POLITICAL THREAD

[moe_schmoe]

Maybe all the primary challengers can run on repealing Obamacare like every single Republican did last cycle.

That was last cycle. Obamacare has been in place for a while and a lot has happened. It's not only the establishment, Republicans that actually ran on full repeal, including Freedom Caucus members, have come to realize that many of their own constituents have benefitted from some of the entitlements. They don't want them to lose their insurance and a full repeal will leave them high and dry.

The votes for a full repeal just aren't there anymore, especially for a bill that includes no coverage for preexisting conditions like the Freedom Caucus wants. I doubt Trump would even sign that bill if it did make it to his desk because that's something he promised would stay.

If new challengers run on full repeal, if they get elected, when they get to Washington, they, too, will have to come to grips with the votes not being there for a full repeal. It's fantasy at this point. There's going to have to be compromise, and common ground, reaching an agreement in the middle, giving both sides something.

 

[Catfan in Tn.]

Looks like Freedom Caucus didn't like the Bill period and put preexisting conditions out there just so it would fail.

 

[catfaninsc]

House Republican shuts down Steve Bannon after being told they had 'no choice' in Trumpcare vote

"Guys, look. This is not a discussion. This is not a debate. You have no choice but to vote for this bill," Bannon reportedly said to members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus.

But those in the Freedom Caucus weren't buying into Bannon's opening gambit. " You know, the last time someone ordered me to something, I was 18 years old. And it was my daddy. And I didn't listen to him, either," said one member of the caucus.

 

[moe_schmoe]

Looks like Freedom Caucus didn't like the Bill period and put preexisting conditions out there just so it would fail.

Not all of them were a "no". Some saw the big picture and realized voting no did more harm than good. Something like 10 of the 30 were on board with the bill.

But, yeah, I'm not so sure about your point. Freedom Caucus wants a full and complete repeal. Their own bill that they want to put up excludes preexisting and stay on parent's insurance until 26. Two things Trump promised to the country when on 60 minutes.

That's one of the reasons Ryan's bill received more support than theirs from Trump and among the majority of Republicans. Any bill that doesn't include those two things is doa.

 

[AustinTXCat]

Maher on London attack: You never hear ‘Merry Christmas’ before bomb goes off.

"Every time some bomb goes off, before it goes off, somebody yells ‘Allahu Akbar!’” said Maher. "I never hear anybody go ‘Merry Christmas! This one’s for the flying nun!’ ”

 

[moe_schmoe]

House Republican shuts down Steve Bannon after being told they had 'no choice' in Trumpcare vote

"Guys, look. This is not a discussion. This is not a debate. You have no choice but to vote for this bill," Bannon reportedly said to members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus.

But those in the Freedom Caucus weren't buying into Bannon's opening gambit. " You know, the last time someone ordered me to something, I was 18 years old. And it was my daddy. And I didn't listen to him, either," said one member of the caucus.

Story leaves out what happened before that took place. They came to Trump to negotiate and said we want this, this and this, then we'll be with you. Trump gave them everything they asked for to gain their support.

Then they reneged and try to take advantage of him, knowing he had no other option(s). Coming back and saying that's not enough, demanding more, saying now we want this, this and this as well. That's when Trump shut down negotiations, said you have no choice, take it or leave it.

 

[screwduke1]

 

[screwduke1]

Jeff Sessions says he’ll punish sanctuaries, cities could lose billions of dollars

http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/27/jeff-sessions-says-hell-punish-sanctuaries-cities

 

[warrior-cat]

House Republican shuts down Steve Bannon after being told they had 'no choice' in Trumpcare vote

"Guys, look. This is not a discussion. This is not a debate. You have no choice but to vote for this bill," Bannon reportedly said to members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus.

But those in the Freedom Caucus weren't buying into Bannon's opening gambit. " You know, the last time someone ordered me to something, I was 18 years old. And it was my daddy. And I didn't listen to him, either," said one member of the caucus.

That was not the last time. Obama and his cronies made it clear that they won the election so deal with it on things they were voting on then so, don't try to play that game.

 

[Vandalayindustries]

Jeff Sessions says he’ll punish sanctuaries, cities could lose billions of dollars

http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/27/jeff-sessions-says-hell-punish-sanctuaries-cities

This is going to be a fascinating fight to watch. Lawsuits, illegals crying on tv and having their story told, protests, people chaining themselves, etc. I'm pretty excited to see LA and NYC survive without any federal dollars.

 

[Catfan in Tn.]

Catholic Church saying any illegal that helps build the wall is a traitor.

 

[Catfan in Tn.]

Not all of them were a "no". Some saw the big picture and realized voting no did more harm than good. Something like 10 of the 30 were on board with the bill.

But, yeah, I'm not so sure about your point. Freedom Caucus wants a full and complete repeal. Their own bill that they want to put up excludes preexisting and stay on parent's insurance until 26. Two things Trump promised to the country when on 60 minutes.

That's one of the reasons Ryan's bill received more support than theirs from Trump and among the majority of Republicans. Any bill that doesn't include those two things is doa.

If the Freedom Caucus is holding out for that it will never happen. The only one from that group I saw speak in favor of the Bill was Poe.

 

[ukalumni00]

Trump is finding out how deep the Swamp really is. If he cannot get cooperation to get tax reform moving his term is in big trouble.

 

[bigbluefattycat]

Which suggest she only left him because staying with him at the time was bad for Hillary's campaign. She's was willing to sacrifice her marriage for Hillary. Damn, that's loyalty.

a. Can't force him/her to testify against each other if still married.
b. Set his ass up for classic Clinton 2 bullet to the back of the head suicide.

Not with the system set up to keep in Establishment Rs and Ds.

No way of getting around that.

Drain the swamp. Start with the pedos. No more trying to blackmail them.

I am OK with a "Public Directive" being issued that NO President can ever play golf while serving out their term

But a President is a human being and WILL need some time to step back from the job and 'reset/take a breath' ..... so they can't NOT have relative down time.

BUT I agree that it's F-ING-OBNOXIOUS the way a wide SWATH of our political professionals aren't just ..... out there playing golf .... it's a whole system that's lost control and I feel like we're being SMIRKED AT quite a bit

Who they play golf with is more important. Obama was rumored to negotiate on the course. Trump played with leaders from Japan. Makes sense if you think about it. Chase each others ball in the woods close a deal. Found it! Foreign country gets more guns.

 

[Bill Cosby]

<===== Noted POTUS vacation and golf hater

Sure wish I had the time and money to go on lavish vacations and golf all the time. Sadly I don't have as much tax payer money and free time as the POTUS. Too busy worrying about important things like building a career.

I worked at my current firm for five years before I took off more than 2 vacation days in a row. Not asking anyone to feel sorry for me at all. Just paying my dues.

Sure, the POTUS stays connected, but there really is something obscene about spending millions of taxpayer dollars on lavish vacations while half of America can't afford to take a day off work and make rent.


EDIT: One point I forgot to mention. The POTUS campaigns for office and asks to be able to do the job for 4 years, then generally has the option to run for another four if they want. No one is forcing them to be POTUS. If they want to be POTUS so bad, they shouldn't need to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to escape being POTUS.

 

[moe_schmoe]

Trump is finding out how deep the Swamp really is. If he cannot get cooperation to get tax reform moving his term is in big trouble.

Yep, Jim Jordan, head of Freedom Caucus, already said if tax reform and the border wall aren't to the Freedom Caucus' liking, nevermind Trump's liking, they'll vote no with the Democrats on those as well.

Crazy how 29 party members are trying to force the entire party and President to walk their line; otherwise, threatening to sabotage the entire agenda.

 

[CastleRubric]

[QUOTE="screwduke1, post:...SMIRKED AT quite a bit[/QUOTE]

In observance of this thread being on page 1812

I hereby denounce British asshats forcing our sailors into service for their fat king
JUST my opinion but I think they have their hands full with that short dude in France....so we might be taking advantage of a GREAT crisis if we launched a new war on them

Right

F'ing

NOW

........TIMEOUT!!!!
NO ONE SAID THE INDIANS WERE ALLOWED TO PLAY AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!



*thank you - I"ll be here al night - be sure to tip your moderators and whatnot **

 

[Bill Cosby]

Crazy how 29 party members are trying to force the entire party and President to walk their line; otherwise, threatening to sabotage the entire agenda.

They work for their constituents, not the Republican party. That shouldn't be forgotten.

 

[moe_schmoe]

They work for their constituents, not the Republican party. That shouldn't be forgotten.

But to threaten tax reform and the wall because it's not to their liking, when neither have even been put on the table yet has nothing to do with their constituents.

Also, pretty sure their constituents didn't vote them into office to vote in lock step with the Democrats and sabotage Trump because their feelings got hurt when they didn't get their way.

Edited to add:

Not to mention, they're not the only Republican congressmen with constituents. Arizona Republicans and several other states are begging for Ryancare over what they have now. The Freedom Caucus doesn't speak for the entire Republican base. That also shouldn't be forgotten.

 

[Bill Cosby]

I see no problem telling the establishment if they're going to craft Democrat bills for the wall and tax reform, like they did after promising to repeal Obamacare, they might as well just start by trying to get the Democrats on board.

Not sure why the people in the Freedom Caucus have to sacrifice their principles just because the Republican establishment feels the need to legislate like Democrats.

Trump didn't get into office on a goddam Republican establishment platform. And the establishment is showing why they've been rejected by the vast majority of the country outside of their districts and puppet masters/funders.

 

[moe_schmoe]

like they did after promising to repeal Obamacare

You're still stuck on this. What don't you get there's no choice. Trump already promised preexisting and insured until 26. Their full repeal bill would've have gotten 29 votes, all from them, and them only. Plus, like I said, even if it did miraculously pass, Trump would veto it in a heartbeat.

 

[Bill Cosby]

You're still stuck on this. What don't you get there's no choice. Trump already promised preexisting and insured until 26. Their full repeal bill would've have gotten 29 votes, all from them, and them only. Plus, like I said, even if it did miraculously pass, Trump would veto it in a heartbeat.

I think I figured out the problem. I was following a bunch of campaigns where people kept promising repeal and replace.

You apparently saw Trump saying something different, or are 100% OK with people spewing bullshit on the campaign trail to turn around and tell the voters to get fvcked once they're in office.

Here's some background on Trump promising repeal and replace:

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fact...-replace-obamacare-timeline/story?id=46360908

 

[augustaky1]

<===== Noted POTUS vacation and golf hater

Sure wish I had the time and money to go on lavish vacations and golf all the time. Sadly I don't have as much tax payer money and free time as the POTUS. Too busy worrying about important things like building a career.

I worked at my current firm for five years before I took off more than 2 vacation days in a row. Not asking anyone to feel sorry for me at all. Just paying my dues.

Sure, the POTUS stays connected, but there really is something obscene about spending millions of taxpayer dollars on lavish vacations while half of America can't afford to take a day off work and make rent.


EDIT: One point I forgot to mention. The POTUS campaigns for office and asks to be able to do the job for 4 years, then generally has the option to run for another four if they want. No one is forcing them to be POTUS. If they want to be POTUS so bad, they shouldn't need to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to escape being POTUS.

Hell, at the rate President Trump and President Obama have played golf I wish they would just change the National Mall into a course. It would be way cheaper and more convenient.

 

[moe_schmoe]

Not sure why the people in the Freedom Caucus have to sacrifice their principles just because the Republican establishment feels the need to legislate like Democrats.

Why not? Everyone else did. That's how you govern and pass law. You can't have it all your way and only your way, then pout and sabotage when you don't get it.

They're the ones that lied and agreed to support the bill if certain ammendments were made. Trump and Ryan both sacrificed and gave them those ammendments. Then like amateur cowards they reneged wanting more and more. They were the only ones acting like partisan hacks, unwilling to compromise.

Trump didn't get into office on a goddam Republican establishment platform. And the establishment is showing why they've been rejected by the vast majority of the country outside of their districts and puppet masters/funders.

Except the it wasn't only the establishment. Ryan's bill had quadruple the support as their bill. Preexisting injuries and parent's insurance is until 26 is here to stay, forever. That and low poll numbers were the reasons, according to Jordan, for them to vote no.

They sabotaged an entire agenda over peanuts. The pros of them voting no can't even begin to compare the cons. Bottom line, they did much more harm than good.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Maybe all the primary challengers can run on repealing Obamacare like every single Republican did last cycle.

If the establishment wants to implement a Democrat policy instead of repealing like they promised, get the fvcking Democrats on board. Don't expect people to cave to the establishment demands to vote for a shitty policy simply because they have Rs next to their names.

It's one thing to withhold a vote based on principles. I can respect that and will often applaud it. Even when I don't agree.

But that's not what happened here. It's an internal power play in direct opposition to the will of most, if not all, their districts.

 

[moe_schmoe]

I think I figured out the problem. I was following a bunch of campaigns where people kept promising repeal and replace.

You apparently saw Trump saying something different, or are 100% OK with people spewing bullshit on the campaign trail to turn around and tell the voters to get fvcked once they're in office.

Here's some background on Trump promising repeal and replace:

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fact...-replace-obamacare-timeline/story?id=46360908

No, I'm not, but you have to face reality. These people campaigned on it before getting to Washington and getting a taste of what health care reform is all about. Obamacare has set a precedent. Just as many Republican constituents benefit from the entitlements as Democrats.

Those Republicans, including Trump, have come to this realization. Voting on full repeal when you're lucky to get 50 votes is pointless. That's why both factions have to give a little and compromise. That's how you govern. Trump did. Ryan did. The Freedom Caucus were the only ones who didn't.

 

[Bill Cosby]

We're just going to have to disagree because we aren't getting anywhere.

I don't give a shit whether an agenda passes or not simply because that's what Paul Ryan said the establishment is OK with forcing on the country.

I'd prefer politicians keep their campaign promises.

If there's no full repeal of Obamacare, I want Obamacare. When it inevitably fails, I want everyone who supported it to suffer, and to know it was the Democrats' fault for shoving it up the country's ass to begin with, and the Republicans' fault for not repealing it like they were all voted into office to do.

Excusing them for breaking their campaign promises because, well, they just didn't know how Washington works is the most maddening goddam thing I've ever hear. PEOPLE VOTED FOR THEM TO CHANGE THAT BULLSHIT IN WASHINGTON.

 

[moe_schmoe]

I'd prefer politicians keep their campaign promises.

And the only ones stopping Trump or threatening to stop from doing so are the Democrats and the Freedom Caucus.

Excusing them for breaking their campaign promises because, well, they just didn't know how Washington works is the most maddening goddam thing I've ever hear. PEOPLE VOTED FOR THEM TO CHANGE THAT BULLSHIT IN WASHINGTON.

If they don't have the votes, then what is the point? It's maddening to put up a bill that's going to get 29 votes out of the required 200+. That's a waste of everyone's time. Be big boys, learn how to govern, stop getting your feelings hurt, compromise, make sure shit gets done. My way or the highway doesn't cut it.

 

[ukalumni00]

My Congressman is in the Freedom Caucus and needless to say is hearing an earful from his constituents.

 

[Bill Cosby]

I can't count the number of times I mocked the Obama voters for being blind supporters and eating the shit he spoon fed them while breaking every one of his campaign promises.

You all are no better than those Obama supporters.

If you ever in your life mocked, "If you like your insurance you can keep it," or "if you like your doctor you can stay," or "families will see their premiums reduced by $2,500 per year," etc. then you owe Obama and every lefty on Catpaw an apology.

 

[moe_schmoe]

My Congressman is in the Freedom Caucus and needless to say is hearing an earful from his constituents.

Exactly. This wasn't about constituents or principles. They took it personal, got their feelings hurt and were mad their bill got passed over. Trump gave them what they asked for, and they returned the favor by being disloyal and trying to take advantage.

 

[Willy4UK]

Yeah, I'm pissed. I voted for some goddamn change around here. Shit, what do we get? We now get the Establishment Rs f***** everything up. What we got here is a 100% a governmental shit show.

 

[moe_schmoe]

When did Trump ever say no preexisting and no parent's insurance until 26? That's what the people want, including Freedom Caucus constituents. Trump tried to give it to them. It was the Freedom Caucus who denied their constituents. They are responsible.

They're also responsible for a government health care mandate still being in place and Planned Parenthood still receiving funding. If you can't see they did more harm then good, I'm not sure what to tell you.

Make a list of good that came from a no vote. It begins and ends with no Ryancare. Now make a list of all the bad that came from a no vote. It's not even close.

 

[Rex Kwon Do]

- A crap Obamacare lite bill would have solidified that the majority of Obamacare is etched in stone forever. Not passing it means ACAs failure is hung around Ds necks. Good. ACA Lite would also fail but would be hung around our necks.

Pretty easy choice.

Further, what's stopping them from tweaking it further and trying again? Isn't that their job? Is it in the constitution that you can't keep trying to pass a bill? Pussies.

- Willy, the government shit show as you call it basically means congress isn't doing anything right now.....in my book that is a net positive

- wish they would hold actual votes win or lose. Make these losers cast a public ballot. Might pass, might fail. Go on the real record.

- need more political "bloodshed" like the Brits. Trump thinks you're a shithead R like Ryan? Openly lobby against him. Tap dancing has gotten us nowhere. Ds band together at all costs, I'm fine with doing the exact opposite of what they do and I'm pretty sure the folks feel the same.

- play golf if you want. Just get exec branch shit done.....if cabinet secs had a good week of rolling back regs, play every day that week.

 

[Bill Cosby]

As I said before, I was optimistic about repeal and replace, and tax reform.

I was optimistic because Trump seemed to be anti Republican establishment. Thought maybe we'd get some policy that's good for the country, not just special interests and donors.

I am no longer optimistic because it's clear the Republican establishment will actually be dictating policy after being flatly rejected and embarrassed by the voters.


I can't wait until "tax reform" is actually an increase in rates and elimination of most itemized deductions, and you're telling us how great it is because it's what the Republican establishment wanted.

 

[Bill Cosby]

- A crap Obamacare lite bill would have solidified that the majority of Obamacare is etched in stone forever. Not passing it means ACAs failure is hung around Ds necks. Good. ACA Lite would also fail but would be hung around our necks.

Pretty easy choice.

Further, what's stopping them from tweaking it further and trying again? Isn't that their job? Is it in the constitution that you can't keep trying to pass a bill? Pussies.

- Willy, the government shit show as you call it basically means congress isn't doing anything right now.....in my book that is a net positive

- wish they would hold actual votes win or lose. Make these losers cast a public ballot. Might pass, might fail. Go on the real record.

- need more political "bloodshed" like the Brits. Trump thinks you're a shithead R like Ryan? Openly lobby against him. Tap dancing has gotten us nowhere. Ds band together at all costs, I'm fine with doing the exact opposite of what they do and I'm pretty sure the folks feel the same.

- play golf if you want. Just get exec branch shit done.....if cabinet secs had a good week of rolling back regs, play every day that week.

Rack it all (but only slightly rack the golf part).

 

[Rex Kwon Do]

- also, it's the establishment Rs that screwed repeal and replace.....scared to death so they leave a good chunk of framework in place so the media won't be as mean.....news flash, the media is mean and hates your guts and will say you are murderers irrrrrregardless. Lather, rinse, repeat.

 

[moe_schmoe]

Conservatism's worst enemy? The Freedom Caucus.

The roar of progressive cheering on social media is deafening in the wake of the GOP's failure to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA). Hillary Clinton tweeted, "today was a victory for all Americans."

Neera Tanden of the Center for American Progress tweeted, "I'm thrilled that this unconscionable attack on Planned Parenthood is dead right now."

Friday was a great day to be part of the American left. What a coup for Democrats to score a huge legislative victory when they're the minority party in both houses. How on Earth did they do it? Was it brilliant strategy? Was it top-notch fundraising? Was it powerful rhetoric?

Nope. They didn't have to do anything. The House Freedom Caucus - supposedly the most conservative members of the House of Representatives - handed them victory on a silver platter!

Who would ever have guessed that the saviors of Planned Parenthood would be 31 Ted Cruz disciples?

They sound conservative, they act conservative, and they represent conservative districts, but the House Freedom Caucus is an enemy of conservatism.

The only thing they ever accomplish is ousting Speakers. Breitbart is already reporting on a movement in the House to oust Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). That movement reportedly includes at least two members of the Freedom Caucus.

But basic logic dictates that Freedom Caucus members would be calling for the head of the Speaker, no matter who it was. They're searching for a Speaker who can pass legislation through the House with only 31 votes, and nobody - no matter how much conservative street cred he or she is rocking - can accomplish that.

The 31 men who make up the Freedom Caucus only make up 7 percent of the House of Representatives, but they expect to get 100 percent of their way on everything. When they don't, they pick up their ball and stomp their feet all the way home - even if it means the rest of us get stuck with ObamaCare.

They don't seem to care that not every Republican is from a heavily gerrymandered district that makes losing a seat impossible. They don't seem to care that Republicans chose Donald Trump in the presidential primary over Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas), which was an unambiguous mandate for pragmatic government.

All they seem to care about is digging their ideological heels into the dirt and grandstanding. If they cared about making America more conservative, they would have passed the AHCA.

These 31 representatives are useless to conservatives because having conservative ideas isn't worth anything if those ideas don't translate into legislation that can pass through Congress. They're uncompromising ideologues whose tantrums never end. They're conservative Obamas: unwilling to compromise, unwilling to listen, unwilling to accept partial victory.

If the goal is to make sure Mark Levin doesn't scream at over the airwaves, they're doing great. If the goal is to make America more conservative, they're blowing it big time.

Fact: The AHCA would have defunded Planned Parenthood.

Fact: The AHCA would have reduced deficits by over $300 billion over the next decade. Fact: The AHCA paved the financial path for conservative tax reform.

Now that these billions of dollars weren't freed up by the AHCA thanks to the oh-so-conservative Freedom Caucus, Trump's tax reform agenda has been weakened right out of the gate.

Not to mention the fact that the upcoming tax reform may not give the Freedom Caucus everything they want.

What will caucus members do if that happens? Kill the bill and leave us all with the status quo?

If that's their idea of conservatism, they can keep it.

If Trump, a non-ideologue, is forced to work with Democrats on the healthcare issue, you can bet there won't be any defunding of Planned Parenthood. You can bet any bill won't cut deficits by hundreds of billions. And you can bet it won't include much that the Freedom Caucus likes.

But that would be fine with them, because it will give them something to grandstand against. It'll give them something to spew divisive rhetoric at.

That's what their brand is built on, and that's what keeps them in office.

Some conservative pundits will trash anyone who knocks the Freedom Caucus as a RINO (Republican In Name Only), a moderate or a traitor to the conservative cause, but the opposite is true. A true conservative can easily see that the Freedom Caucus's intransigence makes America more liberal.

Just look at what liberal ideological purism did to Democrats: They've been voted out of government at every level.

Eventually, that's exactly what the tyranny of the Freedom Caucus will do to Republicans. They demand all-or-nothing allegiance to their own ideas and instead of moderately conservative laws, we wind up with the Obama-status-quo albatross around our necks.

I have news for the Freedom Caucus: "true conservatives" don't hand victories to Planned Parenthood, block gigantic deficit cuts or hamper tax reform.

But that's exactly what you all have done.

When 7 percent of House members believe that every piece of legislation should bend to their will, they are what's wrong with our political system. They are the lack of pragmatism that causes gridlock. They are the inaction that halts conservative progress.

Most importantly, they are the ideological purism that Republicans rejected when they chose Trump in the primaries and the American people rejected when we chose Trump in the general election.

If the Freedom Caucus doesn't start making decisions that roll back Obama's America, March 24, 2017 will be the date pundits point to after the 2018 election when they're explaining how Democrats took back the House and Senate.

 

[Rex Kwon Do]

I don't think tax reform is dead Bill....I feel like it secretly is what DT wants most anyways, get the economy on fire and an awful lot of problems go away.

At any rate, it sure af isn't dead because of the $9B lol loss from HCA as someone on here suggested.....the federal government takes $9B hangover dumps

 

[moe_schmoe]

Further, what's stopping them from tweaking it further and trying again? Isn't that their job? Is it in the constitution that you can't keep trying to pass a bill?

Because the Freedom Caucus is unwilling to budge and/or compromise. Trump compromised and tweaked it numerous times for them. They got everything they asked for, but it was never enough. They kept coming back for more.

The fall out came when they wanted no preexisting injuries and parent's insurance until 26. Trump made that promise. Those are two things that are here to stay. The people, including Freedom Caucus constituents, want them. They're barely 30+ representatives, yet they feel they have to get it 100% their way.

I can't wait until "tax reform" is actually an increase in rates and elimination of most itemized deductions,

If that happens you can thank the Freedom Caucus for sabotaging the agenda because they got their feelings hurt.

At any rate, it sure af isn't dead because of the $9B lol loss from HCA as someone on here suggested.

It was nine billion the moment the health care bill was signed. One trillion in total over the years. Without that money the tax cuts Trump is wanting will not clear the budget and will add to the debt. The bill is done if it adds to the debt. It's the main reason Trump went with health care first, to free up that money.