Running out of time

“Tax reform hangs in balance in critical week for GOP,” by Seung Min Kim and Bernie Becker: “It’s do-or-die time for Senate Republicans on tax reform. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) doesn't appear to have locked down 50 votes for his party’s tax overhaul, with at least half a dozen GOP senators showing varying levels of concern about the legislation released earlier this month.

  Politico

Three weeks until the Senate goes into recess. Desperation time.

The Senate Republican tax plan gives substantial tax cuts and benefits to Americans earning more than $100,000 a year, while the nation’s poorest would be worse off, according to a report released Sunday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Republicans are aiming to have the full Senate vote on the tax plan as early as this week, but the new CBO analysis showing large, harmful effects on the poor may complicate those plans. The CBO also said the bill would add $1.4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade, a potential problem for Republican lawmakers worried about America’s growing debt.

  WaPo

And yet, I'm quite confident that Republican lawmakers can see their way past any potential problem to get a bill passed just so they can say they got a bill passed. Funny that harming the poor isn't seen as a potential problem.

On the other hand, the analysis claims the main reason the poor will be worse off is that they won't have health care because the mandate to be insured under Obamacare will be lifted. I was never in favor of a mandate. People are forced to pay into insurance companies' swollen coffers. That whole health insurance issue is rife with problems, and it doesn't have to be. Neither party wants to actually help the poor have the health care they need.

White House policy initiatives are typically planned months in advance, with congruent strategies for communications and a view toward working them through Congress. But there is little agreement between White House officials and Republican leaders on the Hill about what should follow tax reform.
  Politico

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Tax reform may be a long way from finished. Even so, what should follow, should tax reform actually be decided soon, is impeachment. In fact, if Democrats vote for the GOP version of tax reform and don't get an assurance of an impeachment trial in return, they're not worthy of being called the opposition party.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.