The Politics Thread

[Khan]

 

Yep.  Repeal now, replace later.  Or so they say.  Frankly, I think if they succeed in repealing Obamacare, they won't even BOTHER replacing it.  All they want is President P-Funk's legacy dead and gone.

[DramatistDreamer]

Trump quietly signed to extend the Iran nuclear deal he once vowed to end.

 

Trump extends Iran nuclear deal he vowed to scrap

[Vee]

 

But as many, many insiders have said last night (and as I indicated on the last page via various tweets), most of them don't actually want to do it and jumped at the chance to walk away. They know repeal is political suicide. Most of them were just trading on Obama hatred during the election year.

 

"Repeal Obamacare" is rapidly becoming the new "Repeal Roe v. Wade" - it's a third rail the GOP establishment trades on but most have no actual political stomach for. As Josh Marshall notes, McConnell is now locking himself into a failure cycle on it. He will try again but I think it will get worse for him each time (and I thought it had a good chance of passing a week or two ago).

 

CNN and Politico on Trumpcare's failure.

 

 

He allegedly spent 55 minutes in a meeting the other day whining to advisors about why he didn't want to.

 

Meanwhile:

 

Edited July 18, 2017 by Vee

[marceline]

I am utterly fascinated by the Special Counsel's office. The hammer has got to come down soon because they've brought on top notch prosecutors. Those aren't people who left their jobs just to spin their wheels for months. Now they've moved into permanent offices just down the street from the DOJ complete with a SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility). This is going to pop off soon one way or another either with indictments or Donnie trying to fire Mueller.

[Vee]

[Vee]

[Vee]

[DramatistDreamer]

ICYMI

Trump administration has also decided to allow 15,000 more H-2B visas, which allow seasonal workers access to the U.S., most likely to the benefit of big industry/business.

[Khan]

 

Trump probably forgot he spoke out against the deal.  Seriously, marceline might be right: this guy might be suffering from some form of dementia.

 

So...Megyn Kelly's tanking in the ratings, and Jimmy Fallon's been shut out of the Emmys.  Not a TOTAL victory for this NBC-loathing fool (21 Emmy nods for SNL?  Srsly??) but still...what goes around, comes around.

[Khan]

 

Wait, what's the definition of insanity again?  Oh, yeah: doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result every time.  Or something like that.  Anyway, let's hope that proves true for Mitch "Ahab" McConnell and his white whale that is repealing and/or replacing Obamacare.  I, for one, look forward to seeing the man driven ever-so-slightly mad at the prospect of never besting the ACA.

 

I mean, I'm still not convinced that the GOP won't ever repeal it -- I think they will one of these days, even if they don't actually WANT to, because accidents can and do happen -- but I'm also willing to extend some faith.

Edited July 18, 2017 by Khan

[Juliajms]

Every time I think their plans to screw up healthcare is dead, some remnant of it rises from the ashes. 

[Khan]

It keeps rising from the ashes for two reasons: 1) the GOP wants to demolish every piece of Obama's legacy, as I've said before; and 2) they probably realize that if they DON'T follow through on their promise to eliminate Obamacare, voters might make their displeasure known the next time they show up at the voting booths.

[Vee]

[marceline]

 

Which is ridiculous because Republicans always vote Republican no matter what. 

[Vee]