the formula for a transition to single payer is simple: expand Medicare down, expand Medicaid up

Expand Medicare downwards in terms of age eligibility, expand Medicaid up in terms of qualifying income/assets.

That way you get buy in from 55-64 year olds as well as working class voters who resent (fairly or unfairly) poor people getting government healthcare while they don't.

Eventually the two programs will converge.

Trump unhappy Jared Kushner took a powder on the ski slopes as health care bill floundered

Source: CNN

While the rest of his senior staff scrambled all day Thursday and Friday morning to squeeze votes for President Trump's flailing health care package, one person remained notably absent: Jared Kushner.


Along with this wife, Ivanka Trump, another key cog in the president's inner circle, Kushner was on vacation, skiing with family in the posh Colorado town of Aspen. Paparazzi caught Jared and Ivanka taking leisurely strolls, enjoying ice cream cones with their three kids and winding their way down the slopes.

Meanwhile, back in Washington, Trump was fuming. According to a source close to the president, "[Trump] is upset that his son-in-law and senior adviser was not around during this crucial week."

...

Kushner's plan to stay out-of-office this week while the health care package faltered could mean he'll get some of the blame from his father-in-law. Trump is reportedly already pointing fingers at his top staffers for what he considers shoddy support. Or, Kushner could perhaps avoid the entire debacle; the Orthodox Jew typically stays away from work after sundown on Fridays. We've asked the White House if Kushner will be back to work at his office by Monday -- so far, no word.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/24/politics/jared-kushner-aspen-ski-trip-obamacare/index.html

Happening right now.

Dolt 45 has issued his ultimatum to House Republicans.