After a tumultuous week in Washington, it is good to take a step back to see everything with a little perspective. For the first time in 11 years, Republicans took control of the presidency of the country and the two chambers of Congress in 2017. Republicans outnumber Democrats in the House of Representatives by 44 seats. For seven years, Republicans have openly called for the repeal of Barack Obama's health care reforms during his presidency, known as Obamacare.
Trump blames the Democratic minority
So the Health Reform bill had become something more than the first piece of important legislation driven by a White House and a Republican-controlled Congress.
The reform was also a first key political test that came just when Trump should be at the strongest and strongest point in the exercise of power and as a cohesive agent of his party.
But even so, neither Trump nor Paul Ryan (the leader of the House of Representatives), nor the Republicans who have taken over the reins of Washington, were able to carry out the mission. The president tried to blame the Democratic minority. But, at that point, no one believes in that explanation. For Republicans, Friday was not just a bad day. It was a disaster.
Reasons that explain the failure
- A failed negotiator: Trump promised a vote on Thursday, which did not take place. He then promised a vote on Friday, and it never took place either. He warned his party about the terrible consequences of failure, but it seems obvious that they ignored him. With just over two months of his presidency, polls show that his popularity is falling, his agenda is against the ropes, and his power has been diminished.
- An abandoned leader: If the day was bad for the president, it was also bad for Ryan, whose inability to control his fellow lawmakers was highlighted. Freedom Caucus lawmakers, a block of right-wing party members, may have only 29 members, but it hasn't stood with Ryan at the time of voting.
- An annoying base:
For seven years, Republicans have been promising to end Obamacare. In 2016 they won the presidency and at last, they told the base Republicans, that victory was in their hands. But this time, they went through their fingers. And at some point, the Republican base might begin to wonder if Obamacare will ever disappear. It is worth remembering that the reason why the effort to approve the health reform failed was because the Republican Party itself did not know what to do with medical care.
