Vocal Voices

But the current situation only underlines it.

Trump pulled the bill to roll back Obamacare because the Republicans were all getting balshy about it. Almost every one of those house representatives campaigned on that repeal of Obamacare. Trump, by pulling the legislation, has put them in the position of having to explain their actions to the electorate in 18 months time.

In short the message is this. "Don't mess with me or I'll sink you. I'm here for the next 3 1/2 years and you have to get elected again in 18 months. Block me again and you're toast".

The press is totally clueless about Trump. But the members of the house? They're getting a masters course in negotiation. At the wrong end of the barrel of a gun.

I wonder when it will occur to the Republicans that their President is a Billionaire. That he doesn't need and, indeed, may not want, another term and if he goes down; they will certainly go down with him!

Not sure.

Obamacare was not particularly popular, but neither was Trump's AHCA.

A tactical withdrawal is not a bad thing if it gives time to regroup and come again. That is the part I see missing from the media reports.

Trump seems to be using Senators and Representative as a sort of House of Lords. He puts up an outlandish plan. They reject it. He comes back with a modified version (the one he secretly wanted) and they pass it.

He's not the dumb (orange) blond they think he is.

No but he's certainly putting the fear of god into the house right now. They will start campaigning in 6 - 9 months from now. If Trump refuses to put the bill up again in that time; what are they going to tell the electorate? In fact if he puts it up again in 9 months to a year, it's almost certain to pass with a landslide; because the house will be front and centre with the electorate and so will be 1/3 of the Senate...

I know what position I'd rather be in if I were Trump.