-room visits and hospital stays, but also include mental health, maternity, preventive care and prescription drug coverage. Most people will never utilize those features, and it will only boost premiums. Without them, people have the option of buying low-cost catastrophic plans. They also wanted the removal of the continuous coverage mandate. It’s the Obama individual mandate wrapped in other packaging.
Thankfully, Hume did recognize Trumpers were up to their usual tricks, absolving Trump of all blame: Brit Hume
✔ @brithume
Trump backers saying he's really not responsible re: AHCA are, in effect, saying he's a dope taken in by evil Svengali Paul Ryan. Ridiculous
12:03 PM - 24 Mar 2017 · Florida, USA
It is ridiculous but then again, so are Hume and Fred Barnes attempting to pin the blame on the House Freedom Caucus. So who is to blame?
1. President Donald Trump – Whether people like it or not, Donald Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. A focal point during his campaign, Trump slammed Obamacare any chance he got. He repeatedly called it a “disaster.” Unfortunately, he also made promises about “everybody” having coverage without ever offering a plan on how to do it. Trump’s single biggest problem is one I’ve spoken of before. He has no ideological core. His opposition to Obamacare centers around being anti-Obama and not an understanding of Obamacare’s faults. He can’t articulate why he’s opposed to it. He also cannot adequately explain his support of the AHCA. Trump touted his business acumen as a reason he’d get things done. Proclaiming himself King Dealmaker, he was going to make the deals other people could not. Put that coffee down, Mr. President. Coffee is for closers.
2. Speaker Paul Ryan – I feel sorry for Paul Ryan. I like the guy. I think he has integrity and taking a position nobody else wanted epitomizes what it means to be a leader. Still, he screwed the pooch on this one. The main issue with Ryan is his desire to get something passed and get it done fast instead of taking the time to work his caucus ad secure the votes. Jay Cost of The Weekly Standard tweeted several thoughts on it:Jay Cost
✔ @JayCostTWS
Do you guys remember the Stupak Democrat thing in 2010? Bart Stupak and like 10 other Dems were holding the whole Obamacare program up.
9:19 PM - 24 Mar 2017
Jay Cost
✔ @JayCostTWS
Pelosi didn't set an arbitrary deadline and when they didn't fold, said, "OK THAT IS IT I'M PULLING THE BILL!"
9:19 PM - 24 Mar 2017
Jay Cost
✔ @JayCostTWS
She worked 'em, and she worked 'em, and she worked 'em ... then she GOT 'em.
9:20 PM - 24 Mar 2017
Jay Cost
✔ @JayCostTWS
Why did she do that but Ryan & Trump walked away after like 20 days?
She wanted it bad enough to risk her majority. Ryan & Trump don't.
9:21 PM - 24 Mar 2017
I heard a lot of this throughout the day. It was stunning. For seven years we were told (often by the same people) that Obama repeal wasn’t possible without a GOP majority. Not just a Congressional majority but the White House as well were both necessary to repeal Obamacare. Now that the GOP has that majority, many of the same people are arguing full repeal isn’t possible because it risks the majority.
<..snip..>
http://www.redstate.com/jaycaruso/2017/03/25/who-deserves-the-blame-for-ahca-failure/
Logged
No government in the 12,000 years of modern mankind history has led its people into anything but the history books with a simple lesson, don't let this happen to you.
