Trump tastes failure as U.S. House healthcare bill collapses

[rooster59]

Trump tastes failure as U.S. House healthcare bill collapses

By David Lawder and Steve Holland

 

 

U.S. President Donald Trump talks to journalists at the Oval Office of the White House after the AHCA health care bill was pulled before a vote, accompanied by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price (L) and Vice President Mike Pence, in Washington, U.S. March 24, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump suffered a stunning political setback on Friday in a Congress controlled by his own party when Republican leaders pulled legislation to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system, a major 2016 election campaign promise of the president and his allies.

 

House of Representatives leaders yanked the bill after a rebellion by Republican moderates and the party's most conservative lawmakers left them short of votes, ensuring that Trump's first major legislative initiative since taking office on Jan. 20 ended in failure. Democrats were unified against it.

 

House Republicans had planned a vote on the measure after Trump late on Thursday cut off negotiations with Republicans who had balked at the plan and issued an ultimatum to vote on Friday, win or lose. But desperate lobbying by the White House and Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan was unable to round up the 216 votes needed for passage.

 

"We learned a lot about loyalty. We learned a lot about the vote-getting process," Trump told reporters at the White House, although he sought to shift the blame to the Democrats even though his party controls the White House, the House and the Senate.

 

With Friday's legislative collapse, Democratic former President Barack Obama's signature domestic policy achievement, the 2010 Affordable Care Act - known as Obamacare - remains in place despite seven years of Republican promises to dismantle it.

 

The healthcare failure called into question not only Trump's ability to get other key parts of his agenda, including tax cuts and a boost in infrastructure spending, through Congress, but the Republican Party's capacity to govern effectively.

 

Neither Trump nor Ryan indicated any plans to try to tackle healthcare legislation again anytime soon. Trump said he would turn his attention to getting "big tax cuts" through Congress, another tricky proposition.

 

Republican supporters said the legislation would achieve their goal of rolling back the government's "nanny state" role in healthcare. The White House made undoing Obamacare its top priority when Trump took office two months ago.

 

But the White House and House leaders were unable to come up with a plan that satisfied the clashing interests of moderates and conservatives, despite Trump's vaunted image as a deal maker.

 

Amid a chaotic scramble for votes, Ryan, who championed the bill, met with Trump at the White House. Ryan said he recommended that it be withdrawn from the House floor because he did not have the votes to pass it, and Trump agreed.

 

"We were just probably anywhere from 10 to 15 votes short," Trump said. "With no Democrat support we couldn't quite get there."

 

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the bill failed "because of two traits that have plagued the Trump presidency since he took office: incompetence and broken promises."

 

Democrats said the bill would take away medical insurance from millions of Americans and leave the more-than-$3 trillion U.S. healthcare system in disarray.

 

And some moderate Republicans opposed the bill because of worries that millions of America would be hurt.

 

"There were things in this bill that I didn't particularly like," Trump added, without specifying what those were, but expressed confidence in Ryan's leadership.

 

"Perhaps the best thing that could happen is exactly what happened today, because we'll end up with a truly great healthcare bill in the future after this mess known as Obamacare explodes," said Trump, who had posted multiple tweets throughout March proclaiming that "Obamacare is imploding" and repeatedly saying that Republicans were coming together to pass the bill.

 

Friday's events cast doubt on whether Ryan can get major legislation approved by fractious Republican lawmakers.

 

"I will not sugarcoat this. This is a disappointing day for us. Doing big things is hard," Ryan said at a news conference, adding that his fellow Republicans are experiencing what he called "growing pains" transitioning from an opposition party to a governing party.

 

"Obamacare's the law of the land," Ryan added. "We're going to be living with Obamacare for the foreseeable future."

 

"A LITTLE SURPRISED"

 

Members of the Freedom Caucus, the House's most conservative members, were instrumental in the bill's failure, opposing it among other reasons because they considered parts too similar to Obamacare.

 

Trump said he was disappointed and "a little surprised" with the Freedom Caucus opposition.

 

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said under the Republican legislation 14 million people would lose medical coverage by next year and more than 24 million would be uninsured in 2026.

 

News that the bill had been pulled before a final vote was greeted initially with a small sigh of relief by U.S. equity investors, who earlier in the week had been fretful that an outright defeat would damage Trump's other priorities, such as tax cuts and infrastructure spending. Benchmark U.S. stock market indexes ended the session mixed after rallying back from session lows following the news. The S&P 500 Index <.SPX> ended fractionally lower, the blue chip Dow Jones Industrial Average <.DJI> slipped about 0.3 percent and the Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> rose about 0.2 percent.

 

Shares of hospital operators finished sharply higher, with the S&P healthcare facilities index up 2.7 percent, while the S&P 500 healthcare sector edged down 0.03 percent. The dollar strengthened modestly on the news, and U.S. Treasury bond yields edged up from session lows.

 

Trump said he would be "totally open" to working with Democrats on healthcare "when they all become civilized." House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said working to lower prescription drug prices was one area of possible cooperation with Republicans.

 

Republican Representative Dana Rohrabacher said before the bill was pulled that voting it down would be "neutering Trump" while empowering his opponents.

 

"You don't cut the balls off a bull and then expect that he can go out and get the job done," Rohrabacher told Reuters. "This will emasculate Trump and we can't do that. ... If we bring this down now, Trump will have lost all of his leverage to pass whatever bill it is, whether it's the tax bill or whatever reforms that he wants."

 

Representative Joe Barton of Texas, when asked why his fellow Republicans were so united over the past seven years to dump Obamacare only to fall apart when they actually do something about it, said, "Sometimes you're playing fantasy football and sometimes you’re in the real game."

 

Obamacare boosted the number of Americans with health insurance through mandates on individuals and employers, and income-based subsidies. About 20 million Americans gained insurance coverage through the law.

 

The House plan would have rescinded a range of taxes created by Obamacare, ended a penalty on people who refuse to obtain health insurance, and ended Obamacare's income-based subsidies to help people buy insurance while creating less-generous age-based tax credits

 

It also would have ended Obamacare's expansion of the Medicaid state-federal insurance programme for the poor, cut future federal Medicaid funding and let states impose work requirements on some Medicaid recipients.

 

House leaders agreed to a series of last-minute changes to try to win over disgruntled conservatives, including ending the Obamacare requirement that insurers cover certain "essential benefits" such as maternity care, mental health services and prescription drug coverage.

 

Click on the links below for related graphics:

 

Graphic on Obamacare and Republican healthcare bill (http://tmsnrt.rs/2n0ZMKf)

 

Graphic on poll on Americans' views of the Republican healthcare bill (http://tmsnrt.rs/2n7f3e4)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-25

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

No doubt anti Trumpers will be cheering from the rafters, but it's ordinary Americans that are paying higher premiums and deductibles. I doubt Trump has to worry about healthcare bills.

[sirineou]

I don't understand.

During the campaign when asked how he would accomplice the things he said her would .

Trump said: I dont want to reveal my strategy so they can defend against it. I am smart very smart, I will get them all in room and get it done!

So what was the problem? He could not get a room??

[jerojero]

No doubt anti Trumpers will be cheering from the rafters, but it's ordinary Americans that are paying higher premiums and deductibles. I doubt Trump has to worry about healthcare bills.

Along with the millions who would have lost coverage or seen premiums skyrocket. Face it, Trump rushed it and his famous Deal Making failed. Mr Big just got flattened.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

6 minutes ago, jerojero said:

Along with the millions who would have lost coverage or seen premiums skyrocket. Face it, Trump rushed it and his famous Deal Making failed. Mr Big just got flattened.

 

It wasn't Trump's bill. It was the GOP's bill, so it was they that blew it. Sure, Trump promised reform, and he pushed for it, but it wasn't up to him, in the end. 

People will blame him, but that is because they hate him.

The body that will come off worst in the real world is the GOP. They railed against it for 7 1/2 years, and when they got the chance to change it, failed big time.

[darksidedog]

"Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the bill failed “because of two traits that have plagued the Trump presidency since he took office: incompetence and broken promises."

Hopefully, if and when they revisit this issue, they will come in with a well thought out and carefully considered plan that does not see millions of people losing coverage.

[Gecko123]

The healthcare fiasco awakened a lot of his supporters to the reality that he does not have their interests at heart, and that he lacks the intellectual chops to contribute problem solving ideas. 

 

His tax proposals, which are little more than voodoo Reaganonomics redux, are going to run into the same buzz saw.  Opposition from both the left (for being too generous to the rich), and from the right (for being fiscally irresponsible).

 

Trump's legislative agenda appears to be in serious trouble. 

Edited March 25, 2017 by Gecko123

[Roadman]

31 minutes ago, sirineou said:

I don't understand.

During the campaign when asked how he would accomplice the things he said her would .

Trump said: I dont want to reveal my strategy so they can defend against it. I am smart very smart, I will get them all in room and get it done!

So what was the problem? He could not get a room??

Smart? He has got things done in his business because he is the guy with the money. He's not smart. He is supposed to be a leader bringing people together but his bullying big mouth gets in the way. He does not have the intelligence to do that and even after being sat on his backside by his own people still hasn't learnt by what he is saying above about the Democrats, with wanting their support but "when they become civilised". Jeez.... One cannot even say unbelievable about this train wreck as you could see it coming before he was even elected...the house, senate and presidency under their control and all they can say is teething troubles...

[whoareyou]

Obama must be kicking back with a beer and just shaking his head with a huge grin ATM

[Thailand]

Not quite like the apprentice is it?  

 

[Hedghog]

Maybe he should read his book.

The Art of the Deal.

[Emster23]

"...the AHCA health care bill was pulled before a vote, ..." Shows just how toxic voting yes would be. Cowards. Afraid to go on record voting for what been screaming about for last 7 years? Afraid get voted out next election. Now they can invent any spin they want to fool the voters. At least Goldilocks had the courage to same the porridge.

 Not Trumps bill? Oh please. Then why do trumpies call it "Obamacare"? It wasn't his bill either under this definition

Donald is showing once more his severe deficit regarding how politics works.

[Gecko123]

The healthcare reform setback is going to have a greater impact on how successful tax reform will be than most people realize. That's because healthcare reform provided disproportionately huge tax breaks for upper income brackets (payroll tax recision) which were not immediately obvious. No doubt, these tax cuts escaped the attention of many of Trump's 'Joe Six-Pac' supporters. 

 

It is going to be a lot harder to hide such inequities in a tax reform bill. It will all be out in the open for all to see. Trump's hope is that by tossing out nickels and dimes to the proletariat, no one will notice or care that the rich are benefiting to the tune of millions and billions of dollars. But the American people are waking up, even if, sadly, belatedly. The Republican party is in the process of discovering that if there's one thing the American people hate about its government more than inaction and gridlock, it's a government which doesn't have the people's best interests at heart.

[hansnl]

1 hour ago, whoareyou said:

Obama must be kicking back with a beer and just shaking his head with a huge grin ATM

Has he got anything else to be proud of?

[whoareyou]

Has he got anything else to be proud of?

Yes. He was against the travel ban, trump failed.

I use to support trump but he is showing he is clearly out of his depth as a politician. One can only hope he has a camera man with him 24/7 for the next reality show in around 4 years..

[Becker]

10 minutes ago, hansnl said:

Has he got anything else to be proud of?

Quite a lot actually. But Obama kicking back with a grin and a beer indicates "schadefreude", not pride. Hope this cleared up your confusion.

[Gecko123]

15 minutes ago, whoareyou said:

Yes. He was against the travel ban, trump failed.

I use to support trump but he is showing he is clearly out of his depth as a politician. One can only hope he has a camera man with him 24/7 for the next reality show in around 4 years..

You are to be congratulated. It takes a big man to admit a mistake. I hope more will do the same in the hopes that the damage caused by his presidency can be minimized. 

[atyclb]

39 minutes ago, hansnl said:

Has he got anything else to be proud of?

aside from his ladyboy wife?

[atyclb]

agree with rand paul that a replacement should not be obamacare light.

 

although not perfect, canada provides healthcare for its citizens and apparently does it using taxes already paid and not charging separately to buy insurance.

 

why cant usa given one of the biggest economies in the world not do what canada has done?

Edited March 25, 2017 by atyclb

[Silurian]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

With Friday's legislative collapse, Democratic former President Barack Obama's signature domestic policy achievement, the 2010 Affordable Care Act - known as Obamacare - remains in place despite seven years of Republican promises to dismantle it.

 

One would think with seven years worth of time to come up with a plan that it would be long enough for the GOP to do so. Yet when the rubber hits the road, the GOP flops flat on their face. Seven Years! Geez, this really shows how empty is the governing ability of the GOP. They got so used to being the party of "No" and the party of the opposition that they don't know what to do now they are in power. The GOP are bouncing around among their own party and coming face-to-face with the reality of their new (worthless) POTUS.

 

It is so bad that the clown POTUS has stated that he would be "totally open" to working with Democrats. I wonder if a standing President can switch parties while in office? Wouldn't that be a shocker?!

 

Edited March 25, 2017 by Silurian

[Godolphin]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

It wasn't Trump's bill. It was the GOP's bill, so it was they that blew it. Sure, Trump promised reform, and he pushed for it, but it wasn't up to him, in the end. 

People will blame him, but that is because they hate him.

The body that will come off worst in the real world is the GOP. They railed against it for 7 1/2 years, and when they got the chance to change it, failed big time.

Yes, it was the GOP's bill and it certainly shows most Republican congressmen up for what they are, especially the "Freedom" Caucus: a rump of ideology-driven right wingers whose main aim is to attack and strip away as many rights and conditions as they can. And for who they truly represent: the business elite.

 

People hate Trump? He's certainly giving people plenty of currency to fear, mistrust, and, yes, hate what he is doing. As for hatred being the only motivation for opposition to Trump, well that's casting a big net over a growing proportion of the population which seems to be growing daily. Honestly, do you blame people for not liking this man?

[atyclb]

16 minutes ago, Silurian said:

 

One would think with seven years worth of time to come up with a plan that it would be long enough for the GOP to do so. Yet when the rubber hits the road, the GOP flops flat on their face. Seven Years! Geez, this really shows how empty is the governing ability of the GOP. They got so used to being the party of "No" and the party of the opposition that they don't know what to do now they are in power. The GOP are bouncing around among their own party and coming face-to-face with the reality of their new (worthless) POTUS.

 

It is so bad that the clown POTUS has stated that he would be "totally open" to working with Democrats. I wonder if a standing President can switch parties while in office? Wouldn't that be a shocker?!

 

 

i'll go with the term coined by jesse ventura for this one "2 party dictatorship"     not really so much about dems vs repubs but about corruption, special interests, etc etc.

Edited March 25, 2017 by atyclb

[darksidedog]

1 hour ago, Hedghog said:

Maybe he should read his book.

The Art of the Deal.

Some interesting anagrams of that book.

The tale for death.

Hated for the tale and The death of later, just to mention a few.

[Traveler19491]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

It wasn't Trump's bill. It was the GOP's bill, so it was they that blew it. Sure, Trump promised reform, and he pushed for it, but it wasn't up to him, in the end. 

People will blame him, but that is because they hate him.

The body that will come off worst in the real world is the GOP. They railed against it for 7 1/2 years, and when they got the chance to change it, failed big time.

 

Sorry, but when Trump decided to get behind the GOP bill and push like hell for. it to be adopted, it became his bill. He invested a tremendous amount of political capital in getting this bill passed, even though the CBO predicted that 14 million would lose their insurance immediately and 24 million would lose their insurance within the next ten years. A 64-year-ol person making $25,000 a year would have seen their individual premium jump from $1700 per year under Obamacare to $14,600 under Trumpcare (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-23/trumpcare-has-seniors-rethinking-early-retirement). The bill failed in large measure because of Trump's increasing toxicity. Not even the petulant clown Louie Gommert was willing to get behind Trump on this one, likely reading the tea leaves and seeing that, long term, standing with Trump is going to prove fatal for one's political career. Trump's numbers keep plummeting as his inability to control his overwhelming urge to lash out at anyone he feels has slighted him in even the most trivial manner and his penchant for embracing the wildest of conspiracy theories without the first shred of evidence reveal him to be the incompetent, incapable, ineffective, unqualified buffoon that he is. "People will blame him, but that is because they hate him." Hating Trump has nothing to do with it. People despise Trump because of his complete and total lack of intellect and his unimaginable narcissism. He admitted to Tucker Carlson that this bill would hurt those who supported him in order to benefit the wealthy, and he didn't care in the least (http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-ahca-rural-voters-supporters-tucker-carlson-2017-3). He has also admitted that his promise of "health care for all" was a lie (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/white-house-admits-trump-insurance-for-everybody-guarantee-isnt-going-to-happen/ar-BByo3Nf). On the campaign trail, Trump made promise after promise, all of which he has now backed away from. He used the desperate, the gullible, the undereducated, the naive, and the ill-informed to get into office, and now. like a used tissue, he's throwing them all away, hence his falling numbers. And GOP politicians are becoming increasingly hesitant to have their wagons hitched to his falling star. The problem for them is that, if they continue to distance themselves from Trump out of political expediency, Trump will inevitably view this as disloyalty and seek to repay them in kind. He'll turn on them in a New York minute, which will have the effect of gutting the Republican dream of holding an iron-fisted grip on all three branches and ramming through their agenda meant to benefit the wealthy even more than they have while destroying any and all elements of the social safety net, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, low-income housing assistance, and anything else that even remotely smacks of empathy. Their oligarchical state will likely never get off the ground as Trump will refuse to sign anything they put in front of him.

[joecoolfrog]

2 hours ago, hansnl said:

Has he got anything else to be proud of?

Trump makes Obama look better by the hour , little doubt which one history will be kinder to.

[ballpoint]

“So I’ve watched the politicians. I’ve dealt with them all my life. If you can’t make a good deal with a politician, then there’s something wrong with you. You’re certainly not very good.”

 

D. Trump

 

 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2017 by ballpoint

[Ramen087]

3 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

“So I’ve watched the politicians. I’ve dealt with them all my life. If you can’t make a good deal with a politician, then there’s something wrong with you. You’re certainly not very good.”

D. Trump

Maybe when the issue is revisited in a year politicians from both sides will be able to get together, make a deal that's good for each political party, and the citizens of the USA.

[Grubster]

Single payer plan is the only hope and will likely never happen. Republicans hate unions except of course the Bar assn., AMA, and the insurance lobby, the three most powerful in the country.

[joecoolfrog]

2 hours ago, whoareyou said:

Yes. He was against the travel ban, trump failed.

I use to support trump but he is showing he is clearly out of his depth as a politician. One can only hope he has a camera man with him 24/7 for the next reality show in around 4 years..

A lot of Trump supporters thought being a non politician was a feather in his cap. Just shows that sometimes what you wish for , is not what you want.

[joecoolfrog]

23 minutes ago, Ramen087 said:

Maybe when the issue is revisited in a year politicians from both sides will be able to get together, make a deal that's good for each political party, and the citizens of the USA.

Nice dream but I fear highly unlikely.