And I respect the Freedom Caucus, dont’ get me wrong. It’s just that NOW they’re acting like conservatives and what goes into this bill is really important - but when it came to re-annointing Ryan (instead of, for example, one of the Freedom Caucus members) as Speakers, they sat on their hands.
This is only Round #1 and the contestants are in their corners, but there will be a vote tomorrow or in a day or two, so now we will see the art of the deal. Everyone seems to think this will reflect badly on Trump but it’s Ryans bill, and if I were Trump I’d be saying, “well Paul, it’s your bill, what are YOU going to change to get it passed?”. It’s his legacy that’s on the line, and his big dreams of passing monumental legislation to change the tax code for the first time in decades and all the rest depends on his ability to do his job as Speaker.
You are correct on your Round 1 assessment.
And this is only Phase I with Phase II and III to follow. And then this mess is moved to the Senate.
I think Trump is using brilliant strategy here. If I took him at his word, I’d be furious. But he is a master of the deal and what he’s saying now is not always his intended end game.
But one thing’s he said is absolutely true.
“Maybe it’ll take till some time into next year, but we are certainly going to be in the process,” Trump said in the interview. “I would like to say by the end of the year, at least the rudiments, but we should have something within the year and the following year.”
Round 1? Yeah. With 100 more rounds to go.