Ryan conceded the argument that there is a Federal entitlement to healthcare. That was never part of the Republican platform, and refusing to support that position was the correct one.
I don’t accept it, but this will be one of the moments in time, in my estimation, when we will look back and say we should take any deal we can so long as it move the sticks down the field even if only a first down at a time. Why? Because what we have for the next 20 months, maybe, 44 months, is the most right wing government we will see probably ever again, barring some major world aligning event. Standing on principle and wasting 5% of the time we have to govern is completely unacceptable.
Reality:
We won this election and lost the popular vote by a few million. Do you really think they will not be mobilized next time in the mid west? Pulling this off again will be beyond difficult.
47 million people are on food stamps
50% of workers don’t make enough to pay federal taxes
You can stand on principle all you want, but if you are not at least stopping the bleeding and/or moving ahead, even if only a little, we are wasting our time.
I didn’t like it all that much, but passing that bill would have maintained momentum and given us cover for a fat ass tax cut thru the CBO. We needed to deflate their base too, weaken their energy. They are now amped and have been rewarded for their insane behavior.
Trump couldn’t get the GOP to agree. Give into the FC and the moderates fell off, etc. He’s not going to waste time with them if they can’t, or Ryan can’t, get their act together. He’s going to move left because he’s a man of action more than he is a conservative. Don’t get me wrong, he’s mostly conservative on most issues, but he’s not an ideologue which is why he’s happy to talk to anyone. He wants results and wants to get $hit done, I genuinely think he will deal with anyone from either party on equal footing.
Don’t ever think Trump won’t mix in a medicare for all concept with some blend of cross border competitive health care market for those who can afford it and present that as a grand compromise.