The GOP’s Big Lie To Its Own Base

It is almost comical to watch Republicans on Capitol Hill try to deliver on their demagogic promise to their own base to repeal Obamacare.

They know that its key elements have become too popular to repeal. And they have no intention of doing so.

So now it appears their strategy is to pretend to try, fail, and then unjustifiably blame the Democrats. Preserving another round of congressional elections to rail against Obamacare.

Thereby maintaining street credit among conservatives for making the effort — and, most importantly, avoid the catastrophic fallout among constituents who are becoming used to Obamacare’s benefits whether they know it or not.

It is marvelously Machiavellian, cynically deceptive.

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Author: craigcrawford

Trail Mix Host. Lapsed journalist, author & retired pundit happily promoting nothing but the truth for Social Security checks.

40 thoughts on “The GOP’s Big Lie To Its Own Base”

  1. ….Donald Trump commits ….. ‘unforgivable’ sin

    a ha! a peachy offense at last!

    probably not. the die-hard-core bunch even forgave him for being a bully at nato. from recent frank luntz cbs interview with said supporters:
    LUNTZ: What surprised me the most about that segment is when we showed Trump pushing aside the European leaders at that meeting, and they applauded him. They loved it! Because to them it was the White House, it was the president asserting his rightful role as leader of the free world. And I’m thinking, “Oh, my God! (snickers) This is one of the most embarrassing moments.” They don’t see it that way. They love it and they want him to keep doing it.

  2. Sorry Poobah,  gotta disagree. McMertle will remove a semicolon on page 67 and Cruz and Lee will vote yes. IMHO this is nothing more or less than Cruz & Lee campaigning for 2020.

  3. Will, or rather when, will SFB get someone at DOJ to fire Mueller?  Apparently the news of the Russian money laundering is starting to make stupid nervous.   Once he does that will the republicans find enough brass in the halls of Congress to impeach the bastard?

  4. “….their strategy is to pretend to try, fail, and then unjustifiably blame the Democrats”

    craig, you left out their real aim and most important part of the ploy: fund raise.

     

    btw, before I start playing the worn-out woman’s card again, hopefully someone will crunch numbers on how much meaner and more detrimental to health care for women than to men these goper attempts are.  trumpcare looks like a burka band-aid bill and beyond just keeping the little ladies barefoot and pregnant…. add abandon the old biddies to the ice floe.

  6. from this morning’s wapo story: Obama’s secret struggle to punish Russia for Putin’s election assault

    Early last August, an envelope with extraordinary handling restrictions arrived at the White House. Sent by courier from the CIA, it carried “eyes only” instructions that its contents be shown to just four people: President Barack Obama and three senior aides.

    Inside was an intelligence bombshell, a report drawn from sourcing deep inside the Russian government that detailed Russian President Vladi­mir Putin’s direct involvement in a cyber campaign to disrupt and discredit the U.S. presidential race.

    But it went further. The intelligence captured Putin’s specific instructions on the operation’s audacious objectives — defeat or at least damage the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, and help elect her opponent, Donald Trump.

    [….]

    The material was so sensitive that CIA Director John Brennan kept it out of the President’s Daily Brief, concerned that even that restricted report’s distribution was too broad. The CIA package came with instructions that it be returned immediately after it was read. To guard against leaks, subsequent meetings in the Situation Room followed the same protocols as planning sessions for the Osama bin Laden raid.

    It took time for other parts of the intelligence community to endorse the CIA’s view. Only in the administration’s final weeks in office did it tell the public, in a declassified report, what officials had learned from Brennan in August — that Putin was working to elect Trump.

  7. Watching Rand Paul on MJ. Rand should really try lip-gloss–it would complement his hair-do.


  8. Published on Jun 22, 2017

    Senate Republicans reveal their Affordable Care Act replacement bill, and President Trump receives applause after contradicting his campaign rhetoric.

  9. Maybe we should just send out Louis Black to speak for all of us

  11. craig & pogo, they’ll channel vt sen. aiken and just declare victory in the repeal/replace war…  if they and the twit say it enough times, their base will believe it.

  12. well worth watching but scary interview this a.m. on putin putting down the grids…  chilling.  well the opposite of chilling if he shuts us down during an overly hot summer.

    cbs this morning: How Russia tested power grid attacks in Ukraine

    June 23, 2017, 8:33 AM| In its July cover story, Wired magazine takes an in-depth look at a years-long string of cyberattacks in Ukraine that could have global implications. Andy Greenberg, who reported the story, and Wired editor-in-chief Nicholas Thompson join “CBS This Morning” to discuss the findings and the implications for the U.S.

  13. Poobah, no argument with you on the substance of the bill – different people might argue over what Obamacare really is, but on substance of the bill you’re likely correct.  My disagreement is on the “try, fail and blame it on the dems” part.  I think Cruz and Lee have no intention of voting no – they are just getting the spotlight focused on them for a while before they agree that the removal of the page 67 semicolon fixes the bill.  They’ll be able to declare  victory claiming to have repealed Obamacare.

  14. KC, brilliant idea.  Lewis is one of my heroes – I have a poster of him in my office – the poster that looks like the Obama “Hope” poster.  It gets comments.

  15. Pat, I did a fast read of the WaPo major article. What is still bothering me more than an hour later is the Intel gurus’ inability to have convened an urgent meeting of the Gang of Eight so the total gravity of the situation could be briefed while there was still time (perhaps) to take unified action, as a nation, to surmount Putin’s attack on our sovereignty. Such action, of course, requires total honesty and frankness across the board and fireside chats, along with Congressional equivalents of said chats. And, the candidates, en masse, singing God Bless America as they tailor their campaigns to this external threat on our Republic.

    Now, it seems, the external threat is totally internalized.

  16. patd flatus – something else that is important is they do not give up trying.  For over a year they have been attacking my website.  They will not give up.  I have to keep changing things to keep them at bay, but that is the new world.  What is important for me is they not break in, because that would allow them to know how I was keeping them out and I lose a tool.  The same for all others in the world.

  17. BTW, James Hohmann at Wapo agrees with me on the optics and ultimate outcome.

    But pretty much every Republican, including the current holdouts, wants to pass something. And no GOP senator wants to bear the brunt of the blame from the base for inaction. That factor must not be discounted.

    ***

    Cruz issued a joint statement with three other conservatives — Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Mike Lee of Utah — saying that they cannot support the legislation as it stands. Parse their words carefully, and it’s notable how many outs they gave themselves.

    Here is the statement in full (I’ve added italics on the wiggle words): “Currently, for a variety of reasons, we are not ready to vote for this bill, but we are open to negotiation and obtaining more information before it is brought to the floor. There are provisions in this draft that represent an improvement to our current health care system, but it does not appear this draft as written will accomplish the most important promise that we made to Americans: to repeal Obamacare and lower their health care costs.”

    Many believe Cruz is bluffing and will come around, even with small concessions that let him save face. As Republican strategist John Weaver, who played top roles on the presidential campaigns of John McCain and John Kasich, put it:


    John Weaver @JWGOP

    If anyone actually believes Ted Cruz isn’t going to vote for final passage of this bill, well, I have some rainforest in Arizona to sell you

    2:41 PM – 22 Jun 2017 · Los Angeles, CA

    Semicolon, page 67.

  18. you might be correct Pogo, but a true cynic wouldn’t want to own this, and continue blaming Obama for everything

  19. Oh god, Alexandra Petri has outdone herself on the Senate bill.

    The burden has been lifted from thousands of people wondering where on Earth their next meal of foie gras and caviar was coming from. Instead of deciding between iPhones and health care for other poorer people whom they do not know, they no longer have to make such an unpleasant choice.
     
    This does not just benefit the 0.1 percent. It also gives vital succor to the 0.2 percent, who otherwise might have had to go without.
     
    Families wondering whether this will have to be the year they end their annual tradition of the Most Dangerous Game need fear no longer. That is definitely happening.
     
    People who say this bill does not relieve hardships have not considered all that it does for diamond-encrusted yachts, the hardest ships of all. Families in dire straits, such as those where yacht races occur, can look to this bill for succor. (“Succor” is what “aid” becomes once it passes into the correct income brackets.) Other families are in straits, metaphorically, but families in yachts often find themselves in straits, literally. Who will look out for them?
     

  20. But Poobah, you are thinking rationally…:-)  Just goes to show you are not a member of the modern repugnican party. 😉

  21. well if you are correct Pogo the tables turn if it becomes law. Suddenly it’s not Obamacare anymore, it’s Trumpcare and Dems get the fundraising advantage

  22. The Grant Review Committee has selected your application to advance to the second round of review. We would like to invite you to a brief (15 minute) interview with the committee. These interviews will be an opportunity for you, or a representative from your organization, to address questions or provide additional insight on your project.

    Our interview is a 2 this afternoon, so think a lot of positive thoughts for us.

    Mrs Jack calls the project the Reading Room, it is an out door creative play and meeting space. It is part of my “make this more than ‘good enough for poor people” efforts. We hope to provide a park where you can kick ideas around as well as balls.

    More details to follow

    Jack

  23. Poobah,  I’d like to think that the bill passing would  translate into a fundraising advantage, but I’m not optimistic – the 23 million (or whatever number it turns out to be) who lose healthcare coverage under this POS aren’t in position to donate much, and after premiums spike again those in the group who can’t really feel whatever tax break this provides them but can feel the bite of the premium increase that will result won’t have all that much pocket change.  Hopefully the Elon Musks of the world will see the need to make up for that- and the rich on the left should have a ton of extra money from the tax break written into the bill to afford to give until it feels good.

  24. Our interview is a 2 this afternoon, so think a lot of positive thoughts for us.

    jack, sending a lotta psychic electricity your way to help you kick those balls and start people thinking.

  25. Good luck Jack

    What a good idea.  I think the traditional places that served that purpose aren’t effective anymore for a lot of different reasons.


  26. Published on Jun 23, 2017

    There may not be an immediate vacancy, but The Washington Post’s Alexandra Petri wants to make it clear she’s available for the White House press secretary job

  28. re today’s wapo Russia story, here’s wonkette’s take, colorful as usual: Everything You Never Wanted To Know About Obama’s Response To Russia Election Attack

    wonkette begins with:

    The Washington Post has published a HOLY WOW investigation into the Obama administration’s efforts (and lack of efforts) to stop the Russian hacking disaster of the 2016 election that led to the election of Donald Trump, and if there was ever a time where we’d say “OH JUST GO READ IT,” this is one of those times. Basically, the story is that President Obama tried to do things to stop the attack, and some people wanted to do more things, but they were all obsessed with not looking like they were being “political” about the election that they didn’t act (enough) until it was too late.

     

    https://wonkette.com/619075/everything-you-never-wanted-to-know-about-obamas-response-to-russia-election-attack

  29. too bad so sad Nancy Pelosi cares more about her personal power than her party. GOP majority secure.

  30. Okay, Mr Crawford, who would you like to see become the Majority Leader & future Speaker ?

    I could go with Brown for either one.

  32. Craig

    I would be more willing to look at an alternative to Nancy if it wasn’t so obvious that Sanders, the Bernie Bros, and the purists on parade weren’t so obvious about their ambitions that they are willing to echo the Trump & GOP party lines just as they did during the election.

    They want someone else?  Join the Socialist party and SHUT UP

     

  33. Just for the record my current S*** List is

    1.  Donald Trump

    2.  Bernie Sanders (There are days when he moves up)

    3.  Mitch McConnell

    4.  Paul Ryan

    5.  Mike Pence

     

  37. Question:  With all of the insurance companies that have fled the exchange in various states, what happens to those folks?

    My friend’s adult son (30-ish), has a policy from the exchange.  It covers nothing.  He got really excited about a tiny co-pay…until the bill for the rest of the stuff arrived.  He can’t afford to pay it.  He can barely afford the policy. (Not sure what assistance, if any, he gets toward the policy.)

    With many insurance companies bailing on Obamacare, premiums on & off exchange skyrocketing,  policies covering less & benefits barricaded behind high deductibles where nobody can use them, what happens if ACA stays in place?

    I doubt Yertle will be smiling his turtlish grin when this is done, but Obamacare doesn’t work, either.

    We need health care, not worthless policies that are designed to enrich insurance companies & their stockholders.

  39. BID

    Study up on just how the State of TX did everything under the sun and then some to totally ruin the benefits of the ACA.  They even met for their once every two years sessions just to screw with it some more and then quit for another 24 months.

    The problems with the ACA if fully implemented are relatively few and fairly easy to fix with a little bi-partisan support, but the GOP declared war on Obama, and the poor & sick in many states got screwed.

     

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