The problem with this line of thinking is . . . why did they only have two weeks? They have had eight years to work with Ryan and to shape a bill. Did they really think a “plain” repeal was gonna fly after so many were hooked on some government goodies?
No, you keep letting the HFC off way too easy. They all voted for Ryan. They didn’t run a single candidate against Ryan last time. Today they all said Ryan should still be Speaker.
Now, you can make excuses for them all day long, but it seems to me they want to be “principled” yet never actually have to fight Ryan.
They [the Freedom Caucus] have had eight years to work with Ryan and to shape a bill.
It takes 2. If Ryan refused to work with them, that was it.