In 2017, everything’s coming up roses for the Republican Party. Fresh off the heels of a sweeping Electoral victory, the GOP has taken control and is working feverishly to Make America GREAT Again.
At least that’s what they thought they would be doing back on November 8th. But now that post election reality has set in, the Republican-led Congress has revealed itself to be no more capable of actual governance than they were during the Obama era. Their most recent attempt at a major legislative achievement, the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act, went down in flames. With today’s resignation of embattled Chairman Devin Nunes, the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russia’s interference with the Election has proven to be virtually invalid (if not damaging on its own. And the hope of lawmakers to pass significant tax reform is proving far more difficult than originally anticipated. And despite the President’s litany of controversial Executive Orders, his Administration is caught in their own ideological battle. At least for the start of the Trump Era, governing is not getting done.
So as for what Republicans are doing well, what would be the answer? To sum it up, they’re fighting with each other. Freedom Caucus vs. Moderates, Speaker Ryan and the leadership vs. the insurgency. Governing responsibilities be damned… the inner party Civil War has now been exposed for the American People to see. As Kyle Cheney and Rachel Bade of Politico report, Obamacare is still a central point of contention…
Republican efforts to unite around a plan to repeal Obamacare devolved into a heated round of intra-party sniping Wednesday, as conservative groups publicly pummeled moderate GOP lawmakers — all while the White House talked of unity and progress.
The failure to reach a deal in late night talks Tuesday, which were held by competing factions of House Republicans and brokered by Vice President Mike Pence, led conservative advocacy groups Heritage Action and Club for Growth to lash out at centrist Republicans for resisting proposals to undercut Obamacare’s regulations.
“Each one of these members of Congress is standing in the way of compromise,” Heritage Action CEO Mike Needham said in a call with reporters, fingering the 50-member Tuesday Group as the culprit that “refuses to get to yes.”
“Their commitment to [repealing] Obamacare is one that existed on the campaign trail but does not exist in the halls of Congress,” he said.
It was an attempt to flip the narrative that has dominated in Washington after last month’s failed attempt to gut Obamacare: That the archconservative House Freedom Caucus was the singular impediment to the GOP’s progress on a seven-year priority.
Sounds like some of them miss the days when they had President Obama to kick around.
As readers to this blog know, Republican In-fighting has been the central characteristic of the party since Barack Obama’s election. But now that they are in total control, time is short for the GOP to prove they can run the government better than Democrats. After nearly seven years of “show votes” to Repeal Obamacare, a failure actually do so when given the chance should be unacceptable to Trump supporters, Republican party faithful, and the general public. Not only does this legislative debacle demonstrate a failure of ideas, it shows the Congressional GOP’s failure to put the most basic needs of the American People ahead of their own self interests.
As President Trump said, this behavior is a recipe for defeat.
All of this turmoil may not be good for the country, but it is definitely causing voters to have second thoughts about their support, or tolerance of the new Administration. Mid-term Elections, like the one coming quickly for 2018, are rarely positive for the party in power. But if that party is viewed as incapable of doing the People’s Business, Democrats could have much to gain.
IF Voter Turnout increases!!!!
