Chaos has unfolded at Capitol Hill. President Trump has caused controversy through an unnecessary ban on transgender people joining the US Army. But while this story distracts the mainstream media's attention, something more profound has unfolded in the Senate: senators rejected the bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.
Kill the bill
Protesters in the Senate gallery chanted politicians to "kill the bill" and "shame, shame, shame!" Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell dared his GOP colleagues to block his seven-year campaign to replace and repeal Obamacare.
But the first vote for a measure known as the Better Care Reconciliation Act, which would provide $100 billion in extra money for people on Medicaid, was rejected. This is despite support from moderate Republicans, including Senator Ted Cruz, to provide affordable health insurance plans.
The Democrats used a report from the Congressional Budget Office to thwart the amendment by claiming that the bill did not meet the confusing reconciliation rules the Senate is using to study the bill. 60 Republicans were necessary to pass this legislation, but sadly only 57 of them voted for it and it was defeated. Two GOP senators- Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski- voted with their Democrat colleagues. It is probable they will vote against the recent motion to repeal Obamacare without a replacement.
The Trump administration is facing a significant moment in its short history so far. Many Democrats are doing everything in their power to overthrow the President and alleged links between Russia and last year's Republican campaign are burying any reports on the substantial legislation the White House is trying to pass through Congress.
A recent opinion poll said many of his voters have already lost faith in him. His latest move to block transgenders from joining the army is doing him no favors.
Any radical government in history has witnessed difficult battles with the establishment. Take the Thatcher government in Britain in the 1980s- she had to reshuffle her cabinet in 1981 to bring more of her allies into office.
She was heading for defeat in the 1983 General Election until she turned it around at the last minute. President Trump could do well to learn from her.
Politics takes time
He has been President for more than 100 days, and there seems to be a sense of urgency to get things done quickly. But Donald Trump must learn that compared to business, politics takes time. George W. Bush did not achieve his tax cuts until 2003, and Barack Obama did not legislate Obamacare until 2011. The Trump administration should focus on uniting the GOP behind a replacement bill that can convince them the alternative is better, rather than rushing bills through Congress quickly.
What brought him to the White House was his ambitious manifesto of repealing Obamacare, bringing jobs to America through generous tax cuts to businesses and rebuilding the US's place in the world.
The economy is already performing much better than it did under Obama, so why doesn't the White House focus more on positive news like this, rather than threatening to sack the Attorney General Sean Spicer. And it must kill these alleged links to Russia quickly. This is causing President Trump to lose respect from both sides of the political spectrum.
It is still early days, but to many, the administration is not inspiring people's confidence yet. President Trump is inexperienced in politics and many GOP politicians, the Democrats and the mainstream media are united against him. He faces a daily struggle to pass his aims through Congress. But if his cabinet and team can help prevent him becoming the story, he may be able to achieve more and restore his credibility quickly.
