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How Donald Trump Helped Pass OBamacare
AEI.org ^ | 1/26/2016 | Mark A. Thiessen

Posted on 01/26/2016 11:30:32 AM PST by conservativejoy

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures and declares "You'\'re fired!" at a rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, June 17, 2015. Reuters Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures and declares "You're fired!" at a rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, June 17, 2015. Reuters

In the announcement speech for his presidential campaign, Donald Trump railed against Obamacare. "We have a disaster called the big lie: Obamacare," Trump declared. "I would repeal and replace the big lie, Obamacare."

Well, that sounds like something a Republican candidate would say. But there is one problem: Trump helped finance the Democratic takeover of Congress in 2006 - which put in place the liberal majority that passed Obamacare over the objections of congressional Republicans. And he continued to support a Democratic Senate majority after Obamacare.

As Trump knows, money talks - and Trump has given more than $100,000 to the Democratic House and Senate campaign committees. In 2006 - the year Democrats took back Congress - he gave $25,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (while his son Donald Trump Jr. gave $22,500). They gave Republican committees just $1,000 that year.

In other words, Trump wanted Nancy Pelosi to be speaker of the House and Harry Reid the Senate majority leader.

Which is not surprising. At the time he made those contributions, from August 2001 to September 2009, Trump was a registered Democrat. (He had been registered in New York first as a Republican, then a member of the Independence Party, then a Democrat, then a Republican again, and then became unaffiliated.)

So maybe he came to regret it after Reid and Pelosi rammed through Obamacare? Apparently not. In 2010 - immediately after the passage of Obamacare - Trump continued to donate to Reid. Trump has donated at least $10,400 to Reid, including $4,800 for his 2010 race against Sharron Angle - a victory that helped keep the Senate in Democratic hands and Reid as majority leader. So Trump continued to support Reid as majority leader in the election immediately after the passage of Obamacare.

In his home state of New York, Trump also donated disproportionately to Democrats. The Post reported in 2011 that “The biggest recipient of all has been the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee of New York, which has taken in more than $125,000 from Trump and his companies. Overall, Trump has given nearly $600,000 to New York state campaigns, with more than two-thirds going to Democrats." He even boasted of it. "So, what am I going to do, contribute to Republicans?" he told Fox News'S Sean Hannity. "I mean, one thing I'm not stupid. Am I going to contribute to a Republican for my whole life when they get, they run against some Democrat. And the most they can get is one percent of the vote?"

Trump also gave $50,000 to another Obamacare architect, Rahm Emanuel - the former Obama White House chief of staff - for his campaign to become mayor of Chicago. He gave $5,500 to John Kerry and $7,000 to the late liberal icon of the Senate, Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). Other Democrats who have benefited from Trump's largesse include Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.), Sen. Frank Lautenberg (N.J.), Rep. Charlie Rangel (N.Y.) and Sen. Hillary Clinton (N.Y.). A major issue in the 2016 election will be allegations of corruption surrounding donations to the Clinton Foundation. But it will also be hard for Trump to make an issue of that since he gave at least $100,000 to the Clinton Foundation.

Yes, Trump has given to Republicans, too, especially since he started toying with the idea of running for the Republican nomination. But Trump expresses disdain for the GOP field. He told Bill O'Reilly last week, "Well , I don't have a lot of respect for many of them."

With all his past support for Democrats, Trump ought to be asked: Will he commit to supporting whoever is the eventual Republican nominee? After all, why should he be welcomed into the Republican fold if he is going to end up throwing his support to Clinton?

The fact is, Trump isn't a Democrat or a Republican - he is an opportunist. He's less a candidate than a brand. And running for president is great for the Trump brand, an opportunity for Donald Trump to take the national stage and tell us all how great he is. He pretty much admitted as much during his announcement speech, when he pointed out that some questioned whether he was really as successful as he claimed. "So I said to myself, you know, nobody's ever going to know unless I run, because I'm really proud of my success," Trump said. "I really am."

You don't say.


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: brokenrecord; ibtz; ilovetowhine; waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
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1 posted on 01/26/2016 11:30:32 AM PST by conservativejoy
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To: conservativejoy
What I thought it was Cruz's best friend, supremest Roberts that made ‘Kennedy/care the law...
2 posted on 01/26/2016 11:33:50 AM PST by Just mythoughts (Jesus said Luke 17:32 Remember Lot's wife.)
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To: conservativejoy

Cruz supported Roberts.

Roberts was the vote that saved Obamacare.

Therefore Cruz helped pass it.

See! I can do it too!


3 posted on 01/26/2016 11:34:45 AM PST by VanDeKoik
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To: conservativejoy

I’m guessing nothing is going to stop his supporters from supporting him.

When he said something to the effect that he could shoot someone and still not lose support, I’m sad to say he wasn’t kidding


4 posted on 01/26/2016 11:35:01 AM PST by LMAO (#BlackLivesMatterWhenItsForPoliticalPoints)
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To: conservativejoy
This is so funny. Cruzers trying to claim Trump is the step father of ObamaCare.

When Cruz is gone and Trump is the last guy standing, I wonder if they will still try to bring him down. Maybe they will like Hillary better.

5 posted on 01/26/2016 11:35:36 AM PST by Awgie (truth is always stranger than fiction)
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To: LMAO

Buying off politicians is not presented as a problem to me. In fact he was pretty prescient on knowing who the party in charge would be wouldn’t you say? And you don’t buy off Losers who have no power to assist you in your business Dealings:-)


6 posted on 01/26/2016 11:38:19 AM PST by Harpotoo
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To: conservativejoy

Reality bites and now come the Trumpettes. He’s a business man getting deals done. He had to do it don’t you know. Everybody says he had to and I mean everybody, people you would know, big people, people came up to Don on the street saying “we’ve got to get this done” and make great deals, you know he makes great deals.


7 posted on 01/26/2016 11:38:21 AM PST by hollyweed
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To: conservativejoy
We need someone who tells it like it is.

We need someone who will give it to all the establishment types.

We gotta have someone who will stomp the crap out of ISIS.

We need to Make America Great Again.

8 posted on 01/26/2016 11:38:28 AM PST by Slyfox (Ted Cruz does not need the presidency - the presidency needs Ted Cruz)
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To: VanDeKoik

Rahm Emmanuel? Rahm?!?!

how does that help his business empire??

really? Rahm?

senators are powerful people. if you are a big shot you donate to both sides.

but Rahm?!?!


9 posted on 01/26/2016 11:38:44 AM PST by dp0622
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To: VanDeKoik

We had a better chance with Roberts than Trumps homely sister.


10 posted on 01/26/2016 11:39:13 AM PST by hollyweed
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To: Awgie

This reminds me of 2012.

many of us expressed the same concerns over Romney and heard the same promises from him. Only after he lost, he was able to remove the mask.

I suspect we will get the same from Trump if and when he’s elected.


11 posted on 01/26/2016 11:39:22 AM PST by LMAO (#BlackLivesMatterWhenItsForPoliticalPoints)
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To: LMAO
C'mon. For Cruzers to be anything but embarrassed to hear folks contend that Trump somehow helped pass Obamacare is beyond weird. JMHO, many Cruzers are heading toward the deranged category.

What if Cruz hadn't advocated Roberts being nominated for the SC? Perhaps a real conservative would've been nominated, not a backstabbing compromised fool. That's what would've stopped Obamacare.

When is Cruz going to apologize?

12 posted on 01/26/2016 11:39:45 AM PST by grania
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To: conservativejoy
Here is more evidence about the real Trump.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/267003-trump-ill-work-with-democrats

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcUCLwWCihE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UO3nn7awUk

13 posted on 01/26/2016 11:40:11 AM PST by elhombrelibre (Against Obama. Against Putin. Pro-freedom. Pro-US Constitution. Go Cruz.)
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To: Slyfox

Trump said we have the Russians to take care of ISIS... well that was until they started murdering natural born citizens according to Don.


14 posted on 01/26/2016 11:40:45 AM PST by hollyweed
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To: Harpotoo

You said...
“Buying off politicians is not presented as a problem to me. In fact he was pretty prescient on knowing who the party in charge would be wouldn’t you say? And you don’t buy off Losers who have no power to assist you in your business Dealings:-)”

Yup...
My point made:(


15 posted on 01/26/2016 11:41:07 AM PST by LMAO (#BlackLivesMatterWhenItsForPoliticalPoints)
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To: Awgie
Trump says he's in favor of single payer, universal health care. See the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcUCLwWCihE

16 posted on 01/26/2016 11:41:57 AM PST by elhombrelibre (Against Obama. Against Putin. Pro-freedom. Pro-US Constitution. Go Cruz.)
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To: grania

I agree! Trump was for full blown socialized medicine.


17 posted on 01/26/2016 11:42:05 AM PST by hollyweed
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To: grania

You said...
“C’mon. For Cruzers to be anything but embarrassed to hear folks contend that Trump somehow helped pass Obamacare is beyond weird. JMHO, many Cruzers are heading toward the deranged category.

What if Cruz hadn’t advocated Roberts being nominated for the SC? Perhaps a real conservative would’ve been nominated, not a backstabbing compromised fool. That’s what would’ve stopped Obamacare.

When is Cruz going to apologize?”

Here’s the obligatory, “but, but, but, but, but, but, but,but Cruz” defense


18 posted on 01/26/2016 11:43:08 AM PST by LMAO (#BlackLivesMatterWhenItsForPoliticalPoints)
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To: LMAO
"I’m guessing nothing is going to stop his supporters from supporting him."

You could be talking about either Trump or Cruz. Either way, nobody around here is going to change their mind.

19 posted on 01/26/2016 11:43:12 AM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18 - Be The Leaderless Resistance)
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To: conservativejoy

His fans accept his explanation that he gave to democrats because he needed favors for his business, and since he has done it and knows how corrupt how corrupt politicians are, they can trust him because he can’t be bought. Alrighty, then.

I just think a man of principles wouldn’t donate to thieving, abortion loving, gun grabbing politicians no matter how much it would be good for business.


20 posted on 01/26/2016 11:43:23 AM PST by Rusty0604 (1q)
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