5 (Political) Thoughts for March 26, 2017

1. Trumpcare Failure -- Freedom Caucus: I'm not saying that the Freedom Caucus folks were right to push for a straight repeal but no replacement, but that would have left fewer uninsured than what Trumpcare would have done. On this point, the far-right had something to stand on, rather than the stupidity that was Trumpcare. Only someone like Donald could make promises of healthcare for everyone without caring about the details that would have cut healthcare for more Americans.
2. Trumpcare Failure -- Tax Cuts: Matt O'Brien wrote the other day that the reason why Republican leadership tried to rush Trumpcare to a vote was because the longer it stuck around, the more the news would have gotten out that the so-called healthcare reform bill was actually just a $1B tax cut for rich people in which Medicaid and subsidies were used to pay for the tax cut. Both Paul Ryan and Donald hinted at this when Ryan suggested that it would make a tax overhaul more difficult and Donald mentioned that he'd learned about parliamentary rules along the way. Both were seemingly pointing to the fact that they would otherwise need 60 senate votes to pass any tax legislation that had an impact over a 10-year period -- reconciliation + Byrd Rule.
3. Trumpcare Failure -- Democrats: When Trumpcare was pulled on Friday, Donald bitterly complained that not a single Democrat supported it. I doubt a single Democrat felt necessary to defend their choice given that Donald hadn't invited or sought advice or votes from them in the first place. Now, according to Reince Priebus, Donald may seek to court Democrats and moderate Republicans to overturn the ACA. Smart but stupid at the same time. It's smart because this has always been the formula to success in almost any bill in Congress. It's also stupid because the only meaningful legislation that will pull in enough Democrats to support is a Medicare for All plan, or something similar -- just look at the popularity of different programs and you'll see why Bernie Sanders announced that he will introduce such a plan. I would prefer a Medicare public option, of course, but I'm not complaining.
4. Crass Donald: The Independent has reported that Donald had a fake invoice made up to present to Germany's Angela Merkel, indicating that Germany owed NATO $375B. That's the sort of stunt a crass person with no class would do, not just because the logic behind it was wrong but that Donald himself has gone through multiple bankruptcies and therefore has failed on multiple times to pay his own bills. He's such a fool, not realizing that Germany can -- and will -- embarrass him personally in front of the world. He does it to himself and he doesn't even realize it.
5. Nancy Pelosi, 💪👩: Many people see Steve Bannon as the big winner in this, as he was able to knock down Paul Ryan -- a guy he did not like and saw as a member of "the swamp". But you know who the real winner is? Nancy Pelosi. She got done what Paul Ryan could not do -- she's The Real Iron Lady. In fact, look at how tight the Democrats are these days, in comparison to what they were like in the 90s and earlier. She doesn't always demand votes but when she does, they listen and hold to unity. My goodness, look at all of the things she'd accomplished in two years! Not a single Speaker of the House in the last 50+ years has done better. In the future, her name will be on buildings and she will be remembered for being one of the strongest women in American politics.