Had Enough

Well, well, well...I'm quite taken aback. You're throwing in the towel a bit early, aren't you? I've never thought Trump could get the big items on his agenda passed but I'm willing to give him until, say, next summer to get something done. By next summer House members who are up for election (which is all of them) will get cold feet and turn into bowls of quivering jelly. It's very doubtful that tough votes will be taken in Sept and Oct of 2018.

It seems that Trump does not know how to govern. He knows how to campaign and hold rallies, knows how to insult and fight the media, but accomplishing his agenda is proving difficult.

The latest on the health care bill is that Cruz wants to allow insurance companies to offer bare bones policies to the healthy people while also requiring companies to offer plans for people with pre-existing conditions. He seems to want to trade-off requiring many of the Essential Health Benefits so people can save money on insurance for increased government subsidies to insurance companies called Cost Sharing Subsidies to cover the increased costs of sick people. I'm not sure if that is the best cost-effective strategy, but at least it would restore consumer choices and freedom in the marketplace. I don't need mental health coverage, addiction coverage, or pregnancy coverage, for example. I ought to be able to pick a policy that doesn't have these coverages and save money on my premiums.

 

Time will tell.

HankD

 

Hmmm...If I remember correctly, Pennsylvania has that strange primary where you vote for delegates? So you kind of have to know which delegate on the ballot supports which candidate. I suppose that creates more intelligent voters, but fewer voters overall.

After voting for McCain and Romney the past two elections, I said I would never vote for a lukewarm so-called conservative Republican again. I did register as Republican and voted for Rubio in our Minnesota primary. But keeping my promise to myself, I didn't vote for Trump in the general election; I didn't vote for anyone for President.

Join the movement to third party candidates or abstaining. It's the only way to force the major parties to change.

 

Yes, and when will your own personal deadline occur? I've said mine is next summer.

If the GOP loses control of the House in Nov 2018 you can bet there will be no movement on Trump's agenda, except perhaps the infrastructure program. That one if full of pork and House members can be bribed to vote for it with earmarks.

 

Yes next summer if there is still a stalemate the Trump reign will be OVER.

Even his loyalist (like myself) can only take so much.

HankD

 

Here's what Dear Leader said about the GOP Senate health care bill:

“This will be great if we get it done, and if we don’t get it done it’s just going to be something that we’re not going to like, and that’s OK and I understand that very well.”

Doesn't sound like he's all revved up about repealing/replacing ObamaCare to me.

 

Even if its something I don't like, even to the point that its still an entitlement AT LEAST they DID SOMETHING together!!

HankD

 

I can't understand why anyone would be a member of any party. Welcome to the ranks of the independents.

 

Except that Obama actively campaigned for health reform. He even gave a nationally televised speech to a joint session of Congress. He also called in to a televised Republican confab.

Trump? A tweet here and there is all he's really done. Insulted some reluctant congressmen.

 

Yup.

 

LOL! No, not for these guys. If Trump succeeds in one area, they'll ignore it and move to another. Just look at their track record. If the Senate does act, they'll say it was in spite of Trump.

 

They do not want to pass a bill. Trump is herding cats. It is an impossible task. The Rinos talk a good game, but have no desire to really change anything. The freedom Caucus wants to change everything, but get nothing done because the will not compromise on anything. Its a mess.

 

He does not like the concessions he knows the house will have in the final bill.

 

What concessions does the House want?

Traditionally the Senate gets the last cut at legislation, then it goes to conference committee. Here the Senate usually holds sway. I don't see the House having much to say about it at that point.

 

I am hearing they are going to try to strip some of the government subsidies to the insurance companies.