Good luck with that.
Only way this works - is if enough R-senators are nervous about a voter backlash based on voting it into law. In which case - delay - wait til Jones is seated and vote (with the intention of having it fail with Corker + 1 R and all dems) such that it fails. All done as a show to set up the midterms by blaming the democrats: “Trump was denied his Tax Reform/Cuts because of DEMS!”
Precedent is for suckers. And Democrats. But my Republican’t friends would say I’m being redundant…
Not a better time for that. They saw the same thing we did last night.
This article/podcast from the Wharton School is interesting. It’s a bit dry going, but it’s an interview with Kent Smetters about the problems with the tax bill. He’s a Republican economist at Wharton, and he just hates this bill and the way it’s being rammed through without any analysis.
The loopholes are so huge that the hit to revenue will be even worse than anyone can predict. It’s a toybox for tax attorneys.
You might not agree with his position, but this is a scathing critique from someone sympathetic to the general GOP ethos. It’s well worth hearing/reading.
How Rising Deficits, Huge Loopholes and Small Family Gains Plague Tax Reform
This would actually be a good opportunity for the GOP to clean up that mess of a bill, but they’re going to jam it through anyway. Frum pretty much called it: pass tax cuts, and as long as they hold 1/3 of House, Senate, and White House they can keep them locked in.
This is from the Merrick Garland School of Senate Bipartisanship?
meaning that any one defection could tank legislation
Pence is still a tie-breaker.
Though cloture might be problematic.
Very good. I wonder if the GOP 1) will scramble to get what they can while they can, or 2) if the saner among them will realize that when middle class folks realize how hard this bill hits their pocketbooks and the programs they need, they WILL destroy what’s left of the Republican party.
I would have said 1) for sure last night. Now, I’m not so sure.
If they can push this through the reconciliation process, why can’t the Dems use reconciliation to push through new tax legislation when control of House, Senate and presidency change? Sure, that would be a bad process (although a good result), but the only way the Party of Trump is going to get its Civics lesson is to have the same things done to it that it’s been doing to the rest of us.
But the GOP scam is that exploding the deficit is good. Because they then use that as the excuse to go after “entitlements” which is their holy grail.
I suspect their tax bill as proposed is toast. I think they’ll be lucky to cut a deal with the Democrats to keep the government open before Christmas.
I’m willing to bet it will be scaled back or scrapped after last night.
I guess this is designed to appease the left wing of the party. This is silly and makes Democrats look whinny and weak.
DEMANDING anything without the ability to retaliate if your demand is not met, is absurd. This is the political equivalent and sending a ransom note to release someone who is not your hostage.
The GOP scum-suckers who gladly refused Merrick Garland’s review will never play fair, nor will they feel obliged to reciprocate on the Brown delay. They’re pure political scum and will do whatever they want.
McConnell justified this at the time by arguing that “the American people should have a voice in this decision.”
This falls into the same category as the GOP stance on states’ rights where the ideology is sacrosanct except in the case of abortion, and same-sex marriage, and concealed carry, and marijuana legalization, and everything else on the GOP social conservative and fundamentalist Xtian wish list.
“What’s good for the
goosetortoise is good for theganderturtle…”
FIFY! 
Right idea, wrong tactic. Don’t make this explicitly about seating Jones, but rather make it about the rushed, and extremely shoddy job done writing the bill in the first place. Hammer on the handwritten margin notes in the Senate version, all of the various “unintended” consequences overlooked in the vast rush, and demand that the careful consideration due a massive restructuring of the tax code is actually taken and done. And if that happens to take enough time to get Jones seated, so be it. (as has been amply noted here, expecting Republicans in general and McConnell in particular to use "precedent’ or logic on anything that would ultimately hurt them, is the very definition of insanity)
Apropos of nothing, I bought 50 shares of “No, Roy Moore will not win the race” at 31 cents yesterday (predictit.org). Won $35. Thanks Alabama!
Imma go reinvest in “Yes, Kushner will be indicted.”
As they should considering the Dems waited over ten years ago before an ACA vote
You’re right. But if that bill does pass that’s how I want it to go down. Let Pence own it. It’s going to bear its evil fruit just as Pence decides to make POTUS run.