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GOP

GOP’s Healthcare Failure, Iran Deal Angst, Sessions Sanctions More Seizures

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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America endure three bad martinis today as two more GOP Senators bail on the plan to overhaul Obamacare and a new effort to vote on a clean repeal is already in grave danger of failing.  They criticize President Trump for keeping Obama’s infamous Iran Nuclear Deal without giving his advisers enough time to develop a new policy.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions is another source of disappointment today as he declares his intention to increase the use of civil asset forfeiture, which allows the federal government to seize the property of suspected criminals — without charging them with a crime.

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CA Dem Dissension, Healthcare Exasperation, Hill Staffers’ Crimes Exposed

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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America pop the popcorn as California Democrats resort to infighting over whether the state’s Democrat-dominated government is doing enough to please progressives.  They are frustrated by the GOP’s inability to make progress in healthcare reform, as Jim scolds moderates for constantly moving the goalposts, and some conservatives for demanding a perfect bill. And they are repulsed by two former congressional staffers charged with disseminating nude photos of U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate Stacey Plaskett but also note the story stands as a cautionary tale of poor judgment.

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ISIS In Crisis, Comey Memo Mayhem, Bernie Healthcare Hysteria

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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America welcome reports of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s death and Jim offers some super helpful tips to anyone looking to take his place. They also address Fox and Friends’ retraction after they overstated the level of classified information that former FBI Director James Comey revealed in his memos. And they ridicule Sen. Bernie Sanders for his outrageous and hysterical claims that the GOP healthcare bill will result in thousands of deaths every year if it passes.

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Syria Scared Straight, Republicans Retreat on Repeal, Dunkirk Diversity Drama

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David French of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America applaud the “tough guy” stance that President Trump and Defense Secretary James Mattis are taking in deterring further chemical attacks in Syria. They dive into the complications surrounding the healthcare debate, as Mitch McConnell scraps the vote on the most recent GOP bill and many of the Republicans opposed believe the government should be doing more. Finally, they discuss the PC complaints that the new Dunkirk film — a historical World War II drama  — is “too white,” even though the vast majority of soldiers involved were white.

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CNN Eats Crow, GOP’s Healthcare Headache, Sanders Scandal, Serena Slighted?

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David French of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America discuss the resignation of three CNN reporters after the redaction of a deceptive story on a top Trump advisor. They also express frustration over the tactics of Senate Republicans as the debate over the new healthcare bill escalates.Then, they decry the double standard, as it provides little coverage of the FBI’s bank fraud investigation of Bernie Sanders’ wife. And they defend John McEnroe’s controversial comments on NPR that while Serena Williams is the best women’s player of all time, she would struggle greatly on the men’s tour.

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Pro-Life Court Victory, FBI Strikes Out, Social Media Gestapo

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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America celebrate with the pro-life community over the news that a California court is dropping 14 of 15 charges against activists David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt, whose undercover videos show Planned Parenthood illegally selling aborted baby body parts. They also express concern over the FBI’s reluctance to state that the Alexandria shooter was politically motivated. And they discuss reports that German police are raiding homes and interrogating people over controversial social media posts.

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‘This Is Very Exciting’

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The chairman of the House of Representatives’ powerful tax writing committee says the tax reform blueprint laid out by President Trump last week is “exciting” and predicts enactment will lead to stronger businesses and more financially secure families.

Trump’s economic team laid out the administration’s principles on Wednesday, including a call for the corporate tax rate to drop from almost 40 percent down to 15 percent, a doubling of the standard individual deduction, and creating just three tax brackets instead of seven.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, loves that Trump is going bold on tax reform.

“This is very exciting,” said Brady.  “Americans saw something they haven’t seen in 30 years, which is a president willing to lead on tax reform and committed to working with the House and Senate.  We want to get this done this year.”

“We only get one chance in a generation to do this, and like Reagan, we have to go bold to do it,” said Brady.

But Brady is not in a tremendous rush.  He says the process needs to play out in the weeks ahead.

“Beginning [this] week, we’re going to roll up our sleeves, sitting down with President Trump’s team and the Senate as well to put together a single tax reform plan that’s going to take place over the coming weeks,” said Brady.

While partisans and the media are focused heavily on the pace of legislative action in the early stages of the Trump administration, Brady says getting it right in a timely fashion is most important.

“I think a lot of press in Washington are focused on which month this happens.  My focus is on the year and that means this year, 2017.  After 30 years of this broken, complicated tax code, it seems like exactly the right time to deliver,” said Brady.

Brady says the Trump blueprint would be a boon for businesses and families.  He says dropping the corporate tax rate to 15 percent would make a monumental difference in America’s business climate.  He says the small business owners will be smiling too.

“For small business owners, we propose to cut your taxes by more than 40 percent.  That’s so you can send less to Washington.  you can invest more in your business, your workers, your success.  We provide full, unlimited write-offs of all your investment and building’s equipment, software and technology,” said Brady.

He says other provisions should ease the burdens of small business owners as well.

“We eliminate the death tax, so family-owned businesses no longer have to worry about Uncle Sam swooping in and taking nearly half of what you’ve earned over a lifetime.  Then we eliminate some of the double taxation.  For small businesses, this is game-changing, since this will grow the economy by more than nine percent” said Brady.

Where the tax bill could run into friction is over a proposed border adjustability tax, which would add a tax on imported goods.  While critics say American consumers would end up paying for it in higher prices, Brady says it needs to happen, in part because everyone else except North Korea and Cuba does it.

“They take a major tax off their products heading into America.  They slap a tax on their made in America products when it goes in their country,” said Brady.

“A foreign product has a major tax advantage over a made in America product, both here and abroad.  So we’re saying for the first time that every product pays an equal tax.  So no longer is Chinese steel getting a break over American steel, Mexican beef over American beef, Canadian autos over American autos,” said Brady.

He also says the more level playing field will likely entice many companies that left the U.S. and others that never were here to set up shop in America, adding to even more job creation.

As for families, Brady says the typical family of four will like the bigger paychecks coming home.

“You’re going to keep more of the money that you earn.  The tax code is going to be dramatically simpler.  If you save for retirement, education or health care, we cut your taxes in half again because we want to reward those types of savings,” said Brady.

“The bottom line is the House Republican blueprint, the idea we’re bringing to the president, is a code so fair and simple, nine out of ten Americans will be able to file using a simple postcard system,” said Brady.

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Warren Slams Obama, GOP Wilting on Obamacare Repeal, Headaches at Heritage

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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America react to Elizabeth Warren criticizing former Pres. Obama for leaving millions of Americans feeling like they’ve been “kicked in the teeth” in the current economy.  They also groan at reports that up to 50 House Republicans really don’t want to repeal Obamacare and many of those are even wobbly on giving states more flexibility.  And they discuss the ouster of Jim DeMint at the Heritage Foundation and address speculation that Steve Bannon might replace him.

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Popular GOP Governors, Turbulence for United, Return to Dueling?

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Ian Tuttle of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America cheer the resignation of Alabama GOP Gov. Robert Bentley and a new poll showing the nation’s ten most popular governors are all Republicans.  They also get to the bottom line of what went wrong on the United Airlines flight – quick escalation of hostilities and a failure to let capitalism solve the problem.  And they get a kick out of Oregon possibly removing a ban on dueling from the state constitution.

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‘Let’s Do What We Said, Let’s Repeal Obamacare’

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Republican leaders are hoping to pass their health care replacement plan on Thursday, but the conservative sponsor of legislation to fully repeal the Affordable Care Act says the current GOP preserves far too much of the current system and must be rejected.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is also a co-founder and former chairman of the House Freedom Caucus and has introduced legislation to fully repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as the ACA or Obamacare.  Jordan is vigorously opposed to the current version of American Health Care Act, arguing this is not what Republicans promised voters since 2010.

“We’re not repealing Obamacare.  Even people who are for it, like Charles Krauthammer, has said it’s Obamacare-lite.  It keeps the Obamacare structure and that’s not what we told the voters.  If you don’t repeal Obamacare, you’re never going to bring down the cost of insurance for middle class and working class families,” said Jordan.

“So it is really that basic.  Let’s do what we said.  That’s what they sent us here to do.  Let’s actually repeal Obamacare.  A clean and complete repeal is what we’re after.  This doesn’t do it,” said Jordan.

The American Health Care Act, or AHCA, is vigorously endorsed by President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc.  Ryan argues the plan does fulfill the promise to repeal and replace Obamacare.

Jordan laid out several areas he insists are key differences between a complete repeal and what the GOP plan does.

“We didn’t tell voters we were going to repeal Obamacare but we were going to keep some of the taxes in place, which the speaker’s plan does.  We didn’t say we were going to repeal Obamacare but take the Medicaid expansion and extend it for several years, which the speaker’s plan does,” said Jordan.

“We certainly didn’t say we’re going to repeal Obamacare and start this new program of refundable tax credits and repeal Obamacare and get rid of the mandate but keep this 30 percent surcharge that we tell insurance companies you have to levy on people who don’t maintain continuous coverage,” said Jordan.

The most disturbing issue for Jordan is Republicans getting ready to own a massive health care reform that he believes will not lower the cost of health insurance.

“This is just Obamacare in a different format, and because of that it will not bring down the cost of insurance.  It will not bring down premiums.  Therefore, middle class families are still going to see the ridiculous high levels they’ve seen over the last several years,” said Jordan.

Jordan and several other members of the House Freedom Caucus are demanding a full repeal of Obamacare, just as the GOP-controlled Congress did in 2015 before the legislation was vetoed by President Obama.

“The one thing we know about our plan is it’s passed before,” said Jordan.

So why won’t leaders bring up that same bill?

“They’re saying some people may not vote for that, which is amazing to me.  During election time you can do one thing, but once you get in office and it actually counts you can’t?  That’s what drives voters crazy,” said Jordan.

Jordan also doesn’t buy the GOP leadership’s three-step approach to reform, which includes this bill, letting Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price roll back many of the regulations in the current law and then passing market-based reforms in a separate bill that will likely require 60 votes to clear the Senate.

“That’s a joke,” said Jordan.

“We know phase two is going to get tied up in court.  You saw what the courts have done on President Trump’s executive order on the travel ban.  You’ve seen how he reworked it and came back with something we know is consistent with the law.  And where is that right now?  It’s tied up in court.  So to think the left is not going to take Obamacare and tie it up in court is just ridiculous,” said Jordan.

As frustrating as it has been for full repeal proponents to plead their case with leadership, Jordan says the difference between conservatives and Democrats on the issue is like night and day.

“They view success as signing people up for government, Medicaid or Obamacare.  We define success as let’s put in place the policies that make insurance affordable so that people can pick the plan that meets their needs.  That’s what we’re trying to get accomplished,” said Jordan.

While Trump is vociferously supporting the GOP plan, Jordan is hopeful the president will be able to broker changes to the legislation that will rid the law of crippling insurance regulations dictating what has to be in all policies, allow for market based reforms that will drive competition and lower costs and repeal other burdensome regulations by statute.

Jordan, who met with Trump along with other Freedom Caucus members, says the White House has been far more accommodating than Republican leaders in Congress.

“We appreciate the outreach the White House did being willing to work with us.  Our leadership initially talked about this binary choice, take-it-or-leave-it approach, which I don’t think is helpful.  Since then I think they’ve been more open to talk with us, probably driven by the fact they don’t have the votes,” said Jordan.

With a vote planned for Thursday, Jordan suspects a scramble is underway to find more support for the AHCA.

“One thing I learned a long time ago is when leadership is out there saying they have the votes, that means they probably don’t have the votes.  Based on what I know from our members of the Freedom Caucus and some other people, I believe they do not have the votes, so we’ll see how negotiations go this week,” said Jordan.

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