Day 155: Trump (sort of) admits he didn’t tape Comey; Senate healthcare bill (somehow) worse than House’s attempt
Thursday was just one of those days.
First, Donald Trump admitted that this tweet…
… was a lie…
…sort of.
The thing is, yesterday’s two tweets leave a pretty sizable loophole: That Trump did not make the recording and it is not currently in his possession. For instance, what if Trump directed Steve Bannon to make a recording and retain possession of it? Technically, Trump’s statements yesterday would be true. He somewhat carefully parroted the same language this morning on Fox & Friends and seemed uncomfortable using words other than repeating what he wrote on Twitter.
The loophole wasn’t lost on Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA).
Trump needs to answer completely whether tapes exist. If they do, he needs to turn them over immediately. If they don’t, he needs to better explain what he was threatening or pressuring the former FBI director to do or say.
Meanwhile, the thirteen male, Republican senators secretly drafting their version of a healthcare bill — the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 — was finally released to the American people.
It was widely panned by all but the most ardent dye-in-the-wool Republicans as nothing but a tax cut for the wealthy at the expense of the poor. Reading the bill cover to cover shows that in many ways it’s more heinous and immoral than the House’s version for many reasons, including deeper cuts to Medicaid. Medicaid is relied upon by children, seniors and the poor, by Democrats and Republicans, by midwesterners and southerners. Those reliant on the program are seeing their access to affordable healthcare being gutted most. Even some GOP senators expressed reservations about rushing to a vote on the bill next week.
Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) did an excellent and efficient job explaining (and circling) the scariest provisions in the 142-page bill.
Republican senators, meanwhile, are literally running away rather than discussing the bill.
155 days in, 1307 to go
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