As Trumps Tactics Fall Short, Pence Takes Lead on Health Bill

[Julian Englis]

Source: New York Times

President Trump personally lobbied House Republicans to pass health care legislation this year, but the Trump team’s heavy-handed tactics have been ineffective in the Senate, leaving him on the sidelines while Vice President Mike Pence led the effort to salvage the foundering bill.

Mr. Trump became more engaged on Tuesday, summoning all 52 Republican senators to the White House for some last-ditch diplomacy, but only after it became clear Republican leaders were postponing the vote until after the Fourth of July recess.

“The White House has been very involved in these discussion,” Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, said in announcing the postponement. “They’re very anxious to help.”

But the Republican Senate leaders have made it known that they would much rather negotiate with Mr. Pence than the president, according to several White House and congressional officials. And some of the White House’s efforts have clearly been counterproductive.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/27/us/health-care-bill-trump-pence.html?

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The kicker--McConnell called an ad by a pro Trump super pac attacking Republican Senator Heller "beyond stupid, which is also a good description of Trump.

Link to tweet

[BootinUp]

1. Please rec this to the front page!

[Honeycombe8]

11. How? You mean to just rec it? Done. nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. Subtle / not-so-subtle signalling that McCONnell is done with tRump. Impeachment conviction coming?

[BootinUp]

4. It feels important to me. Nt

[oberliner]

6. There is no scenario that results in a Trump impeachment

The Republicans are behind Trump.

[Honeycombe8]

12. It's possible that the Special Counsel result....

will be so bad that it can't be ignored. Clamoring by the people.

And, it depends on how independent the DOJ will be at that point. As we have seen, Rosenstein didn't automatically fall in line for EVERYTHING. He appointed the Special Counsel soon after Comey was fired. Sessions is dirty.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. For now. Trump is getting more toxic to Republicons by the day. . . . . . nt

[Moostache]

3. The Ayatollah of Indianastan is worse than Trump...by far!

I would rather have an incompetent boob like Trump keep self-sabotaging and raging on Twitter than face the wrath of the damage a true zealot like Pence would leave in his wake...

[BootinUp]

5. Yes. Nt

[groundloop]

19. Unfortunately that's true....

We keep clamoring for impeachment of 45*, and I admit that will be a great show for awhile. But once that show is over we'll face the reality of a hard core right winger who's more competent at pushing his agenda.

HOWEVER, 45* has done plenty to hurt us already, one notable item has been his systematic dismantling of the EPA. I've no doubt that the kochs are directing the show on that though.

[Dopers_Greed]

7. Maybe SNL should start making jokes about Pence being "the real president"

Herrpiece Fuhrer might be coaxed into sacking him

[Honeycombe8]

13. The President can't fire the V.P. The V.P. was elected.

But he can take away his duties, move his office to be away from the IN crowd, and isolate him, and be rude to him, yell at him.

I think JFK did that to LBJ.

[torius]

22. lol

Herrpiece Fuhrer, love it!!

[hibbing]

8. It's not a "health bill" n/t

[Solly Mack]

9. Is that supposed to make me feel better about it all?

[babylonsister]

16. Not happening. It's laughable, no, tragic. nt

[Solly Mack]

17. Agreed.

[Honeycombe8]

10. Did he really say that? Nice to know that he's not so stupid that he doesn't know

that Trump is stupid.

But I thought McConnell was in on the Russian collusion to elect Trump.

[Volaris]

18. Mconnell CAN have been on the fix, AND know that Trump is indeed, stupid.

[babylonsister]

14. No one has taken the lead on anything. Pence

is useless, the rethugs are useless, I just hope we don't have a big war before everyone recognizes this.

[Honeycombe8]

20. That article doesn't say that McConnell said that Trump can also be described as stupid.

????

[spooky3]

21. Hey, Repubs, why not craft a bill that improves on Obamacare

and pleases your constituents, rather than on arm twisting? Bet the revised bill would be much easier to pass.