Oh heck. Does this mean Trump's a Republican after all?

Oh heck. Does this mean Trump's a Republican after all?

by digby

After all that nonsense abut Trump being an independent, transactional pragmatist who wants to work across the aisle because he has so much more in common with Chuck and Nancy and really "likes" them, it appears everyone just wanted the Democrats to take the heat for passing bills the wingnuts knew they needed to pass and now the Republicans are all on the same page again:

House Speaker Paul Ryan and the White House have informed Senate Republican leaders that they oppose a bipartisan plan to stabilize Obamacare being written in the Senate, according to Trump administration and congressional sources, in a clear bid to boost the Senate's prospects of repealing the health law.

After Senate Republicans failed to repeal Obamacare in July, talks began on fixing the law rather than dismantling it. The dose of cold water from senior GOP officials will put pressure on Republican senators to back a last-ditch bill to gut Obamacare before a Sept. 30 deadline. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell backed that approach publicly on Tuesday.

Republicans say that while the bipartisan talks between Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) initially seemed promising, many in the GOP fear providing money for Obamacare but offering little for conservatives — especially after Republican lawmakers have been throttled by President Donald Trump and the GOP base for failing to repeal the health law.

Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday that the Trump administration is all-in on the latest repeal effort, flying to Washington with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to deliver a message to the Senate GOP on repeal: "This is the moment. Now is the time," according to a pool report. Ryan and Trump called them during the plane ride as well.

Yeah, thinking the Republicans want to do anything in a bipartisan manner unless it's to benefit them and only them, is foolish. If they need to Dems to get something off the table that causes them problems with the base, fine. They can blame the hippies. But there is no other reason they will work with Democrats unless Democrats are ready to completely capitulate on every point. Even then, I'm not sure they wouldn't reject it.

This is really bad, people. Call McCain's office and lie your ass off. Tell him that you have admired him all your life and his legacy will be decided by him fulfilling his reputation as a maverick who doesn't play politics and a hero who always does the right thing. Say this whether you believe it or not.

Krugman:

Graham-Cassidy is objectively awful, and would be a death sentence for thousands. But there's more 1/ nyti.ms/2jH4VsZ via @UpshotNYT

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

Replying to @paulkrugman @UpshotNYT

Consider what trying to ram through legislation that would affect tens of millions of lives and 1/5 of the economy with no analysis says 2/

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

Replying to @paulkrugman @UpshotNYT

First, it says that the GOP has no interest in governing well. Dems spent years devising health care approach, had plenty of debate 3/

Paul Krugman

@paulkrugman

Rs are prepared to rush through junk policy without even trying to understand it. This is not normal -- and parties not symmetric 4/

8:33am · 19 Sep 2017 · Twitter Web Client

Reply to @paulkrugman @Iddybud @UpshotNYT

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

Replying to @paulkrugman @UpshotNYT

Beyond that, the fact that nobody with R after name, no matter how appealing his or her persona, can be trusted to vote in good faith 5/

Paul Krugman @paulkrugman

Replying to @paulkrugman @UpshotNYT

It's just a very sick, scary party, and anyone who has stayed with it is both feeding that sickness and vulnerable to it 6/