In Dramatic Turnaround, Trump and Ryan Fail Attempt to Kill Affordable Care Act
:::::::: Washington Post :::::::::
House Republican leaders abruptly pulled a rewrite of the nation’s health-care system from consideration, a dramatic acknowledgment that they are so far unable to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
“We just pulled it,” President Trump told The Washington Post in a telephone interview.
In a news conference shortly after the decision, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., conceded that his party “came up short.”
The decision came a day after Trump delivered an ultimatum to lawmakers — and represented multiple failures for the new president and Ryan.
“I don’t blame Paul,” Trump said, referring to Ryan.
The decision means the ACA remains in place, and a major GOP campaign promise goes unfulfilled. It also casts doubt on the Republican Party’s ability to govern and to advance other high-stakes agenda items, including tax reform and infrastructure spending. Ryan is still without a signature achievement as speaker — and the defeat undermines Trump’s image as a skilled dealmaker willing to strike compromises to push his agenda forward.
“Moving from an opposition party to a governing party comes with growing pains. We’re feeling those growing pains today,” Ryan told reporters at a news conference covered by at least 20 television cameras.
“This is a disappointing day for us. Doing big things is hard,” he added. “All of us, all of us — myself included — will need to time to reflect on how we got to this moment.”
Ryan said he would be conferring with fellow Republicans about how to proceed in the coming days, but he warned that “we’re going to be living with Obamacare for the foreseeable future.”
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