Monday, July 24, 2017
Republican health bill still a mystery before planned vote
The Senate will move forward with a key vote this
week on a Republican health bill but it's a mystery what exactly they
will be voting on.
It is not yet known whether the legislation will seek to replace President Obama's health care law or simply repeal it.
Sen. John Thune of South Dakota said Sunday that
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will make a decision soon on
which bill to bring up for a vote, depending on ongoing discussions with
GOP senators. Thune sought to cast this week's initial vote as
important but mostly procedural, allowing senators to begin debate and
propose amendments.But he acknowledged senators should be able to know beforehand what bill they will be considering.
Both versions encountered opposition from enough GOP senators to doom the effort, but McConnell, R-Ky., is making a last-gasp attempt this week after Trump insisted that senators not leave town for the August recess without sending him some kind of health overhaul bill to sign.
Some senators told The Wall Street Journal that McConnell told them that they would find out before any vote if they will be asked to repeal and replace.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who called the bill a “porkfest” in an interview said that the current legislation will not work.
“I think it keeps the fundamental flaw of ObamaCare, the death spiral will continue and we’re going to subsidize it,” Paul, the Kentucky Republican, told Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures.”
McConnell, was making a last-gasp effort to resuscitate the legislation, cannot afford to lose any more than two Republican votes, The Journal reported.
President Trump tweeted on Sunday, "If Republicans don't Repeal and Replace the disastrous ObamaCare, the repercussions will be far greater than any of them understand!"
Trump has had a complicated relationship with the Republican Party, but GOP lawmakers have continued to be generally supportive of the president, even as his approval ratings slip.
“There’s less money from the government going to poor people, but there’s more money from the government going to rich people who run insurance companies,” Paul explained. “I think when voters find out that Republicans gave billions of dollars to rich insurance companies and took money away from poor people getting Medicaid, I think that’s a disaster.”
Still, at least two Republican senators Sunday appeared to reaffirm their intention to vote against the procedural motion if it involved the latest version of the GOP's repeal-and-replace bill.
Moderate Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she continued to have concerns about reductions to Medicaid and criticized the Republican process, saying lawmakers were being unfairly kept in the dark. Under McConnell's plan, 22 million more people would become uninsured by 2026, many of them Medicaid recipients. She wants to hold public hearings and work with Democrats.
Gregg Jarrett: Donald Trump Jr. did not violate campaign laws -- Pelosi and others are wrong
The law is common sense. Yet, it is created by
lawmakers who seem to be lacking any sense at all. Many of them do not
understand their own laws.
Nancy Pelosi recently proved this
point. The House Minority Leader held a news conference, surrounded by
like-minded Democrats, during which she declared that Donald Trump Jr.
had broken campaign laws when he met with a Russian lawyer during last
year’s presidential campaign to obtain negative information on the
Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton. Here is what Pelosi said:
“This is a campaign violation: soliciting,
coordinating, or accepting something of value --opposition research,
documents, and information—from a foreign national. Plain and simple.”
In truth, it is plain and simple that Pelosi is wrong. And so are many others who have joined the chorus of condemnation based on laws they have surely never read. Allow me to help them out.
The Federal Election Commission is the independent regulatory agency which enforces campaign laws enacted by Congress. On its government website, the FEC makes it clear that it is perfectly lawful for foreign nationals to be involved in American political campaigns:
“Even though a foreign national cannot make campaign contributions, he or she can serve as an uncompensated volunteer for a campaign or political party”.
The Commission goes on to explain that foreigners are “allowed to attend campaign strategy meetings and events”. They are allowed to contribute ideas, information, and even advice. They are allowed to open their mouths and speak.
None of this is considered to be a donation or “anything of value” under the campaign statutes, as some Democrats and many in the media allege. To the contrary, the Commission specifically states, “an individual may volunteer his or her personal services to a campaign without making a campaign contribution”.
The same language is found in both the Federal Election Campaign Act (52 USC 30101 8-B) and the Code of Federal Regulations (100.74):
“The value of services provided by any individual who volunteers on behalf of a candidate or political committee is not a contribution.”
Why are foreigners on American soil allowed to volunteer their services and provide information to political campaigns in U.S. elections? The reason should be obvious –the Constitution.
The First Amendment gives Americans the freedom to associate with whomever they want, including Russians. It gives people the freedom to exchange ideas and information , even with Russians. As long as the information is neither stolen nor classified, there is no crime. There is no civil wrong.
We do not criminalize free speech and free association in America. Yet, there is this false mentality that all Russians are boogeymen. And talking to them is somehow a crime. It is not. The founders of our Constitution would be mortified at that notion.
One commentator recently said, “Donald Trump Jr. had an absolute duty to notify the FBI”. Why? Where is that law or duty written? If it is not a crime to exchange information with a Russian, why should the FBI be notified? Why would FBI agents be interested in legal activity? Trust me, they are not. Even if a citizen learns of a crime, there is no affirmative duty imposed by law to report it to law enforcement.
Talking with a Russian and gathering information is not a crime. Yet Pelosi and others allege that the president’s son may also be guilty of conspiracies to commit espionage and defraud the government.
As explained in an earlier column, the Trump Jr. meeting is not treason because we are not at war with Russia. It is not collusion in any criminal sense, because that only applies to anti-trust cases. It is not conspiracy to defraud the government, because the statute requires deceit and dishonesty. And it is not a violation of election laws, because foreign nationals are specifically permitted to volunteer personal services and information to political campaigns. As for espionage…seriously? What U.S. secrets or classified information is Pelosi talking about?
Democrats and even some Republicans, like Gov. Chris Christie, are perpetuating the myth that laws must have been broken without ever knowing or studying the law. And many in the media are so ignorant of basic laws and oblivious to the Constitution, they are complicit in misinforming the public.
Rarely do we see a reporter or anchor ask a lawmaker the tough, challenging question, “What laws, specifically, have been broken? Can you identify a precise statute?” The answer would be a deafening silence.
Our Constitution was never intended to embody a political point of view. It was made for people of fundamentally differing views. Unfortunately, those in Washington who should know that… do not.
And the media, which owes its existence to that esteemed document, seem to have forgotten its precious guarantees of freedom.
Schumer: If Trump fires Mueller it’ll cause ‘cataclysm’ in DC
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer predicted
Sunday that a "cataclysm" could be triggered if President Trump fires
Special Counsel Robert Mueller or pardons himself.
The high-ranking senator from New
York made the comments on Sunday during an interview on ABC’s This Week
despite Trump’s lawyers saying on the same program that pardons are not being discussed.
"It would be one of the greatest, greatest breaking
of rule of law, of traditional democratic norms of what our democracy is
about," Schumer said. "It would cause a cataclysm in Washington.''A sitting president may have constitutional power to grant pardons but Trump’s legal team claims they have not discussed it with him.
"We're not researching the issue because the issue of pardons is not on the table,'' Jay Sekulow, one of Trump's personal attorneys, said on ABC. ”There's nothing to pardon from.''
The president and his inner circle are facing Congressional and FBI investigations for possible collusion with Russia in its interference with the 2016 presidential election. Mueller is also examining a broad range of transactions involving Trump's businesses as well as those of his associates, a person familiar with the probe said.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Trump suggested that Mueller would be crossing a “red line” if he looked into the allegations. He also mentioned pardons in a series of tweets on Saturday.
The president also suggested on Twitter that Mueller and his legal team have conflicts of interest of their own, because of donations made to Democratic candidates.
Trump’s incoming White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci said on Fox News Sunday that the president brought up the issue of pardons in the Oval Office recently, but that he does not need to use it.
"There's nobody around him that has to be pardoned,'' Scaramucci said. “He was just making the statement about the power of pardons.''
Sekulow also said on Sunday that Trump's legal team is monitoring potential conflicts even though they have not made an issue with the deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein appointing Mueller after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the investigation.
"We're going to be constantly evaluating that situation,'' Sekulow said on ABC. "And if an investigation were to arise and we thought that the conflict was relevant, we would raise it without question.''
VP Pence: President Trump Delivering Agenda at a ‘Historic Pace’
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence walk out with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis following Trump’s visit to the Pentagon, Thursday, July 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) |
Vice President Mike Pence touts President Trump’s first few months in office, saying he’s delivering his agenda at a ‘historic pace.’
In a Fox News op-ed published Sunday, Pence claimed the president has taken bold action to restore prosperity, keep Americans safe and secure, and hold government accountable.
He added the President is just getting started and will continue to work with congress on health care reform, tax reform, and kick-starting the economy.
Additionally, Pence said serving under President Trump is the greatest privilege of his life.
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Vice President Mike Pence: Trump's triumphs are many after only six months and he's just getting started
In the first six months of this
administration, President Donald Trump has fought every day to deliver
on his promises to the American people. At a historic pace, this
president has taken bold action to restore prosperity, keep Americans
safe and secure, and hold government accountable.
President Trump has signed more
than 40 bills and nearly 40 executive orders on everything from health
care to energy, infrastructure and more.
While the previous administration turned to federal
agencies to enact its agenda, President Trump has signed more laws to
slash through federal red tape than any president in American history
and has saved businesses up to $18 billion a year in costs.And whereas the last administration stifled the use of America’s vast energy resources, President Trump has put a renewed emphasis on American energy – approving the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, rolling back the Clean Power Plan, and putting America First by withdrawing from the Paris climate accord.
President Trump inherited an economy that would barely budge – but under his watch, American businesses small and large have already created more than 800,000 new jobs since January. Company after company is responding to the president’s agenda with optimism – investing billions of dollars in American jobs, American workers and America’s future.
As the father of a United States Marine, I couldn’t be more proud to serve alongside a president who cares so deeply about the men and women of the armed forces of the United States of America.
After years of so-called “sequestration” and budget cuts to our armed forces, President Trump has already signed the largest increase in defense spending in nearly 10 years and called for the greatest investment in military readiness since the days of President Ronald Reagan.
It is the greatest privilege of my life to serve as vice president to a president who is fighting every single day to restore an America of freedom, prosperity and opportunity for all.And this president calls our enemy by its name – radical Islamic terrorism – and with the leadership of this commander-in-chief our armed forces are taking the fight to ISIS on our terms on their soil.
When it comes to security here in the homeland, President Trump has taken decisive steps to secure our borders and enforce our laws – a direct contrast with the previous administration.
And while illegal immigration was rampant in recent years, our administration has been working with local law enforcement to take drug dealers, members of gangs like MS-13, and other violent criminals off our streets. Illegal crossings at our southern border are down by more than 60 percent since the start of this year.
After the previous president tried to stack the courts with liberal jurists, our president made a commitment to appoint federal judges who will uphold the Constitution and the God-given liberties enshrined there. Look no further than the newest Supreme Court Justice, Neil Gorsuch.
President Trump’s accomplishments are nothing short of historic. But as the president likes to say, at this White House that's just what we call a good start.
President Trump will not rest and he will not relent until we keep our promise to the American people and repeal and replace ObamaCare.
President Trump has called on the Congress to do its job, and we will continue to work with both the House and Senate to give the American people health care reform built on the principles of personal responsibility, free-market competition and state-based reforms.
President Trump is firmly committed to passing the largest tax cut since the days of President Reagan. We’re going to cut taxes across the board for working families, small businesses and family farms.
We’ll simplify the tax code. We’ll eliminate the alternative minimum tax. We’ll make the code flatter and fairer for everyone. And under President Trump, we will repeal death taxes once and for all.
And to get this economy moving again, we’re going to cut business taxes in America so that companies in this country can compete with companies around the world and create good jobs right here in America.
We’ll end the broken system that penalizes companies for calling America home. And we’ll cut taxes on trillions of dollars that are locked away overseas so that American businesses can invest in America’s future.
It is the greatest privilege of my life to serve as vice president to a president who is fighting every single day to restore an America of freedom, prosperity and opportunity for all.
So with boundless faith in the American people, with faith in President Trump’s vision and determination, and with faith in God who has ever watched over this Land of the Free and Home of the Brave, I say with confidence: We will make America safe again. We will make America prosperous again. And to borrow a phrase, we will Make America Great Again.
Mike Pence is vice president of the United States.
Stuart Varney: Trump has already made America $4 trillion richer (with just six months in office)
Investors might think differently. The great success of the Trump presidency thus far, is not what he's done, but what he promises to do, namely, get the economy going again. Evidently, investors believe he might yet get it done.
Look at this: since his election win, the Trump rally has added $4.1 trillion to the nation's wealth. Anyone with a 401k, an IRA, college savings, retirement savings, mutual funds. Anyone with a dime in the market has taken a piece of that $4 trillion.
Also, during this presidency, 5 American companies have emerged as global technology leaders. You know their names: Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft and Facebook. It’s a technology world, and American companies have seized the future.
I find it astonishing that the world of money is so exuberant, while the political world is so contemptuous of this president and his policy of growth.
One brief aside, can anyone tell me the democrats' growth plan? Do they have one? They apparently still cling to the belief that if we taxed the rich, and give to the poor, shackle capitalism and open the borders, we will somehow grow. Nonsense. Six months in, the left is mired in hate.
Let’s hope, hate loses, and growth wins.
Six months in, it’s the hope of growth that’s making America $4 trillion richer.
Adapted from Stuart Varney’s “My Take” on Thursday July 20, 2017.
Stuart Varney joined FOX Business Network (FBN) as an anchor in 2007 and is the host of "Varney & Co." (9-11 AM/ET) on weekdays. Click here for more information about Stuart Varney.
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