Posted on 02/19/2016 9:08:21 AM PST by SeekAndFind
If Cruz and Rubio are looking for some eleventh-hour ad material to galvanize righties before tomorrow’s big vote, they can’t do better than this.
Somehow, after six years of conservative agitation against the mandate and a 5-4 Supreme Court majority finding it unconstitutional as an exercise of Congress’s commerce (but not taxi!) power, it seems likely we’re going to end up with two consecutive Republican presidential nominees who are pro-mandate.
Romney at least wanted to leave the mandate-making to the states; Trump, an authoritarian with no apparent philosophical interest in federalism, probably won’t be as deferential. The silver lining, though, in nominating Trump as his affronts to conservative orthodoxy pile up (“Bush lied!”) is that we’ll get to finally see in the general election just what sort of real electoral muscle the conservative movement has. In theory, if the GOP electorate is as conservative as people claim, Trump saying something like this should detonate his potential support among a solid third of the party. No major-party nominee can win a general election after bleeding that much support on his own side.
In practice, I’d be very, very surprised if the numbers of Republicans staying home in a Trump/Hillary race greatly exceeded the numbers who stayed home for Romney or McCain. It’d be a different group that failed to show this year than failed to show in previous cycles, but in terms of raw numbers? Partisan tribalism will deliver most Republicans to Trump no matter how many supposed “core” beliefs he tramples on. That’s why, whatever Trump’s critics might tell you right now, he really does stand a decent chance of beating Hillary.
The bit about the mandate isn’t even the most interesting part. That distinction goes to Trump suggesting, repeatedly, that the only alternative is letting people die in the streets. I’m tempted to call that Obama-esque — “my opponents are not just wrong but morally depraved” — but O tends to reserve that form of argument for foreign policy and gun-control lectures. The guy on the left whom Trump sounds like here is actually Alan Grayson, the most notorious progressive troll in Congress, who stood up on the House floor in 2009 and said, “If you get sick, America, the Republican health care plan is this: Die quickly.” Trump couldn’t have said it better himself. We’re maybe 10 days away from making this guy the prohibitive favorite for the Republican nomination.
” He got himself sidetracked and never clarified what he was talking about very well”
He gets sidetracked often because he talks incessantly and uses the word “I” more than anyone I’ve heard perhaps. He went on and on about how smart he is, having attending the Wharton school and his uncle being a pioneer at MIT. Just on and on about how “amazing” he is and not answering the question. He also told Anderson that he might send China and Mexico cease and desist (sp?) demands. He didn’t laugh and neither did the audience.
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We know to expect twisted bullshit from you every time.
There is only one “mandate.”
Trump knows the value of words. He is moving left to siphon votes from Bern/Hill. Tomorrow may surprise people that maybe Trump isn’t as far ahead of Cruz as the pollsters want people to believe. JMHO
Well said.
But unfortunately useless against Trump supporters, who are the most pathetic emotionally retarded followers the world has seen.
Trump is showing his true liberal colors. Once the primaries are over, Trump will move so fast to the left it will make everyone dizzy.
Anderson Cooper talked about what would happen if the Obamacare mandate was repealed and insurance providers no longer had to cover pre-existing conditions. The first words out of Donald Trump’s mouth where “well, I like the mandate.” Trump supporters can spin as much as they want but Trump plainly said that he likes the Obamacare mandate.
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Trump has constantly promised Canadian style Single Payer “healthcare.”
Get some truth, next time its on sale.
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Mandate + Must cover = Obamacare.
Without getting rid of the Mandate, the essential element of Obamacare is not repealed.
That headline is perfectly correct because that is what Trump said. He responded to Anderson Cooper’s question which talked about Obamacare being repealed so that there would no longer be a mandate. The first words out of Trump’s mouth were “well, I like the mandate”
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I can’t imagine how Trump can move any further left.
He’ll fall off the edge of the world. (he is a confirmed FlatEarther)
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I agree completely. Trump has given his support to the key element of Obamacare.
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Nothing patq posts squares with anything but his insane fantasies.
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He has been talking nonstop for seven months... Actually I don’t know how he does as well as he does. He does use the word “I” a lot. I have plenty of reservations. But think he is the best thing we have going for our side right now.
He either doesn’t understand true healthcare issues very well or just doesn’t want to just say outright for political reasons that we don’t need anything to “replace” Obamacare; we just need to open up the healthcare market. The bit about where he doesn’t want to let people die in the streets is just something to make himself sound more compassionate and doesn’t mean anything. No one is denied emergency care in this country. Healthcare savings plans are a good solution to save a little money on your taxes, but a solution for nothing.
Trump is my #2. But getting more squishy all the time.
The Mandate is the key issue against the establishment. It also uses the tax code to make us all serfs.
He just said he likes the mandate which is the central part of Obamacare. Trump wants the government to still be able to force everyone to buy insurance.
>>My understanding is that he was referring to the issue of preexisting conditions.<<
The mandate itself was designed to overcome the issue of preexisting conditions, so in that sense, sure, he was addressing the issue of preexisting conditions...by supporting the mandate!!
You remember the mandate, right, the issue of the government forcing us all to buy insurance, the one that Chief Justice Roberts was assailed by virtually every Republican in the country, most likely including you, for finding constitutional. Yes, that mandate.
Geez...don’t even talk about “understanding”. Trump supporters don’t have a clue what they’re about to unload on this country if they succeed. Not. A. Clue.
You said...
†Trump supporters can spin as much as they want but Trump plainly said that he likes the Obamacare mandate.”
I saw it, too
Should he get the nomination or win the election, I think we’re going to see a lot of buyer’s remorse here. Right now, they’re too emotionally invested in him.
That is what I gathered also, and the reason why we both did is because that is what he said.
Your remember when Trump said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not lose his supporters? This is worse. He’s aiming at all of us with this one, and if he’s President, he won’t miss.
And he was right about the shooting by the way. This proves it. Just read the way his supporters twist what he actually said so that it comes out “right.”
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