Trump blasts own party, calls filibuster ‘GOP death wish’

by Ian Swanson - 09/08/17 8:58 AM ET

President Trump is blasting Republicans again on Twitter just days after he shocked his own party by agreeing with Democrats on a fiscal deal.

Trump called the filibuster a “Repub Death Wish” in a Friday morning tweet, saying the party would never get anything done under the rule. He also ripped Republicans for promising to deliver ObamaCare repeal for seven years and then failing to do it.

Republicans, sorry, but I’ve been hearing about Repeal & Replace for 7 years, didn’t happen! Even worse, the Senate Filibuster Rule will….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 8, 2017

…never allow the Republicans to pass even great legislation. 8 Dems control – will rarely get 60 (vs. 51) votes. It is a Repub Death Wish!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 8, 2017

The tweets are sure to be seen in the context of Trump’s deal with Democrats, which has both parties wondering if a president who once donated to Democrats might move away from his current party to do more deals with the minority.

{mosads}The White House has said that it agreed to the fiscal deal with Democrats in part to clear the decks for tax reform. Trump desperately wants a big legislative victory in his first year in office, and his team is now focused on taxes despite some long odds.

Trump also urged Republicans to move quickly on the issue in a third tweet posted on Friday morning.

Republicans must start the Tax Reform/Tax Cut legislation ASAP. Don’t wait until the end of September. Needed now more than ever. Hurry!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 8, 2017

Trump praised Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) after agreeing to their terms on a deal to extend the debt limit, fund the government and provide aid for communities affected by Hurricane Harvey.

He has also been more critical in recent weeks of GOP congressional leaders in the House and Senate, particularly Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

The filibuster requires the Senate to win 60 votes on procedural motions, giving the minority the power to block legislation. McConnell has repeatedly said he is not interested in changing the rule, which both parties have used while in the minority.

When Congress sought to repeal ObamaCare earlier this year, it did so under special budgetary rules that prevented Democrats from using the filibuster.

Those budget rules will expire at the end of September, giving Republicans little time to use them.

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) said in an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Friday that a newer ObamaCare replacement bill in the Senate is the “most promising” option for repealing the law.

The bill from Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) would replace ObamaCare with block grants to states instead of the law’s current spending on subsidies and Medicaid expansion.

The bill is a last-ditch effort to repeal the health law before the fast-track process to avoid a Democratic filibuster expires on Sept. 30. The chances of any ObamaCare repeal bill passing in such a short time frame, however, are extremely slim.

While the White House has offered support for the bill, Senate GOP leadership has shown little interest in returning to the bruising ObamaCare repeal fight, which failed in July.

Cassidy says he plans to introduce the bill by Monday.

Tags Bill Cassidy Chuck Schumer Lindsey Graham Mitch McConnell