Nov.28

electoral-vote.com

Dem 51

   

GOP 49

Trump Apparently Wants to Hand the Democrats Another Campaign Issue

Figuring out what is going on in Donald Trump's head is no easy task. And this weekend, it was particularly tough, as he decided to dig up an old bugaboo for... some reason.

The specific bugaboo in question is Obamacare. On Sunday, Trump used his failing boutique social media platform to send this out:

The cost of Obamacare is out of control, plus, it's not good Healthcare. I'm seriously looking at alternatives. We had a couple of Republican Senators who campaigned for 6 years against it, and then raised their hands not to terminate it. It was a low point for the Republican Party, but we should never give up!

That's not only a shot at Obamacare, it's also a shot, of course, at John McCain. Trump just can't let that man rest in peace.

At this point, we will note the following:

1. Obamacare isn't going anywhere; it's too deeply enmeshed in the U.S. healthcare system these days.
   
   
2. Republican efforts to kill Obamacare helped fuel the Democrats' unexpectedly successful 2018 midterm elections.
   
   
3. In view of the above, the same Republican senators who used to rub their hands gleefully when considering the prospect of slaying the ACA are not interested in revisiting the issue.
   
   
4. Trump has not had, does not have, and will never have, an "alternative" to Obamacare.

Add it up, and there is no world in which this is a winner for Trump. And the odds are, if he runs with it, he hurts himself a little and downballot Republicans a lot.

Normally we don't take notice of Trump's empty meanderings. But in this case, well, we can only come up with one explanation for what's going on here: This is unfinished business, in his mind, and it's a score he desperately wants to settle. After all, he loathes Obama with the white-hot heat of a thousand suns, and Obamacare is #44's premier accomplishment.

In view of this, it strikes us as entirely plausible that Trump could make this a core part of his 2024 platform, even if it makes no political sense whatsoever. And so that is why we mention it. (Z)