Trump has a hostile Congress because of his own behavior.
No. The main goal of Congress is (or should be) to work with the president and not against him. Even you as a liberal Democrat would love to see things get done in Washington, right?
He simultaneously demands they do something then when balked in any way because Congress does not work like his business, shreds individuals loudly and publicly. Instead of taking the time to learn how Congress works and what HE needs to do he turns on them.
And I'll tell you why. He works from the perspective of a citizen, not a president or a congressman. This is why his mannerisms and behavior seem alien and appalling to you. And that's why he was elected. He's also right to assume the government should work like his business, because essentially speaking it is a business. There's the CEO (Trump), the Board (Congress) and the stockholders (the people). Easy analogy. If you aren't in the business, you are against it. If you won't help it thrive you must be purged. Nobody said it was going to be pretty.
He supports something one moment then turns around and changes his mind the next. He wants Congress to repeal ACA but won’t go around selling it to the people beyond his own solid base. Tax reform....what a joke. It has something like 25% (?) public support....and is a partisan vendetta attacking blue states and higher ed.
I'm not too keen on this tax reform bill either. And the reason why this bill is unsavory to a lot of people is because not one Democrat sought to reach across the aisle to help forge a workable deal. In response, Republicans don't bother to seek their input with that foreknowledge. You see, this nation is so politically divided, you can actually see that play out in congress. If you won't work together, you naturally will not come up with a bill that people care for. Just as much the Democrats fault as it is the Republicans.
Trump knows that people outside of his own base will inherently resist anything he does or says so he caters to the people who support him. I don't blame him. Why would I cater to people who are hellbent on being hostile to me or my viewpoints? Why should I waste my time? People gravitate towards others who share commonalities with them. Hence Trump and his base. Hence our current political system.
I will note, that in 2010, the ACA had its own problems with approval, as you can see here:
RealClearPolitics - Election Other - Public Approval of Health Care Law
However, as you can also see, it has recovered quite nicely. It was given time to work into the healthcare system and reap positive results. So, as for tax reform, don't knock it till you try it.
ACA was crafted over 18 months. It included input and advisory committees from affected industries and groups. It included ideas that Republicans themselves had espoused at one time.
Then why, might I ask, did no Republican vote for the ACA? Just because you have a certain idea in a bill that you espouse doesn't mean it will improve the quality of the overall bill. Hence why I said "If you won't work together, you naturally will not come up with a bill that people care for."
The president stumped around the country selling it...not just to his friendly base.
Hmm, his base wasn't confined to just blue states you know. His base, like Trump's, is scattered throughout all 50 states. Quite easy to say you were reaching outside your base when you know only your base is listening.
The process was done through the normal route, not Budget Reconciliation which should not be the way to pass huge bills. Don’t look at whether the ACA was good or bad, look at the process.
Well, when one party plays the role of obstructionist too long, the other party will find a way to circumvent that, and you. To think, this "process" is all a result of one party refusing to work with the other. Yeah, I've seen all too much how the "process" works.
Are the Dems being obstructionist? Yes, like the pubs before them.
Spare me the equivalence, if you don't mind.
How can Dems work with a president that can’t stick to an agreement?
How can a president work with a party that is hellbent on resisting anything and everything he's set on doing? Attitude has a lot to do with whether he changes his mind or not. If he thinks you aren't all in, he may pull out. If he thinks you aren't being serious, he will pull out. You have to understand that Trump has been in the business world for longer than I've been alive, he has the ability to read tendencies. If he thinks you're bullshitting him, he will cancel the agreement.
