Trump's America, March 2017: Using His Inside VOICE

once again, the voice of reason:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/24/opinion/the-trump-elite-like-the-old-elite-but-worse.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region&_r=0

not hating david brooks still one of the most startling developments in this new topsy turvy world.

https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/819559614765297665
I read the highly classified Intelligence Report on #Russian #hacking. @realDonaldTrump is not telling the truth.

His full statement:

“I have now read the highly classified intelligence report on Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent U.S. Elections. I analyzed the report from my perspective as a computer science major and as a Member of the National Security Subcommittee of the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee."

"Here is my reaction: there is clear and convincing evidence to support the conclusions of the intelligence community as set forth in the unclassified version of the report. Russian hacking of Americans and American political organizations during the 2016 U.S. presidential election was multifaceted and brazen, with the goals of undermining faith in the U.S. democratic process and harming Secretary Clinton's electability. Putin and the Russian government developed a clear preference for Trump.”

“I believe Trump is actively misleading Americans when he says the Russians did not attempt to help his election chances and denigrate Secretary Clinton’s electability. Cyber espionage against American political organizations and cyber intrusions into our electoral boards are not partisan issues, they are American issues. I call on every Member of Congress who has been briefed on or read the classified report to tell Trump that he needs to tell the truth to the American people. At stake is not just our national security, but the very fabric of our democracy.”

i keep reading about new no votes, is this thing really going to the floor of the house today? they must know the whip count and unless ppl are just lying to reporters it's hard to see what ground has been made up (unless im missing some new revalation or the gop caucus has suddenly gotten quiet) and even harder to imagine why ryan would hold a vote knowing it was going down

i've been seeing that lieu tweet popping up today and it's from january?

their gamble is that the "no" votes won't actually do so when it comes down to it - that the internal political pressure to cave will be too much. seems likely to be a miscalculation given the intransigence and contrariness of the FC guys, and the external political pressures that the moderate Tuesday Group members certainly are feeling from their constituents. It's a hail mary betting on the internal strength of the party.

Aravosis spelling out the National Enquirer/Flynn thing, w/r/t Nunes this morning in an update, is showy and tendentious but does raise some good points

http://americablog.com/2017/03/national-enquirer-brands-flynn-russian-spy-trump-just-threw-flynn-bus.html

And per Shakey's point, this tweet

https://twitter.com/ShaneGoldmacher/status/845298486132314114

If the bill fails, it fails big.

If it passes, it squeaks by.

Internal strength as such will only just deliver it, at cost.

this guy
https://twitter.com/BenDAvanzo/status/845282659446214657

Why, Florida, who would have guessed?

Post has been saying that "some" no votes had shifted to yes in light of Trump's masterful persuasive jiujitsu, but "some" appears to be, like, three. Nowhere near the number needed (assuming capturing all leaners). Otherwise, one presumes, the headline would be about how "almost all" no votes had caved.

Times still had it as too close to call, which is interesting but not that weird (thinking back to a certain Very Bad Day last fall).

yeah I'm still terrified that these fuckers will close ranks

Of course they could close ranks! But I still think that when you have the head of the appropriations committee saying 'yeah, no' without apparent fear of any repercussions, that's a tell.

We need a countdown-to-the-vote clock.

Post still showing 33 committed "no" votes plus a dozen or so "leaning no" votes. idk how much arm-twisting Ryan can really pull off here.

xpost -- Six hours out, I think.

Anyway, one of three things will happen:

* Vote as announced, whatever the result
* Bill is pulled
* Vote postponed to next week

Personally I could see any one of these happening, though the first is pretty much the most likely result.

Alcee Hastings!

What a fun meeting this will be!

https://twitter.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/845308098768240640

BREAKING: Paul Ryan is coming to White House to brief the president on latest health care bill, I'm told.

6 hours?! I thought they said "Friday morning"

Nancy Pelosi‏Verified account @NancyPelosi 40m40 minutes ago

Every single Republican who votes for #TrumpCare will have this moral monstrosity tattooed to their foreheads forever. Every. Single. One.

xpost Hm, got my time zones confused a bit -- probably more like three hours.

Building on that tweet I shared:

https://twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/845308269472219136

This is a big development. the whip count is not looking good, per several ppl involved

That's probably a vast understatement.

xpost -- Moral Montrosity will be playing at the Elbo Room in a couple of weeks, I'm sure.

https://twitter.com/TimAlberta/status/845311572264275969

Source just now: They might pull the bill altogether.

They're getting farther from, not closer to, 215.

Oh the roffles

Every single Republican who votes for #TrumpCare will have this moral monstrosity tattooed to their foreheads forever. Every. Single. One.

lol shoulda gone w "carved" imo

Sam Stein‏Verified account @samsteinhp 16h16 hours ago

We don’t have legislative language for you

We don’t have a CBO score for you

This thing polls at 17%

The Senate won’t pass it

Vote yes

"maybe we should vote now so we don't lose anybody else"

Earlier today, GOP House Intel chair Rep. Devin Nunes went around members (again) and arbitrarily announced that the March 28 open hearing was canceled.

A House Intel source says this move was a "suicide bomb" designed to destroy the Russia investigation.

Democrats on the Intel committee are meeting now to discuss how to handle the situation.

Really, pulling the bill is the only fig leaf that theoretically covers everybody. It allows for a cruddy "This really needs more time, we understand voters would like to know more," etc etc language that will be laughed at, but nobody has to make a specific statement via a vote either way. Obviously it makes Ryan and Trump both look weak and ridiculous but they'll punt away happily, while McConnell's probably thinking "Well thank god."

yeah but freedom

Who knew!

So as this tweet sums it up:

https://twitter.com/ShaneGoldmacher/status/845310482181435392

A possibility: What if Ryan tells Trump he needs to pull the bill, and Trump tells him he wants the floor vote?

re: Nunes, is it actually believed that the news about there being possible circumstantial evidence of collusion came from the FBI in response to Nunes' bitch move? Cos if so, won't they keep doing things like that if Nunes keeps obviously obstructing?

Trump's gonna drive into the House honking the horn

at this point for my mental health i'm assuming that it passes today, i don't think i can feel optimistic about anything political these days

Hahah oh man

https://twitter.com/MajorCBS/status/845310870607548418

Mulvaney to @SpeakerRyan when informed he didn't have votes for #Obamacarerepeal -- "The president doesn't care. The president wants a vote"

don't worry, the heritage foundation's josh lyman reincarnated is here to shepherd this thing over the line https://twitter.com/burgessev/status/845310830489063424

A possibility: What if Ryan tells Trump he needs to pull the bill, and Trump tells him he wants the floor vote?

isn't this what happened yesterday?

Postpone vs. pull.

he wants it one way but it's the other way, again

"by Executive Order, Affordable Care Act is now rebranded Trumpcare. You're welcome"

I mean he might as well.

Obviously it makes Ryan and Trump both look weak and ridiculous

Well, to US. But we were already there. Trumpoids have already decided to spin this as yet another tale of his awesome strength and wisdom, betrayed at the last minute by establishment weaklings and cowards. His only error was trusting that these professionals knew what they were doing. Ah, well, another example of career politicians being unable to live up to the example of His Donaldness.

Or, what Lord Alfred said.

Trump's approval at -12 this morning. on Rasmussen

strongly approve down to 29%

Trump's presidency is basically a limbo contest at this point

Well, to US. But we were already there. Trumpoids have already decided to spin this as yet another tale of his awesome strength and wisdom, betrayed at the last minute by establishment weaklings and cowards. His only error was trusting that these professionals knew what they were doing. Ah, well, another example of career politicians being unable to live up to the example of His Donaldness.

Or, what Lord Alfred said.

Certainly, and we can't handwave that. And yet: W was down to a 27% that still approved of him at the end of his second term, but that didn't budge. Point is, though, that it was 27% -- Trump's equivalent may be louder, but, as Neanderthal just noted, seems like he hits the same numbers when crunch time arrives.

How are his Russian numbers?

Trumpoids have already decided to spin this as yet another tale of his awesome strength and wisdom, betrayed at the last minute by establishment weaklings and cowards. His only error was trusting that these professionals knew what they were doing. Ah, well, another example of career politicians being unable to live up to the example of His Donaldness.

This is because, as the fence-sitting moderate 'hold yr nose and vote' supporters drift away from the increasingly-obvious insanity, all that's left is the Cult of Trump, who venerate everything that the Great Leader says and does.

xpost -- Bigly.

This is all Trump trying to figure out who's willing to follow him off a cliff, isn't it