Ryan puts speakership on the line with Obamacare blitz

[DonViejo]

His tenuous relationship with President Donald Trump is about to be put to the test — big time.

By JOHN BRESNAHAN and RACHAEL BADE 03/20/17 05:13 AM EDT

Speaker Paul Ryan and President Donald Trump — those awkward, sometimes reluctant allies — face the biggest test yet of their unusual relationship as the House barrels toward a dramatic vote this week on repealing and replacing Obamacare. The stakes could not be higher for either of them.

The success of the new president's legislative agenda will hinge in large part on Thursday's vote in the House on the American Health Care Act, already being dubbed "Ryancare" or "Trumpcare." Failure would be a real blow to Trump, who has vowed over and over again to "repeal and replace horrible, disastrous Obamacare." It would damage the prospects of getting his other top priorities — from tax reform to funding his “beautiful wall" — through a GOP-controlled Congress.

Ryan, for his part, has put his legacy as speaker on the line. Sixteen months after taking over for ex-Speaker John Boehner, Ryan doesn't have a long list of legislative victories to show; in fact, his most notable achievement to this point may be simply surviving Trump's takeover of the party and victory in the presidential race. The two clashed often during the campaign, though Trump supported Ryan's reelection in January as speaker.

As the vote approaches, Ryan is under heavy pressure from both ends of his conference. The conservative House Freedom Caucus — the group that ousted Boehner — is growing restless, attempting to circumvent Ryan to negotiate directly with the White House in a bid to push the GOP health-care proposal farther right. If the Freedom Caucus derails the bill, it will have undermined Ryan's authority at a time when he needs it to pass Trump’s agenda.

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http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/paul-ryan-obamacare-repeal-trump-236229

[elfin]

1. I think he would love to get rid of this job

He wants to be President. His own party is hindering his ultimate goal in a very public way.

He was much more comfortable pursuing his goal hiding behind Boehner and seeming to look like the "smart one" in the party. Now all is revealed. His goal is not gone, just harder to pull off.

If the same group in his party that did in Boehner votes him off this island, I don't think he would care as much as others might think. He can backtrack, let the noise subside, and once again put on the fake reasonable facade that got him so far, even though he is as bad or worse than the the whole sick party.

Perhaps even leave to run as an "outsider." He is young. Lots of time to do bad stuff.

[Wellstone ruled]

3. You just nailed Ryan.

When they take out Trump,he wants the top spot and will work a deal leaving Pence as his whipping Stooge.

[Thomas Hurt]

2. Me thinks Ryan is going to choke on it. Believe me. Sad. Very Sad.

[Skittles]

5. that would be nice

but the GOP has a way of goose stepping in the end

[MosheFeingold]

4. Ryan is pathetic

He embodies almost everything wrong with Congress, regardless of parties.

He has no convictions or principles. It's just about personal power and his future. And money.

I don't agree with Republicans on about anything, but I remember when they were penny-pinching bastards. They were cheap sons of bitches that wouldn't spend money on anything, no matter how useful or good.

Cheapness has a certain merit of its own, even if often shortsighted. I respect cheap people. I AM a cheap person, with my own money. I get it. Frugality is good.

But this clan of Republicans, starting really with Bush the Elder, don't do anything but give lip service to frugality.

The ACA is/was an expensive bill. Lots of money transferred from groups of people to other groups of people. Long story short, it was an entitlement, and a rather good one at providing a benefit to the less fortunate.

It did suck to be on the paying side, but so do all taxes.

This crap Ryan is pushing is the worst of both: it's expensive and it does bupkus to help anyone except Republican cronies.

I'd take a cheap bastard, any day, over this corrupt crap.

If I am going to get screwed, at least don't make me pay for it.