Republicans Can Choose Between Right & Wrong

[Update October 25, 2017: Two months later, it's all the same -- just worse! See updated references below]

A month ago I did a post entitled, Donald The Muddler & The Ones That Know Better. Well, it’s time for a major update, but again the emphasis must not be on the most disgraceful, dishonest President ever to occupy the White House, it must be on the Ones That Know Better.

Following the catastrophic display of racism in Charlottesville and the President’s appalling response which has emboldened the extreme alt-right movement, he has now doubled down on his real values and granted a pardon to an overt bigot and racist.

Despite his insincere and disingenuous statements to the contrary, there can be no doubt that the President is fanning the flames of hatred and intolerance in America. In his totally inappropriate campaign-style rally in Phoenix following the tragedy in Charlottesville, he even mocked his own late admonishment of racism while attempting to defend his actions, saying flippantly:

"We will defend or protect the sacred rights of all Americans. . . I said everything. I hit [‘em] with neo-Nazi. I hit them with everything. I got the white supremacists, the neo-Nazi. I got them all in there, let's say. KKK, we have KKK. I got them all. . .”

Further teasing and encouraging his fan base, Trump asked, pretending earnestness:

“By the way, I'm just curious. Do the people in this room like Sheriff Joe? (APPLAUSE) So, was Sheriff Joe convicted for doing his job? That's why... (APPLAUSE) He should have had a jury, but you know what? I'll make a prediction. I think he's going to be just fine, OK? (APPLAUSE) But -- but I won't do it tonight, because I don't want to cause any controversy. Is that OK? All right? (APPLAUSE)

* [Arizona speech transcript]

So, a few days later, on a Friday night, as hurricane Harvey was barreling down on the fourth largest U.S. city as a category 4 storm, the President granted a pardon for the convicted criminal bigot that terrorized the Phoenix area Latino community for years.

Considering his already exposed pre-presidential actions relating to race issues, and now his latest reactions, can there be any doubt where the President of the United States stands on racism, hate and bigotry?

I have been very critical of the lack of intervention of the top two Republican leaders – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan – to exercise their “check and balance” responsibilities and call out the President directly for his reckless, reprehensible and irresponsible actions. I would add to the list many others in GOP leadership roles in Federal, State and local government.

These are the “ones that know better” and the only people that can put an end to the abhorrent and outrageous behavior of this President that is tearing at the very fabric of everything that America stands for, exacerbating the divisions within the citizenry and resulting in shameful embarrassment in the eyes of our allies and the free world.

These are the ones who can distance themselves and their Republican Party from the hideous and despicable transformation taking place under the Trump leadership. These are the ones that must answer to their children and grandchildren when they ask “how could you let this happen?”

Some recent reports suggest that they (the ones that know better) may be beginning to see that the damage of a Trump presidency may be outweighing their zeal and passion for Republican Party supremacy.

·        McConnell, in Private, Doubts if Trump Can Save Presidency, 8/22/17, New York Times

·        Paul Ryan: Trump 'messed up' Charlottesville response, 8/22/17, CNN

But almost as soon as that news broke, the leadership began to walk back the notion that they are questioning Trump’s presidential capabilities. Both McConnell and Ryan have issued new statements indicating that they can continue to work with the President to advance their ideological agenda. Apparently they are having trouble letting go of the zeal and passion.

So why won’t Republicans, en masse, call out Donald Trump? I hear two primary excuses from the media and pundits. (1) They still believe they can pass health care, tax reform and infrastructure legislation while they control Congress and the White House; and (2) they are fearful that their home constituency (their political base) is more supportive of Trump than of them.

Let’s take a look at each of those excuses, but first I should recognize the few GOP mavericks that have spoken out against Trump including Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Jeff Flake (R-AZ). Additionally, Ohio Governor John Kasich has been outspoken in criticizing many of the President's actions.

But most notably, a generally recognized “non-maverick”, Republican leader Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued perhaps the most resolute critique on August 17, saying:  (https://goo.gl/pzDpTs).

“The president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful. . .  He also recently has not demonstrated that he understands the character of this nation. He has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today. . . And he’s got to demonstrate the characteristics of a president who understands that.  And without the things that I just mentioned happening, our nation is going to go through great peril. . . We’re at a point where there needs to be radical changes taking place at the White House itself. It has to happen. I think the president needs to take stock of the role he plays in our nation and move beyond himself — move way beyond himself and move to a place where daily, he’s waking up thinking about what is best for our nation.”

So, why isn’t there massive and decisive disdain for President Trump from elected GOP members? The first excuse: They believe they can advance their agenda. We have had a first hand look at the GOP-controlled House and Senate ability to advance their 7-year diatribe of “repeal & replace” Obamacare. It failed miserably and revealed irreconcilable differences between various extreme factions of conservatives and moderates within the Party and no Democratic support. Additionally, President Trump’s on-again, off-again involvement in the process proved more detrimental than constructive.

The Problem Solvers caucus, led by Tom Reed (R-NY) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), has attempted to formulate a bipartisan effort to address the health care crisis; however, the Republican leadership does not appear willing to seriously pursue that effort.

The future of health care remains in crisis, with serious implications and problems developing over the next few months. With no viable solution at hand, the President and GOP leadership appear to be willing to leave the issue unaddressed and are talking about moving on to a completely different subject -- tax reform.

In the meantime, when Congress returns following Labor Day they must immediately deal with highly contentious budget and debt ceiling issues, not to mention billions and billions of dollars of historic hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. While these complex and critically important issues are looming, our mindless President has threatened in a child-like manner, a government shutdown if he can’t get his way in funding his 2,000 mile imaginary wall which he promised would be paid for by Mexico. Imagine a government shutdown in the middle of the hurricane Harvey recovery.

Revealing that he has no clue how the budgetary process or government processes work, the President indicated at an August 28, press conference that a government shutdown and hurricane recovery efforts are two separate issues and "everybody" agrees with him that the recovery efforts will be dealt with very quickly.

“I think you [Texas] you'll be up and running very, very quickly.  Really, very quickly.  So, yeah, I think you're going to be in fantastic shape. . . I think it [government shutdown] has nothing to do with it [recovery efforts], really.  I think this is separate. This is going to go really very, very quickly.  Again, I have spoken to many of the people we're talking about, and everybody feels the same way I do.” *[press conference transcript]

So without a plan to overcome the demonstrated inability of the Republican Party to address critical legislative priorities with generally acceptable solutions, it does not seem that the excuse of advancing their ideological agenda is viable.

The second excuse, uncertain support from their political base, is even more disturbing. The Republican Party appears to be at a crucial decision point.

Heretofore, the Republican Party has not been in favor of giving encouragement to white supremacists, neo-Nazis, or the KKK. The Party historically has not supported continuous and documented lying and distortion of facts regarding information presented to the public. The Party has not previously supported systematic attacks on the freedom of the press which the President decries as “fake news” whenever it challenges his beliefs. The Republican Party has also generally regarded Russia as a serious threat to national security and institutional stability and a foreign power to be dealt with, with extreme caution.

Donald Trump has violated many of the core, fundamental underpinnings of the Republican Party, American democracy, and social and political norms held by a large majority of Americans. Polls have consistently shown that the President retains support from only 35-40 percent of overall electorate, but 70-80 percent support from the Republican base.

I applaud the Republicans who have had the courage to speak out directly and challenge the views and leadership of this President. There should be more – many more. Most of the American public knows instinctively that Donald Trump does not represent American values.

He was elected narrowly by a frustrated electorate in an election fraught with domestic and international interference on the belief that he would bring a new management style and ideas. In the first 7 months of office we have witnessed that new style and ideas. Many are offensive, embarrassing and indefensible.

Now that we know, there should be no excuses. Many of the actions and beliefs of Donald Trump must be rejected. The GOP leadership is the only check on his erratic and unacceptable behavior. Republican leaders should not equivocate in their rejection and try to rationalize this behavior based on the pursuit of an unrealistic legislative agenda.

As to their political base, Republicans must draw a line in favor of longstanding American beliefs and ideals over short term political ideology; or forever change the Party brand and identification. A point recently made by former Senator John Danforth (R-MO, 76-95) in a Washington Post op-ed: 

“[Trump] stands in opposition to the founding principle of our party. . . We cannot allow Donald Trump to redefine the Republican Party. That is what he is doing, as long as we give the impression by our silence that his words are our words and his actions are our actions. . .” *[complete op-ed]

As for Democrats; they are not without blame. While most Democrats have rebuked the abhorrent behavior of Donald Trump, they have done very little to articulate their Party brand and identification as an alternative to the GOP.

Why is this important? It is important because Democrats share in the responsibility of breaking the cycle of Congressional gridlock and the intense tribalism that has grown to be the American way. Democrats must participate in a constructive way to change the culture of D.C. politics and strive to reach a point where Congress can function and carry out its constitutionally-mandated responsibilities as one of three equal branches of government and its critical oversight of the Executive Branch. Dysfunction in Congress is a two-way street. I emphasized this point in a previous July 18 post -- Wake Up Democrats; Another Chance At Self-Identification.

In a country where the electorate is virtually divided 50-50, I have previously stressed that Congress, whether controlled by Republicans or Democrats, cannot continue to propose one-sided solutions to complex problems. I have advocated a solution consisting of “shared legislative power.” A solution that is counter to the political DNA of most Congressional members, but one that has a limited but highly encouraging track record. See my post: Shared Legislative Power: Inspiring, Refreshing, Encouraging, Promising.

The Problem Solvers caucus (mentioned above), which is attempting to address the health care issue, is a step in the right direction. It starts with the premise that politically acceptable solutions cannot be one-sided. The concept should be expanded and institutionalized in Congressional procedures.

The existing legislative process, called “regular order”, where one Party completely controls the agenda, funding, resources and votes does not work. There is no constitutional requirement for the regular order process; it is completely established by Congressional rules. It can be changed at any time – IF CONGRESS WANTS TO. There are better ways to govern and deliver the real bipartisan solutions that most Americans want.

The President’s approval is currently at 35% and the approval rating of Congress is at 10% (see Real Clear Politics). Republicans are currently in control and have the power to choose – right or wrong.

References & Information (Updated October 25, 2017)

· October 25: Touting 'lovefest', Trump claims no divisions in the GOP, CNN, https://goo.gl/vpgmg2

· October 24: Full text: Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) speech on the Senate floor announcing his retirement http://politi.co/2i2bMJ7 

· October 24: Various statements of Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) on Donald Trump https://goo.gl/Rb7ZDZ

· October 19: Full text: George W. Bush speech on Trumpism delivered at the at the “Spirit of Liberty: At Home, In The World" https://goo.gl/Uubzp6

· October 16: Senator John McCain (R-AZ) delivered the following remarks after being awarded the NationalConstitution Center's annual Liberty Medal. Full text: https://goo.gl/kJ5hGt

· June 20: Seventy-two percent (72%) of Republicans approve of the job Mr. Trump is doing; along with 9% of Democrats and 35% of Independents (CBS News poll, 6/15-18/17, margin of error 4pts)

· July 17: “According to a POLITICO survey of more than two dozen local Republican Party leaders in counties where 2018’s most competitive races are shaping up, the GOP grass roots aren’t fazed by news of Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting last year with a Kremlin-linked lawyer or the daily drip of stories about Trump and Russia. They aren’t even paying close attention. . . Local Republican leaders say the only collusion going on is between Democrats and the media.” Politico

· August 16: Top Republicans Criticize White Supremacists, But Don't Call Out Trump, NPR

· August 17: Republican leaders dance around Trump remarks, ABC News

· August 17: Sixty-seven percent (67%) of Republicans approve of President Trump’s reaction to theCharlottesville attack; along with 10% Democrats and 32% Independents (CBS News poll, 8/14-18/16, margin of error 4pts)

· August 21: “Loyalty to Trump has quickly become the most potent issue for the Republican base, according to a dozen candidates and strategists immersed in 2018 races.” Politico

· Official GOP Listening to America Survey. 32 questions the last of which is open ended and you may submit your written concerns to the question: What else do you think the President needs to know about the real America? We’re listening.

Shared Legislative Power: Inspiring, Refreshing, Encouraging, Promising

I just returned from a few days visiting an old friend of mine of some 42 years. We yak. We yak a lot about politics and the great issues of our time. We’ve been yakking for 40 some years. It’s fair to say that this year, considering all that’s going on with Donald Trump and Congressional gridlock, we yakked ourselves into depression -- literally coming away from our visit feeling hollow and somewhat hopeless about the future.

Somewhere during the yakking I mentioned to my friend about a post I had done about Michigan's experience with shared legislative power way back in 1993-94 when the Michigan House was deadlocked 55 Republicans & 55 Democrats. I told him how uplifting it was and how it demonstrates there is a better way.

When I returned home I re-read the post and found it was inspiring, refreshing, encouraging and promising. I needed that after all of the depressing yakking.

I decided the post needed to be emphasized and to focus just on the summary of Legislator comments and hope it may provide solace to others who may be suffering depression, frustration and general pessimism about what lies ahead.

Here is an excerpt from the post I did back in March 2017, entitled: Shared Committee Power And The Ambience of Bipartisanship. Hope it helps.

Here are brief excerpts of the thoughts of 26 Michigan legislators who express, far better than I ever could, what I am now calling the ambience of bipartisanship.

John Gernaat (R-Cadillac) – “Shared power will go down in history as an example of how people on both sides can work together to get things done.”

Ilona Varga (D-Detroit) – “Both sides had to compromise. I feel the people got the best two years of representation in the over eight years I have been there.”

Tom Middleton (R-Ortonville) – “The House had a much more open line of communication in solving partisan problems [referring to the fact that the Senate during this time remained under Republican partisan control].

Michael J. Griffin (D-Jackson) – “…people of goodwill and determination can put public policy ahead of partisan consideration. . . Students of government, civics, political science, et cetera, can learn a great deal from this experience.”

Glenn Oxender (R-Sturgis) – “It gave a variety of leadership and made bipartisan support necessary for the passage of each bill. I rate it as a success because of the significant amount of legislation that was passed.”

David Points (D-Highland Park) – “The Eighty-seventh Legislature was an example of an unbiased bipartisan balance.”

Timothy L. Walberg (R-Tipton) – “A pleasant by-product of this situation was the development of friendships with the members of the other party who were once only acquaintances.”

Clyde Le Tarte (R-Horton) – “I found that in the main, we tended to focus on policy issues instead of political advantage because political positions could not be sustained through the process.”

Jan C. Dolan (R-Farmington Hills) – “Even when a vote comes down along party lines, there appears to be a willingness to hear out all viewpoints. Michigan has been well served by this cooperative spirit.”

Richard A. Young (D-Dearborn Heights) – “I believe that you can learn from the fact that you can accomplish the people’s work and you don’t have to do it in a hostile manner.”

James Mick Middaugh (R-Paw Paw) – “People seemed to genuinely want to work together. You had to, or you did not get anything accomplished.”

James Agee (D-Muskegon) – “I think it made us respect those on the other side of the aisle and know that we had to compromise with them.”

Carl F. Gnodtke (R-Sawyer) – “I have often thought it worked well enough that there should be a constitutional amendment requiring equal numbers from both parties be elected to serve in the House.”

Joseph Palamara (D-Wyandotte) – “I found the shared power arrangement to be an unqualified success… To me, the essence of representative government was embodied in the shared power agreement.”

Harold J. Voorhees (R-Wyoming, MI) – “Truly shared, the power agreement that was adopted by the House of Representatives in 1993 is and was a genuine masterpiece – a model for future legislatures throughout the land.”

Candace Curtis (D-Swartz Creek) – “The experience was one of compromise between not only the two parties but also between controlling interest groups.”

Don Gilmer (R-Augusta) – “As a body we at least had a greater amount of respect for one another because of power sharing, and a lot of that still carries on.”

Lynn Jondahl (D-Okemos) – “Working under the shared power agreement was successful in that we quickly adapted to the new rules/procedures and were able to proceed quite smoothly.”

Susan Grimes Munsel (R-Howell) – “One, you had to have the best policy, or two, you had to have a lot of factions with you on an issue, and that kind of focus forces you into the central area which is where the best policy making is anyway.”

Clark Harder (D-Owosso) – “While political pundits swore in advance it would never work, they were obviously proven wrong.”

Tom Alley (D-West Branch) – “Power sharing was probably the greatest experience any legislator could go through in a career of elected office.”

Frank Fitzgerald (R-Grand Ledge) – “I think that what you learn from shared power is that it is possible in a tie situation to make a legislative body operate.”

Pat Gagliardi (D-Drummond Island) – “The best part of shared power, for me as well as many others, was the fact that relationships from both sides of the aisle improved on a personal as well as on the professional level. . . Having been in the majority and the minority, the people of the state of Michigan would be best served if each party was equally represented.”

Paul Baade (D-Roosevelt Park) – “An opportunity to develop a spirit of cooperation and negotiation to move on many issues.”

Kirk A. Profit (D-Ypsilanti) – “I am personally very grateful to have had the wonderful opportunity to represent the eighty-five thousand people in the Ypsilanti area at such an incredible time in Michigan history when new standards for legislative production were set and new foundations of faith in government were laid.”

William Bryant (R-Grosse Pointe Farms) – “Shared power works because it encourages each party to act like a responsible majority.” [Note: Rep. Bryant presented a proposal to the co-Speakers to perpetuate the agreement into the future as an historic opportunity to move “politics not just in Michigan but nationally past sheer partisanship. . .” He concluded by saying, “Seize the moment. Have the vision. Change what it means to be a member of a legislative body. Make history.”]

Can you imagine 26 diverse U.S. Congressional members commenting on the state of the current Congress with the sincerity, excitement and insightfulness of the comments above? Isn’t this what the vast majority of Americans want from their government and their legislators? [Congressional approval rating is currently 10% (8/3/17)]

Congress must accept the fact that the electorate is divided 50-50 and stop trying to propose one-sided solutions to complex problems. True bipartisanship is just a decision away. Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, Chuck Schumer & Nancy Pelosi could make it happen now and end the madness if they wanted to.

It is possible. There is a better way. #BetterGovmt

Other posts on shared committee power and true bipartisanship:

·        Shared Committee Power And The Ambience of Bipartisanship

·        Shared Committee Power: How Crazy Is It?

·        Beating The Dead Horse Of Bipartisanship

·        Congress Could Be Functional; If It Wanted To

·        Bipartisanship: How The GOP Could Heal A Divided Nation

Open Discussion: Shared Legislative Power (click) *Now Closed

Wake Up Democrats; Another Chance At Self-Identification

If you've been following the news the last couple of days you learned that Donald Trump's approval rating are already low and ticking downward and the Republican-led Senate has now officially failed to pass a replacement bill to get rid of that nasty Obamacare stuff.

Everyone's talking about how the Trump administration is a disaster and the GOP is failing or dying as a result of their inability to get anything done, despite the fact that they control Congress and the Presidency.

But wait, there is also news that a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, indicates that 52 percent of respondents, when asked what Democrats stand for, indicated that they are "just against Trump."

So, while the GOP under the leadership of Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan are literally failing miserably on many fronts, the Democrats have failed miserably once again to show and tell the American public what they stand for. 

We've seen this movie before. See my 3/27/17, post, “Democrats Could Lead The Bipartisan Revolution.” That was when the GOP was trying to "repeal and replace" in the House. I've been advocating for months that Democrats need to step it up and take the lead and demonstrate what they stand for. 

I said Democrats need to develop the "Affordable Care Improvement Act", designed to do what needs to be done to make the Affordable Care Act work better and introduce it in the House and Senate with 100% of the Democrats in both chambers supporting it. Simultaneously, they need to launch a massive public education and media campaign comparing the Republican and Democratic alternatives with the focus on leading rather than simply opposing.

In politics you don't often get a second chance, but now that the GOP effort has once again failed in the Senate and the Democratic Party is suffering a self-identification crisis, the timing couldn't be better. If Democrats continue to be self-absorbed with Trump/GOP bashing, without defining a better way, they too will be a failed Party. That scenario could lead to defeat in 2018 and 2020, despite the incredible incompetency of the GOP leadership.

Not only can Democrats lead with a better alternative to health care, they can lead with a proposal to demonstrate a better process to be used in the development of major legislation.

On July 17, 2017, U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), who is recovering from a procedure to remove a blood clot from above his left eye, released a statement on the best path forward on health care. McCain said,

“One of the major problems with Obamacare was that it was written on a strict party-line basis and driven through Congress without a single Republican vote. As this law continues to crumble in Arizona and states across the country, we must not repeat the original mistakes that led to Obamacare’s failure. The Congress must now return to regular order, hold hearings, receive input from members of both parties, and heed the recommendations of our nation's governors so that we can produce a bill that finally provides Americans with access to quality and affordable health care.”

While this is certainly a magnanimous cry from the wilderness of insanity on health care that we have been witness to lately, it still lacks definition of a clear process that will lead ultimately to a bipartisan solution that will reap rewards for the American people and not the special interests.

“Regular order” is the terminology for the normal way that Congress develops legislation – i.e. subcommittee with hearings and expert testimony; committees with hearings and expert testimony; floor proceedings, amendments and votes on passage. While this is far better than the secretive, backroom formulation with no public hearing or expert testimony that was instigated and maneuvered by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, it is also the same process that has led to Congressional approval ratings of 20% and lower.

I have already spilled a lot of ink describing why this “regular order” process isn’t working any more in today’s highly polarized, tribal environment with an almost 50-50 divided electorate. It doesn’t matter which party is in control, the process is rigged so that the “majority” Party controls the agenda, the public hearings, testimony, input; and most importantly, the votes. Furthermore the lobbyists need only to focus their influence and money on a few select legislative members in leadership positions to control the outcome and in many cases actually write the legislation.

Despite some semblance of “order”, the process with all of its gridlock tricks along the way continues to produce one-sided solutions to major complex problems – the kind that the President never realized were so hard. See my 1/18/17 post: “Congress Could Be Functional; If It Wanted To.”

 

In many previous posts I’ve tried to emphasize the importance of Congressional committees and subcommittees within the structure of our government; their relation to gridlock and dysfunction; and the idea of sharing political party power to vastly improve the functioning of the legislative and oversight roles of this critical branch of government. Previous postings include:

·        Shared Committee Power And The Ambience of Bipartisanship

·        Shared Committee Power: How Crazy Is It?

·        Beating The Dead Horse Of Bipartisanship

·        Congress Could Be Functional; If It Wanted To

·        Bipartisanship: How The GOP Could Heal A Divided Nation

As I have tried to explain in previous postings, true bipartisanship, beginning with shared power in the committee and subcommittees system of the House and Senate, could completely alter the legislative process dynamics, reduce the incentive for gridlock games and political posturing, maximize and focus staff resources and blunt the affect of excessive lobbying and financial influence.

A shared power committee structure would force bipartisanship at the beginning of the process. Imagine, at the subcommittee level where Members with specific knowledge of the subject matter from both sides of aisle each present their proposals for addressing the issue. They would most likely be markedly different. They would have to argue and debate, have hearings with experts and testimony equally from both sides, utilize unbiased staff resources to investigate and develop suggestions and finally craft a compromise. The process would be somewhat like the Conference Committee process where competing differences between House and Senate bills are resolved; however, it would be much more thorough, comprehensive and nonpartisan.

So, Democratic leadership, I challenge you. You’ve got a second chance. Identify yourself. Let’s see what your health care bill looks like. And how about taking it a step farther and proposing a revised process that will lead to a true bipartisan solution. Show us you can be smart leaders with real solutions, not just Trump/GOP bashers. Give us a reason to vote for you.

#BetterGovmt

Donald The Muddler & The Ones That Know Better

Those who voted for Donald Trump as the "change" candidate didn't really get what they bargained for, but they don't seem to mind. What they really got was a "muddler".

noun1. a person who creates muddles, especially because of a disorganized method of thinking or working.

So what are muddles?

noun1. an untidy and disorganized state or collection. synonyms: mess, confusion, jumble, tangle, mishmash, chaos, disorder, disarray, disorganization, imbroglio, hodgepodge

Yep! That pretty much sums it up. And, I guess, in a bizarre sense, it is a form of change. And, in fact it's pretty consistent with the expressed national goal of one of the President's right hand men -- Steve Bannon.

"I'm a Leninist. Lenin wanted to destroy the state, and that's my goal, too. I want to bring everything crashing down and destroy all of today's establishment."

If you take a look at the first six months of the Trump Presidency, I guess we're pretty much on track.

So do the people who voted for Donald Trump feel like they got swindled? Hell no! They're loving it. It's a movement; and it's solid. 

With all that's gone down in the last six months -- constant lying, fake news, Russian collusion/coordination; women, minority and media bashing; bigotry, bullying, betrayal of allies, nepotism, financial deception, disrespect for norms and embracement of indecency -- the Muddler's support has hardly waivered. It appears to be solid at about 40%.

So what does this say about the good old U.S.A.? It's not so much about the Muddler himself? It's not about healthcare, tax reform, infrastructure, environment or other important policy issues. The Muddler promised to fix all those things and make them "beautiful" and "amazing", but he's not going to do it.

It's about the 40%. That's not "small potatoes" as my Grandma would have said. That's a huge chunk of the American population that is willing to support, praise or just tolerate the behavior of the Muddler. I think we should be concerned.

I would break the 40% down into basically two major groups: (1) the group that truly supports what the Muddler stands for (that's scary); and, (2) the group that is tolerating him because, despite his abhorrent behavior, he will allow them to advance their ideological political agenda. This group includes most GOP Congressional members, leaders, surrogates, strategists and D.C. insiders; all willing to sacrifice fundamental, human and democratic principles for party passion and ideology. 

It's the second group that bothers me the most. Maybe the country can endure 15 to 20 percent of the population that actually supports what the Muddler stands for; but, it's the ones that know better who continue to fall in line that is really troubling.

I'm convinced that there are many, diehard Republicans that are appalled by the Muddler's disingenuous (I'm being nice) statements, Tweets, treatment of our allies and puzzling relationship with Russia; but they are willing to continue their support for this intolerable, immoral, and embarrassing conduct of an American President.

What will it take to make them snub this insult to our Presidency and country? Or will they ever? The Muddler's shenanigans and malfeasance would have already brought down any President known to modern man. The mischief, indiscretion and misdeeds of the likes of Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton seem like child's play in the wake of the Muddler. Yet, the ones that know better continue their toleration.

Our future is the hands of the GOP members that know better. Because they're in control of the House and Senate, they are the ones who must lead. So long as they remain silent and let the travesties of leadership continue they are empowering the worst among us from both sides of the political spectrum. 

Unfortunately, it's not looking good. As I have pointed out previously, the tolerance of the American public for this continued malfeasance and incompetence is not sacrosanct -- it will reach a point of eruption. The creaking sounds of a breaking democracy can already be heard. 

If the GOP leadership, the ones that know better, continue to force a one-sided, reckless, heartless health care bill through the process simply to fulfill a 7-year, half-baked, mantra ("repeal & replace") the democratic underpinnings may fracture.

Meanwhile, the delusional Muddler, who resides in an alternative fantasy land, amuses himself by Tweeting:

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump The W.H. is functioning perfectly, focused on HealthCare, Tax Cuts/Reform & many other things. I have very little time for watching T.V.9:39 AM - 12 Jul 2017

#BetterGovmt

Rattling the Underpinnings of Democracy: What Have We Become?

How can it be that our governmental processes have degenerated to the point where it is considered okay by a large portion of the public and political leadership to deny funding for needed health care services to children, old people, poor people and the sickest among us, and at the same time give huge tax rewards to the richest among us? With nearly a trillion dollars involved, this is not an incidental action; but, a massive transfer of necessary human survival services for unnecessary individual enrichment.

Tax breaks for the rich and "trickle down" economics have been a part of the political landscape for years, but the direct taking of money for lifesaving services to provide windfalls to the wealthiest has reached a new level of cold-heartedness.

Let's pause and take stock. It's 2017. The Presidency is a national and international embarrassment led by a man who is supported by about a third of the public. His actions scoff traditional norms of decency, undermine the basic foundation of American government, and threaten national security. He has established a new normal where facts can no longer be distinguished from lies. Hard to believe, but the good old U.S.A. is being led by a man so in love with himself, that he prints a fake Time magazine cover "trump"eting his phony accomplishments and resides in a constant state of alternate reality. 

Congress is non-functional because of intense political polarization that has reached a point of frantic implausibility. The two major political parties have morphed into factionalized tribes, trading patriotism for partisanship, to the point that they can no longer define or articulate what they stand for and being led by the extreme elements of their ranks.

We can't blame the current state of affairs solely on our bungling President. There are two prominent and skilled GOP leaders -- Mitch McConnell & Paul Ryan -- who could stop this madness in a New York minute if they chose to elevate reverence for country over their dogmatic passion for Party supremacy.

The breakdown of the major political parties and their growing dysfunction has led to their inability to provide the required "check" on the executive branch. Congressional paralysis in recent years provided the underpinnings for the movement that led to the election of Donald Trump and its persistence now allows the continuation of this national and international insult to the American brand.

The more extreme ends of each party remain active and continue to fan the rhetorical fires that further divide the electorate. The mainstream media continues to report the constant drumbeat of lies, dumbfounding tweets and statements, and unimaginable political faux pas. The alternative media distorts reality and rationalizes the GOP and White House shenanigans and demonizes the mainstream media.

At the same time, much of the public have allowed their eyes to glaze over and begun to tune out the constant frenzy of insanity. Many are in search of distractions to avoid the insults to their intelligence. Many have run out of adjectives to describe what is happening. Many avoid discussions with family and friends because the circumstances are so sensitive and confrontational.

The vehement debate over health care is indicative of what is to come as the country faces other major policy directives and issues. The political leadership of both parties is pushing the framework of democracy dangerously close to its breaking point. The tolerance of the American public for this continued malfeasance and incompetence is not sacrosanct -- it will reach a point of eruption.

Within the next few days the GOP leadership and Presidency have a choice: to either stop the current intolerable proceedings and start anew with a bipartisan approach; or, they can continue to ram through a one-sided solution constructed with no public hearing or scrutiny that is doomed to failure and will push the public to the brink. The choice is theirs.

From my perspective, the desired process would be to develop legislation via the shared committee power process which I have continually advocated in this blog. See more on shared committee power and links to further information: https://goo.gl/LwzeuA. #BetterGovmt

My Heart Died A Little Bit Today

Editor’s Note: I wrote this poem back in December 2016. It still seems timely six months later.

Editor’s Note II: Still timely, but worse than expected February 2020

My heart died a little bit today
I watched the news and felt it skip a beat
Seeing the death and destruction on the streets
I remembered back when things seemed right
And tried to figure out when I first noticed the slide
Where was I when my country cried?

My heart died a little bit today
It didn’t seem that long ago
But I’m getting confused and not sure I know
There were other times, I’m now remembering
I was lost in my mind and not able to cope
But this seems different – like there is no hope.

My heart died a little bit today
How could this have happened while we just lived our life.
We’ve lost our way and can’t see the strife
Yet it’s all around and hard to miss
But we’re all going on doing the stuff we must
While our leaders have stumbled and lost our trust.

My heart died a little bit today
It’s like we’re drifting in a sea of hate and divide
While serious things keep slipping aside
Simple decisions are hard to make without a fight
Working together seems not an option any more
People are thinking and talking about a civil war.

My heart died a little bit today
We can now see our globe from afar
And know that all our life depends on a little star
We’ve lost respect for land and water
The air we breathe -- the animals and seed
Have lost their value and been replaced with greed.

My heart died a little bit today
It’s becoming hard to find the truth
And I fear what will become of the world’s youth
It is now okay to ignore the facts and make things up
Education and learning may fail to meet the test
As officials and leaders claim they know best.

My heart died a little bit today
We see the oceans rise, the ice melt and the sun beat down
Yet some in power simply reply with a silly frown
They claim it’s a hoax, an international trick and a university scam
Their goals are uncertain but they confuse the masses and increase the gasses
Now with victory at hand they smile with glee and hoist their glasses

My heart died a little bit today
I try to imagine what the rest of the world perceives.
What happened to the global leader of the free world they believed?
Disrupting partnerships, breaking agreements and doing deals
Some countries and individuals may see opportunity and financial gain
But many I suspect may think we’ve gone insane

My heart died a little bit today
We have a new style that seems to be catching on
Civility, statesmanship, politeness and respect are all but gone
Bullying, bigotry, name calling, lying without guilt are now accepted
There’s no excuse; it seems senseless and cruel
But with leadership’s endorsement it is becoming the rule.

My heart died a little bit today
By hook or crook they’re now in control and arrogant in style
Previous enemies shed hate and disgust as they fall into single file
The rest of us wait with our fate in the balance as suspicion abounds
They insist they will act with our best interest in mind
But the actions we witness seem counter to promises and more mastermind.

My heart died a little bit today
I now feel a little hollow, sad and confused – extremely perplexed
Not knowing quite how to react or what to say – seriously vexed
It’s unfamiliar, strange, odd, weird, baffling and inexplicable
My faith and trust is now buried deep in the past
As I hope the Founders’ wisdom and written structures will last.

My heart died a little bit today. . .

Bipartisan, Democratic-Led Health Care Reform

Billy Wynne[1], writing for the Health Affairs Blog has done a wonderful job of outlining some of the essential ingredients necessary to address the national health care insurance issue. The posting on April 4, 2017, entitled, “What Now?: A Four Step Plan For Bipartisan Health Reform” is precisely what I have been saying is needed for Democrats to use in the development of an “Affordable Care Improvement Act” that could provide a sensible alternative to the GOP cobbled up, disastrous proposal known as the American Health Care Act (AHCA)[2]. See my March 27, 2017, post, “Democrats Could Lead The Bipartisan Revolution.”

I have been advocating for Democrats to take the lead now that the GOP efforts have failed and the President has declared:

“I think the losers are Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, because now they own Obamacare.  They own it -- 100 percent own it.”  And this is not a Republican healthcare, this is not anything but a Democrat healthcare. . .”

Following the GOP debacle[3], I said Democrats need to develop the "Affordable Care Improvement Act", designed to do what needs to be done to make the Affordable Care Act work better and introduce it in the House and Senate with 100% of the Democrats in both chambers supporting it. Simultaneously, they need to launch a massive public education and media campaign comparing the Republican and Democratic alternatives.

It is no wonder that the GOP is still divided on Healthcare? The House Freedom Caucus' 30+ votes will continue to block any effort that Speaker Ryan proposes. The GOP is getting so desperate to just pass something that they have now discounted rationale health care reform. The HFC's basic strategy is to reduce insurance costs for their constituents; an admirable goal, and they have found a guaranteed way to do it. Their "Plan" is don't cover anything including preexisting conditions. That should definitely reduce costs.

For example, items to be excluded under various GOP proposals in addition to preexisting conditions would include: outpatient care; emergency services; in-hospital care; pregnancy, maternity and newborn care; mental health and substance abuse disorder services; prescription drugs; rehabilitative services and habilitative services (including treatment for kids with autism or cerebral palsy); lab tests; preventive services (like vaccines, cancer screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies and, coverage of birth control); and pediatric services.

One can only imagine that eliminating coverage for these essential health care services would definitely reduce costs. Speaker Ryan said, "Instead of imposing arrogant and paternalistic mandates [like coverage for the above listed items], it [GOP plan] would increase choice and competition, creating a vibrant market where every American will have access to quality, affordable coverage."

Democrats need to step it up, lead the way, and not just be the party of “No” opposing all of the iterations of the GOP’s American Health Care Act. Instead of trying to get a few Democrats to sign on to a fatally flawed GOP proposal, why don’t Democrats turn the tables, propose a plan that makes sense and get 25-30 moderate, “Main Street” or “Tuesday Group” Republicans to sign on.

Billy Wynne has now provided the substance of what is needed in a Democratic alternative. Below is an extremely brief overview, but I highly encourage reading Mr. Wynne’s complete proposal. Some of this is fairly technical, but I am including it to illustrate the extent of Affordable Care Act (ACA) [Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) 2010 HR3590, or Affordable Care Act (ACA) for short] improvement ideas that exist which could be advanced.

Step 1 – Enhance The Individual Market: Wynne lays out a number of critical “mechanical options” to enhance markets and maintain the basic elements of the existing Affordable Care Act including continued funding the cost-sharing subsidies currently available to individuals in the exchange markets; actively marketing and supporting enrollment in available coverage options; and more substantial changes that would improve competition and reduce costs. Some options suggested have strong conservative support.

One major suggestion is that in lieu of the initial GOP approach of delivering tax credits of equal value to individuals at different income levels, the existing subsidy structure could be expanded to all households so that none are required to pay more than 9.5 percent of their income for coverage, which de facto phases out the subsidy at high income levels. While ensuring affordability for the middle class, this will also entice a broader array of consumers to get into the market.

Other significant suggestions include establishing default enrollment, perhaps into the lowest cost plan available with an opportunity to opt out; and ending the now four-year extension of plans that do not comply with the consumer protections enacted in the ACA.

Step 2 – Rationalize The Employer Market: The majority of Americans with health insurance acquire it via their employer -- two key changes could be enacted to improve that market’s condition. First, the so-called “family glitch,” which denies subsidies to family members if one of them has access to relatively affordable individual coverage from their employer, should be fixed to allow those family members to acquire subsidized coverage elsewhere. Second, access to the small business tax credits in the ACA could be expanded to assist more workers in this market.

Allow small business employees to be merged into the individual market completely over time and provide large employers greater opportunity to provide their employees a fixed allotment with which they can purchase insurance in a private exchange. Finally, addressing the “elephant in the room” “. . .by capping or eliminating the “around four trillion dollars over ten years” of tax exclusion for employer sponsored insurance.

Step 3 – Embrace Medicaid & Step 4 – Don’t Forget The Big Picture: Wynne says “It’s time to drop the ideological divide over Medicaid, a program that covers 74 million Americans who truly have nowhere else to turn.” He also reminds that health insurance coverage is really just a method for helping consumers address the underlying issue: their health -- we need focus on patients and the providers who take care of them.

Yes, there are problems with House leadership putting such an alternative bill up for a vote, but that's why an aggressive education & media campaign is needed. Wynne concludes:

“The bottom line is that there are a host of policies that lawmakers and regulators can embrace to start drastically improving the condition of our health care system. This will not be easy, nor will it happen quickly. Policymakers of all political stripes can come together now, though, to begin the arduous process of identifying evidence-based solutions and building the necessary consensus to enact them. It’s a winning strategy for politics and for the public.”

While I agree, I don’t think the current GOP leadership or Republican base has the desire or will to lead this effort. They are too wedded to the 7-year mantra of “Repeal & Replace Obamacare.” That’s why Democrats must take the lead.

#BetterGovmt

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[1] Billy Wynne, J.D., is the Managing Partner of TRP Health Policy. A division of the Washington government relations firm Thorn Run Partners, TRP Health Policy combines industry-leading, actionable analysis and insight with sophisticated, informed advocacy to help healthcare organizations solve challenges and capitalize on opportunities in the Federal policy space.

                TRP Health Policy is also home to Policy Hub, an online portal and daily digest delivering in-depth intelligence on every important regulatory and legislative development impacting healthcare.

                Previously, Billy served as Health Policy Counsel to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. He received his B.A. from Dartmouth College and his law degree from the University of Virginia.

[2]CBO report on H.R. 1628, the American Health Care Act, incorporating manager’s amendments 4, 5, 24, and 25, March 23, 2017.

[3]List and summary of opposition to GOP AHCA from nurses, doctors, hospitals, teachers, churches, and others, from Representative Jim Cooper (D-TN)

Articles & Resources of Interest

May 25, 2017: “Obviously we’re all united in opposition to Trumpcare. That’s easy. People know what we’re against, but we want to promote more what we are for.” A quote from Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), who has been introducing single-payer legislation (“Medicare for all.”) since 2003. House Democrats See Medicare for All as Answer to ‘Trumpcare’. H.R.676 now has 111 Democratic co-sponsors. There are 193 Democrats in the House.

"Mending Obamacare: Where Do Dems Go from Here?", The Democratic Strategist, Mar 28, 2017,  By J.P. Green https://goo.gl/CMPmh9

"Will GOP leadership work with Democrats? These Republicans hope so." The Christian Science Monitor, Apr 3, 2017. By Francine Kiefer. https://goo.gl/9H3ph5

"No ‘Death Spiral’: Insurers May Soon Profit From Obamacare Plans, Analysis Finds" The New York Times. Apr 7, 2017. By Reed Abelson. https://goo.gl/zPzqhR

HealthSherpa | Fast, Easy Obamacare Policy Information. Enter your zip code & find plans and prices. https://goo.gl/OZgWzn

Health Care Reform News Updates https://goo.gl/3LcBiP

“Funding H.R. 676: The Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act – How we can afford a national single-payer health plan in 2014,” by Gerald Friedman, Ph.D., Department of Economics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. https://goo.gl/xaUC9K

Physicians for a National Health Program - PNHP is a non-profit research and education organization of 20,000 physicians, medical students and health professionals who support single-payer national health insurance. http://www.pnhp.org/

Medicare for all bill reaches a record-breaking 104 [and counting] co-sponsors in Congress
Posted on Wednesday, April 26, 2017

H.R.676 - Expanded & Improved Medicare For All Act, Sponsor:Rep. Conyers, John, Jr. [D-MI-13] (Introduced 01/24/2017), Cosponsor statistics: 108 current  https://goo.gl/dIx4Bg