Trump delivers ultimatum to House GOP: Pass health-care measure on Friday or he’ll move on

WaPo ^ | 03-23-2017 | Mike DeBonis

[NRx]

President Trump delivered an ultimatum to House Republicans on Thursday night: Vote to approve the measure to overhaul the nation’s health-care system on the House floor Friday, or reject it and the president will move on to his other legislative priorities.

The president signaled that the time for negotiations was over with rank-and-file Republicans who were meeting late at night on Capitol Hill to try to find common ground on the embattled package crafted by House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.).

The move was a high-risk gamble for the president and speaker, who have both invested significant political capital in passing legislation that would rewrite the 2010 Affordable Care Act. For Trump, who campaigned as a skilled negotiator capable of forging a good deal on behalf of Americans, it could either vindicate or undercut one of his signature claims. If the measure fails, it would mean that Obamacare — something that congressional Republicans have railed against for seven years — would remain in place.

“Disastrous #Obamacare has led to higher costs & fewer options. It will only continue to get worse! We must #RepealANDReplace. #PassTheBill,” Trump tweeted from his official White House account as the meeting was wrapping up Thursday night.

[DAC21]

“Purchase Turtle a set of balls, and reverse the filibuster for only this one bill”

I believe we will need to do this to get Trump’s Supreme Court pick through as well. That vile POS Schmucky has already said no Dems will vote for Gorsuch.

[Chgogal]

Ryan needs to resign.

[Gaffer]

His own HHS Secretary has the power to “.....at his discretion on over 1400 decisions..” in the abortion of a bill. Take away any penalties, stop HISA expansion, stop a whole lot of things. Let that bill die the horrible death it was built to be only don’t turn it into single payer like UBAMA planned.

I don’t blame him. I blame Congress, frankly. I’d say move on now and tackle what I really want him there for: get rid of illegals, build the wall, stop muslim jihadist/refugee incursion into this country. Global trade? I guess so. It’s not highest on my list, but it’s worth doing.

[DAC21]

“First of all, the “millionaires and billionaires” pay ALL the taxes. The top 10% pay 90% of the taxes. And the bottom 50% are FREELOADERs, including half of the middle class. Fact.

Yep, and last I checked our military which costs a fortune to taxpayers protects all Americans not just the wealthy. Every Adult should have skin in the game.

To me that means everyone pays Federal tax even if it means reducing SNAP accounts by $10 a month and telling the freeloaders that is their contribution. Those that actually have a paying job need to pay Fed. tax. Maybe that is only $1 a week, I don’t know, but something.

[xzins]

The top 10% are not millionaires and billionaires.

The top 10% gross income is about $150,000.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/01/15/business/one-percent-map.html

Net income is probably in the $130,000 range.

The top 1% is where the millionaires start to show up.

[Gaffer]

The ‘funding of Obamacare’ is not irrevocably resolute. It’s funding comes from many sources, on of which is taxation/fees on insurers, for example. In looking at the list of sources of this funding:

http://alignamerica.com/node/62

I see several places where action could fail (will fail in the case of dwindling insurers). To say that “it is completely funded” only relies on the gullibility of those who wish to use it.

Sure, there are trickeries like QE used by the Fed to use one credit card to pay for another, but in the end, increasing the debt has to make it through Congress and the President in the end, and this time there will be no UBAMA to cheat it in.

[Candor7]

Trump said that he could wait until Obama Care imploded but they would try first to intercept that.

Trump said soon that the Dems would be begging the GOP top repeal Obama care.

Looks like the President is about to teach Congress what happens when business is not taken care of. Going to be a lot of Congressional de-elections in 2018.

The Freedom Caucus is about to grow, Big League.

[mewzilla]

You know what the uniparty definition of rich is? Anyone drawing a private sector paycheck.

[xzins]

I’m rich, I’m rich, I’m rich...

:>)

[mewzilla]

Lol! Good for you! The uniparty puts me in mind of Willie Sutton.

[Valin]

Stop It! You Are supposed to be ranting and raving about what a bad terrible evil wicked horrible person Paul Ryan is! Not making sense and talking politics. You better watch it buddy, your you may find yourself...In Trouble.

:-)

[xzins]

Your standard of “does he have a paycheck” was the standard I used.

[sheikdetailfeather]

Jennifer Jacobs‏Verified account @JenniferJJacobs 33m33 minutes ago Compromise amendment reached after haggling with moderate and conservative Rs on health care bill. https://rules.house.gov/sites/republicans.rules.house.gov/files/115/115-AHCA-SxS-Policy2ndDegree.pdf …

[sheikdetailfeather]

https://rules.house.gov/sites/republicans.rules.house.gov/files/115/115-AHCA-SxS-Policy2ndDegree.pdf

[Mamzelle]

Maybe all this was to expose how weak Ryan is?

[Rum Tum Tugger]

Good, move on. Let ObamaCare implode as written by the Democrats. The Republicans (the conservative ones anyway) should want no ownership in that disaster. Once the Republicans amend it, the Republicans own it, and the failure that comes with it. Let it die its miserable death while still inked by the Democrats. Say "no" to TrumpCare.

BINGO!!! We have a winner. Trump's a genius.

[nathanbedford]

I take your reply very seriously and I have some questions which I ask quite in ingenuously.

First, do you discount the possibility that reconciliation is possible in the Senate either because the Senate parliamentarian will rule that extensive changes in Obama care are not subject to filibuster, or alternatively, because the Vice President of the United States has the power to overrule her to the same effect?

Second, I am aware that you do not think there of 50 votes in the Senate which is a plausible position to take in view of what I believe to be a sham obstacle created by Rinos to give them cover for the absurd legislation they have offered and the absurd procedure with three stages which we know will never be enacted. I believe that if the president forces the issue on reconciliation in the Senate they just might find 5 1 votes, with the vice president's vote in the background.

Third, The point of the sham concerning reconciliation is to avoid repealing Obama care in full because they simply do not want to be touching a new third rail of politics. The Republicans have never been successful in the real world at taking away entitlements with the possible exception of Gingrich's reform of welfare, which is not survive. They want the issue but they do not want to be seen depriving anyone of healthcare. I think they assumed they could simply plunder the treasury and keep the essence of Obama care going. The promises made by the Rino Republicans were never possible. Candidate Trump is equally guilty but for a shorter time with his overpromising of universal healthcare, cheaper premiums, while keeping pre-existing conditions etc. the circle simply cannot be squared. So they would close the circle with more debt. Your reaction?

Fourth, I am not well-educated on whether sequester would frustrate all our hopes for the Trump administration if Obama care stands. Could sequestration not be undone with 51 votes? If it cannot be, how do the mechanics of sequester work to control spending?

Thank you for your insightful replies on this thread.

[bert]

A great negotiating tactic....... walk away from the table

[af_vet_1981]

So that's why we now control all branches of US government and the overwhelming majority of state houses. Got it.

which is why Donald Trump is President, Mitch McConnell is Senate Majority Leader, Paul Ryan is Speaker of the House, ..., you know the people some on this thread are railing against and opposing ... just like they are really yearning for the Democrats back in power. Got it ?