death rattle, on 12 November 2016 - 12:21 AM, said:
MTS, on 12 November 2016 - 12:02 AM, said:
This isn't quite the case. It's hard to tell because Trump's indifference to almost everybody else on Earth makes him a sort of political empty vessel -- and what's in his "heart of hearts" is not necessarily how he'll govern. As a populist, some of his promises were not nearly as far right as the GOP + Tea Party Congress. For instance, Trump claimed he wasn't gonna mess with Medicare/SS, but Paul Ryan has always been in the Privatize It camp, and it remains to be seen how this will fall out. He might just try it though. http://www.salon.com...-gut-obamacare/
Likewise Trump just indicated that he might keep two of the more popular facets of Obamacare -- the coverage for one's offspring up to 26 years old and the prohibition against refusals for preexisting conditions, whereas we know Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell want to gut the entire ACA. The fact that it doesn't make any fiscal sense whatsoever to force insurance companies to insure ill people without the vast reservoir of healthy customers won't necessarily stop Trump from doing it (though I'd wager Congress gets its way entirely, with a shrug and an "I tried" from Trump).
Edit: Ah, TS covered the latter thing.
Good point, I should have phrased it as some voters saw Congress as an effective check on some of Trump's policies they did not agree with. I imagine that's how it will go as well.
@amphibian, as far as I'm aware, that was never confirmed as true, it was just something Trump's son said to get Kasich on board for VP. It's not hard to see Trump delegating to Pence certain issues though, which could mean the ACA (like Obama + Biden with assault weapons ban).