trump is bringing us Single Payer health care courtesy of the GOP. That is the end result of the phenomenon suggested in the lead story of today's New York Times.
If you don't believe it check the embed below. How can this be? How can the GOP whose bile against Obama used all sorts of invidious slurs against single payer socialism be single payer? Ask yourself what single payer is? It is government-subsidized and government-run health care.
Enter the bruised corpse of that great tribute to the insurance business, Obamacare. Exit the center of Obamacare -- the individual mandate with the passage of the Trump tax reform.
Then feast your eyes on the fact that the GOP has just, by a scant vote or two, achieved what Democrats would be crucified for doing.
Who said Americans are dumb?
Trump's way
Yes, I shall call this Trump's way. He may be out on his ear owing to his problems with Russia or just because he feels like it. But while the wheels of legislation turn, it seems the actualities are swinging in the direction the GOP professes to hate.
Years of Attack Leave Obamacare a More Government-Focused Health Law https://t.co/basXXUT0UH
— Stephen C. Rose (@stephencrose) December 27, 2017
Odd reversals
Can we surmise other anomalies that suggest that with all the drama and media frenzy we are actually OK?
Immigration? Trump has been terrible but when all is said and done will things become more not less secure for recent Americans?
Maybe the key is how divided the Congress is. If the GOP can claim credit for passing something solo, it may provide more of what liberals want than would otherwise be the case. I am sure such supposition will seem outlandish or simply mindless. But consider this odd video in which Paul Krugman seems to hang up his liberal walking shoes and concede that things are not changing that much under Trump.
Democratic doldrums
What if I have suggested something that has a grain of truth. What does it say to the Democrats?
I think it says that nothing has changed and that the American people still rule. I do not think it means that GOP Senators and Representatives are angelic. I think it says that causes and effects are highly inconsistent.
It may well say that Democrats do best when they press conservative causes. I am sure that it says that Democrats are foolish if they try to suggest that we are gun ho for change. There is enough change going on unbidden for most people.
In other words, the Democrats should be able to prevaricate just as the GOP does and then do what they do. It's all about how the pie gets sliced. Tick tock.
