A DIVIDED, TESTY SENATE CONFIRMS TRUMP HEALTH SECRETARY
Source: Associated Press
Feb 10, 2:22 AM EST
BY ALAN FRAM
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republicans won Senate confirmation of President Donald Trump's choice for health secretary early Friday in the testy chamber's fourth consecutive brawl over Cabinet picks.
Senators approved Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., to head the Health and Human Services Department by a strictly party-line 52-47 vote in the dead of night. A debate that Democrats prolonged until nearly 2 a.m. EST Friday was dotted with bitter accusations, reflecting the raw feelings enveloping Washington early in Trump's presidency.
No. 2 Senate GOP leader John Cornyn of Texas said Democrats' "obstruction" of Cabinet nominees was a rejection of Trump's Election Day victory and threatened "the stability of the government and that peaceful transition of power" from President Barack Obama.
Citing Price's long-time support for revamping the Medicare program for the elderly, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that with Price's confirmation, "The Republicans launch their first assault in their war on seniors." Trump has said he won't cut Medicare.
Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SENATE_TRUMP_CABINET?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-02-10-02-22-15
oberliner
(58,724 posts)Has Trump set a precedent?
MADem
(135,425 posts)dchill
(38,594 posts)Fraudulent votes! But seriously, Cornyn, like all Republicans, views ANY victory as a HUGH!!! mandate.
MADem
(135,425 posts)tavernier
(12,410 posts)No more explanation required.
joshdawg
(2,653 posts)in the history of Texas. You can guess who the other one is.
TexasBushwhacker
(20,232 posts)Don't forget Phil Gramm.
joshdawg
(2,653 posts)Yeah, gramm is in the top ten for sure.
nikibatts
(2,198 posts)the various ways Medicare can be cut. So unless he receives a bill that directly states that "Medicare is being cut by $xxxxx he will never recognize that changing age thresholds or changing contribution ceilings etc. is actually cutting benefits.
raccoon
(31,130 posts)murielm99
(30,780 posts)'peaceful transition of power.'
If Hillary had won the electoral college vote, there would have been no peaceful transition. Trump would have fought her every step of the way. They have no legitimacy, peaceful or not peaceful.
Don't just resist: Persist.
logosoco
(3,208 posts)well, just about everything, it is pretty awful of them to even say anything like that at all. Obama was in the office almost 8 years and they were stopping him from seating a SC judge.
They just don't GAF and tRump doesn't have a clue. And even if he did, he wouldn't care about anything but himself.
Vinca
(50,323 posts)Congress is only protected from insider trading to a point. Price makes Martha Stewart look like a jaywalker.
joshdawg
(2,653 posts)but with bannon and the rest of the rabid republicans, don't hold your breath that he won't.
Why people vote republican is mind-boggling. They do nothing for the average American. NOTHING!
yellowcanine
(35,703 posts)iemitsu
(3,888 posts)It is an insurance program that we have no choice but to participate in and they have no choice but to provide it. We paid for it.
Or they can give me back every penny they ever took from me so I can provide for myself.
Liberalagogo
(1,770 posts)sideways.