The GOP really has a 50-vote problem, not a 60-vote problem. The only way they can keep even their own members in line is to water down most legislation so much that it makes it pretty ineffective.
The primary problem is that Americans, as a whole, are greedy, stupid and unaware. A huge fraction of Americans cannot grasp that ObamaCare is unsustainable and will soon destroy our economy and our healthcare system. Another huge fraction of Americans can grasp that ObamaCare is unsustainable and will soon destroy our economy and our healthcare system, but don't care as long as they get their freebies, however crappy they may be, until the eventual implosion -just because they are “free”
Obama, the Media and the Democrats were brilliant at exempting key constituencies and hiding the disaster of ObamaCare and shielding Americans from the consequences.
Americans will have to directly and personally suffer the painful consequences of ObamaCare before enough of them change their attitudes towards ObamaCare before meaningful change happens
Not to worry - painful consequences are on the horizon as soon as this Fall's enrollment as premiums skyrocket without Obama’s massive and illegal under the table transfers of taxpayer money to insurers to cover up massive red ink dry up and ObamaCare collapses due to ObamaCare’s fundamental unsustainablity.
Once Americans have pay 30-100% increases in premiums with ever higher deductibles
Force Americans to live with the true costs and poor product of ObamaCare without subsidies and they will demand it's repeal.
Give them an alternative, rational, free market option that fits their own personal health care needs and priorities instead of the needs of Democrat voters looking for political payoffs and most American s will flock to the new plans and abandon ObamaCare to die on the vine.
I think this is all part of Trump's negotiation tactics. When Ryancare fails, Trump is going to offer his own plan.
He's going to bring all parties together and hash out a deal.
No it doesn’t. Remember the Dems will have the majority again some day, do you want THEM to not have to navigate the 60 vote rule?
It really doesn’t as desperately as the GOPe pretends it does.
First, McConnell could name a GOP parliamentarian who would be more flexible—rather than sticking with the Dem named one they have. (You know that’s what the Dems would do.)
Second, Pence has the ability to overrule the Senate parliamentarian, so he could take care of it himself.
Third, they could put the essential tax cuts and the essential Obamacare repeal elements in reconciliation and power it through Congress this spring if they wanted to.
Fourth, instead of browbeating the freedom caucus in his first interaction with Congress, Trump could and should be focused on sweet-talking and persuading the Democrats in the Senate from red states.
Unfortunately, none of these is being done and instead Trump and his team are beating up on the good guys in Congress.