Who says the Republicans aren't blind and dumb also?
After a year in which everyone is moaning Democrats unadulterated stupidity, intransigence and just plain greed, Republicans are showing that they can also be quite stupid. We already knew they could be heartless, but also incredibly stupid.
“President Donald Trump made a personal pitch for his Affordable Care Act repeal bid Tuesday, promising that Republicans who vote against the bill will face political consequences…. Trump argued that the party’s future ― and by extension, his legacy ― is on the line. And if members did not fall in line, especially the conservatives of the House Freedom Caucus, Republicans would pay a price. ‘If the Freedom Caucus kills this bill, which they could, then they will have voted to continue Obamacare, which, as the president pointed out, in 2018 probably means we would lose the House and the Senate,” said Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.).’
The bill referred to is Paul Ryan's plan for America's Health Decimation.
Hey, Chris, haven't you noticed how many of your colleagues are being met by angry constituents at town halls because of Obamacare repeal? Ryan's bill is even worse than the moribund ACA.
Typical Republican Town Hall:
Comments
My Rethug Congress critter
Is publicly against the repeal. But will probably vote for it anyway in the end. And he's been hiding since it was revealed...
" In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy "
My new guiding rules on all potential political decisions.
1. Does bill include a huge giveaway to Corporate Interests? If No, then bill will not pass.
2. Does bill include a potential bailout to Corporate Interests? If No, then bill will not pass.
3. Does bill reduce the number of voters in the next election? If yes, the bill will pass.
4. Does bill do absolutely nothing of any value to anyone, but allow all congressmen voting for it a photo op? Bill will pass.
5. Does bill guarantee MSM attention and coverage? Bill will NOT have a decision made on it for as long as possible.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
We should call these the DMW rules of congressional conduct
Another thing is that Democrat votes are unnecessary (and in the near future non-existent).
That might be a fun essay when I'm feeling Nihilistic.
The (Real) rules of Congressional Conduct, observed.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
For me, feeling nihilistic is most days of the week. Sad :-(
There are politicians in both parties who are pushing
positions like it's the 1990's and the populace can only take their word for it whether a bill is good or bad and what the long term effects will be and who reaps the actual benefits.
They don't get it that we are not as uninformed or trusting as they need to believe. I honestly think they don't have enough situational awareness to realize how venal, stupid or evil (their only 3 options)they come across. IMO the vast majority are venal, taking positions that advance either their own or their financial backers' situations. The subsets of evil and stupid are smaller although some have accomplished creating a Venn diagram that intersects all three flaws.
Imagine if we had a media that effectively called out their shameless posturing and lying, but sadly they seem to suffer from the same 3 issues
" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "
But, Phoebe, the Venn diagram would overlap 98%
Or did you mean Veal, not Venn--as in Veal pen?
edited to add a word.
But in 2018
a lot of these people will realize that they have 3 options - stay home in disgust, vote for the fascist anyway (at least my boss' taxes are low) or say that they would rather pay rent than premiums and their life is better this way.
There is a limit to how long and how much people will demand that their representatives give them a shit sandwich rather than take away their shit sandwich.
On to Biden since 1973
Speaking of shit sandwiches
there are some turds which just won't go away.
Distant government
The best government is close government. The further it gets from the people, the less it represents them and the more it becomes corrupted. When will be finally realize this and restructure it so that local governments have more power than distant ones? Let the power flow up instead of down.
There are 3 solutions to "closer government"
1. Anarchy
2. Allow most of the population to die because of great (/s) healthcare
3. Secession of states from the Union
I just this second posted this on another thread.
That was obviously about Democrats. It goes for Republicans, too. I'm not saying every last Republican Rep is canny, but that's why God (or someone) made Party leaders.
I would like to answer your question
It is their voters who are stupid
not the bastards up there spewing nonsense. The fact that people still vote FOR that just blows me away. I've started sort of "gently" reminding my Repugnant friends and co-workers that even though they didn't vote for Trump this time, they've in effect voted FOR just this every time they voted Republican. It works best when I'm directing that at "another" Repugnant and not directly AT the one I'm speaking to, and I like to think maybe I've planted some small little kernel that just might get under their skin enough to make them think for 5 minutes before doing it again. Huh, my own idealism never ceases to amaze me sometimes.
Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur
If you're going to plant something under their skin
may I suggest malaria? At least that would explain their recurrent delirium
Republicans are stupid in a lot of ways
But the height of their stupidity is their denial of climate science.
Beware the bullshit factories.
The saddest thing ...
For me, the saddest part is that if Republicans had come up with a Ted Kennedy-esque "Medicare For All" plan, HRC-loving Democrats would be protesting against it. "Unicorns and rainbows!!"
You're correct.
From what is reported here about DK (I won't go back to check it out) it sounds like the inmates have taken over the asylum. It's the tried and true political formulation: "If they're for it, then I'm against it."
As I read this, Rep Collins is calling for 'less drastic'
cuts to the ACA (Ryan's ACA-Lite Bill), as opposed to what the Republican Freedom Caucus would propose.
I'm too pushed to search for Paul's proposal, but folks might want to take a gander at it. It totally eviscerates the ACA--calling for some loose network of health co-ops or associations to replace ACA Exchanges. (Of course, both bills eliminate the individual mandate.)
Also, one reason that they (the Freedom Caucus) may stop Ryan's bill is because they're hoping to negotiate axing the '10 Essential Health Benefits' called for in the ACA, and get rid of Title 1 funding.
My point being, if this bill fails Thursday--and the Freedom Caucus isn't bluffing--those dependent on the ACA could find themselves in a much worse situation, if the Ryan Bill is renegotiated.
(Unless, the Administration and Ryan cut their loses, and drop any effort to 'reform' the ACA, period.)
Personally, I would like to see a NHS-like health care system. Plus, I think it would be easier to sell, once folks knew more about our existing systems.
Mollie
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."--Will Rogers
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
I agree with your comment
especially this:
This insurance problem is at once simple and complicated. Single payer, the obviously simplest and best solution. Complicated: aside from the myriad of details, voters are largely stupid about health care other than to know it usually helps only the insurance companies. 1/3rd of 'Murikkka didn't even know that the ACA was Obamacare.