After seven plus years of voluble criticism of the Affordable Care Act, Republicans and the president failed to pass their hastily composed substitute. They didn’t just “fail to pass” the bill; they pulled it from consideration. It turns out that eight years did not provide enough time for them to create legislation which could secure enough votes in their own party.
Meanwhile, legislation continues to be submitted and voted into law signed by the president. For a list of bills which have made it to the desk of #45, click HERE.
And in other news, Trump’s wife still resides in NYC costing tax payers millions each day (so the press tells us; I’ve not yet found a government report but I’m considering a FOIA request). Trump has gone golfing something like 12 times which hits the budget for a whale of money each trip. The “we didn’t talk to the Russians” story developed a myriad of tiny cracks because, well, they did. Bernie Sanders has prepared a single-payer health insurance bill — because, well, he’s Bernie and he and Elizabeth Warren continue to try to save us from ourselves.
Each has a potential positive effect on America. Neither poses any harm to America. Each is given a 1% chance of passage. Just F all Y’all’s I.
Meanwhile, the president of the United States continues to spread warmth and love. He’s setting falsehood records and feuding with his own party. When Trumpcare got pulled from the roster of legislation being considered by the all-Republican Congress, he first blamed Democrats (credit which they’d love to take but, well, did I mention it’s an all-Republican Congress?) and then blamed Paul Ryan. And in other news, he’s insulted numerous folks in the last week, and Prime Minister Angela Merkel of Germany managed not to vomit when she had to cover her degrees to make the U. S. President feel less stupid. We women have gotten adept at pretending we’re inept around unqualified men.
Trump cemented his reputation by handing PM Merkel a fake NATO bill, causing international embarrassment and insuring that the USA will be stricken from Germany’s Christmas card list.
Partisan divisiveness still grips Washington. Trump forges ahead in slashing climate change regulations, apparently trying to revive a coal industry which has been mechanizing and shrinking for years. He’s installed climate-change deniers into cabinet positions. There’s a suspected racist in the A.G.’s office. Trump’s daughter, who sells made-in-China clothing in her fashion line, has an office in the White House.
So what’s a person to do? I’m still watching. Still marching. Still making phone calls and wearing a safety-pin on every jacket and sweater to let people know they are safe with me. I’m still writing letters. Still praying.
And I’m still listening to my twenty-five year old son, whose insight seems to be rock-star and who gives me a reason to hope for America. I haven’t yet despaired, even though we have a buffoon for a president and Russian fingers in every American pie.
Social and political commentary from the Missouri Mugwump™.